OUR LADY OF LOURDES SHRINE, PERAMBUR - CHENNAI
The Parish
In this parish, there are about 2700 Tamil-speaking families and 800 English-speaking families, which constitute a total number of 16,000 Catholics. There are daily 4 masses celebrated, while on Sundays, 8 masses. The parish has 4 English choirs and 3 Tamil ones. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed daily from 7.15 a.m. to 12 noon, except on Sundays. Facility for Confession is provided at 6.00 p.m. on Saturdays, the last day of the month, before Christmas, Easter and throughout the Lenten Season. House visits are made regularly according to the 99 Anbiams and BCC units. Only about 55 of the Anbiams function well. Most of the English-speaking BCCs do not meet regularly. Zonal masses are arranged according to the convenience of the people. Communion to the sick is also taken by the Eucharistic ministers and on every Saturday by one of the priests to the Railway Hospital. There are many devotions which are quite popular in the parish: First Friday, First Saturday, Divine Mercy, Infant Jesus Day, monthly commemorations of Mary Help of Christians and Don Bosco, Our Lady of Velankanni, charismatic conventions, night-vigils, etc. The parish employs 10 permanent workers, 2 temporary workers and 6 weekly-wage workers.
The parish has a project to landscape the playground to prevent water-logging, to build a Blessed Sacrament Chapel and a new Parish Hall.
Sub-stations
There are three sub-stations: C.C. Pakkam with 210 families, P.T.R. Colony with 88 families and Mangalapuram with 280 families. Masses are celebrated in C.C. Pakkam and P.T.R. Colony at least once a week. Since Mangalapuram is near to the parish, masses are celebrated only on special occasions.
Sunday Catechism Classes
Nearly 1200 children attend the Sunday Catechism classes in English and Tamil. They have special Sunday masses. Apart from the teaching of Catechism, they also have numerous cultural and educational competitions during the year. Ten Sisters from the neighbouring convents and about 60 volunteers help out in both the sections.
Groups and Pious Associations
There are numerous pious groups and associations: Legion of Mary, the Vincent De Paul Society, Altar Servers Association, Madha Sabai and Magalir Self-Help Groups. Most of these associations have regular meetings and are usually animated by the Parish Priest. However, it is not easy to recruit new members to join these pious associations. The laity show a lot of enthusiasm to preach the Word of God to both Catholics and non-Catholics. There are 20 trained lay preachers approved by the Archbishop in this parish.
Don Bosco Youth Centre
There are about 2000 youth living in Lourdes Shrine parish. Though some of them have completed college and professional courses, they find it hard to get employment. There is a unit of Vazhikaatti through which some youngsters are given job-placements. The DBYC, mostly Tamil-speaking youngsters, engage in sports activities while the Youth Cell, (English Youth Wing) is engaged in spiritual activities. There is need of a priest to accompany and guide them.
Other Activities of the Parish
There are 3 night-study centres: one in the parish with 26 children and 3 teachers, Thikkakulam with 96 children and 7 teachers, and the CFCA-sponsored night school with 21 children and 1 teacher. The St. Charles Borromeo Sisters help in the running of 1 of the night school centres. There is also a semi-boarding in the parish with 26 children from very poor families. They spend the day in the parish premises and are provided breakfast and tea and are given the financial help needed for education. The parish also has a small library with a few thousand books for the parishioners and a bookstall. There is also a Tailoring Institute with 30 poor girls, 1 teacher and 29 sewing machines. A Marriage Bureau for finding suitable partners in life is also situated in the parish campus. The parish gives annual scholarships to many poor students amounting to nearly Rs. 300, 000. The Vincent De Paul Society also offers many such helps. Chaplaincy service to 5 nearby convents is offered by celebrating mass twice a month and on important days. Confreres are also involved in giving weekly conferences and hearing confessions of religious in formation in 3 convents outside the parish. The CFCA gives educational help to about 42 students. They meet regularly once a month and various competitions are conducted to help them develop their talents. There is also an active Unit of the Salesian Cooperators: 28 in the English section (19 have taken the Promise) and 20 in the Tamil section who have taken the Promise. They meet regularly once a month.
Don Bosco Nursery & Primary School and the Savio Primary School
The Don Bosco Nursery and Primary English medium school has 530 students and 15 teachers on rolls. The Savio Primary Tamil Medium School has 380 children and 12 teachers. The children are given formation in faith and morals along with academic studies. The national festivals are well conducted to promote dialogue and culture. The children are encouraged to take part in sports and extra-curricular activities. Picnics and educational tours are organized. The PTA supports the School for its smooth running.
lshrine@xlweb.com ;lsperambur@donboscochennai.org
Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine
Perambur,
CHENNAI - 600 011
Cell – 98423 30264
