About St. Joseph Church, Rajaji Nagar, Pallavaram in St. Joseph Rajaji Nagar Church Dharga Rd Raja Joseph Colony, Pallavaram, Chennai

Originally this area belonged to St.Xavier’s Parish, Pallavaram. In the year 1964, Fr.MathewVettical who was parish priest at that time arranged a Lenten retreat inviting twoRedemptorist priests. The retreatens visited the catholic families in Rajaji Nagar area

A small asbestos roofed church was constructed with the help of the local parishioners. The church was dedicated to the parishioners on the 25th of March 1969by His Excellency Madras -Mylapore Arch Bishop Arulappa. Since this is a workers area, the church was dedicated toSt.Joseph the worker.

In the year 1993 Pallotine Congregation Fathers (Fr.Soosaiyan) approached the then Madras -Mylapore Arch Bishop Casmir Gnanadikkam to take this sub station as a separate parish under their control. Fr. Sebastian was Parish Priest in the St.Xavier’s Church of Pallavaram. Accepting their request the Arch bishop asked them to proceed the process.

St.Joseph the worker was bifurcated from its mother’s church of St.Francis Xavier church,Pallavaram was declared as a separate parish in the month of October 1994 and handed over to Pallotine Congregation.

Fr.Sylvester D’ Cruz SAC was appointed as the first Parish Priest of this church. At that time around 300 catholic families belonged to this parish. Fr.Sylvester made many developments in this parish. He purchased five acres of land in Annai Theresa Nagar and started St. Vincent Pallotti Matriculation Hr.Sec School. He was here from 1994 to 2003

Rev. Fr. Rock Gerald SAC was the parish priest from2003 to 2005. From 2005 to 2008 Rev.Fr.Xavier SAC was the parish priest of this church. During his period he demolished the old church building and reconstructed the present beautiful new parish church . The new reconstructed church was consecrated by his excellencyMost Rev. Neethinathan, bishop of Chengelpet on 27th July 2008.

After thatfrom July 2008 to May 2014 Fr. Albert Lenus SAC was the parish priest of this church. From June 2014 Fr.Aruldoss SAC took over as Parish priest. At present nearly 1000 catholic families are living in this parish. Since the Rajaji nagar area is developing day by day many settlers are coming from outside there are definite scope for further increasing of the number of families in the parish.

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