The Pontifical Mission Societies in Los Angeles

The diocese of Sivagangai, Tamilnadu is situated in the south of India. Our diocese is situated in the southeast corner of Tamil Nadu State and falls in the rain shadow region.
The Diocese of Sivagangai was bifurcated from the Madurai Archdiocese on 30 August 1987 by Pope John Paul II. There are 82 parishes, grouped into 5 vicariates. There are 734 mission centers, 155 diocesan priests, 60 religious priests, 34 religious brothers, and 438 religious nuns. The terrain of this diocese is quite barren as there are no rivers or mountains. It is perennially drought-prone and backward in development coupled with the fact that groundwater is scarce and salty. It also lacks proper transport facilities.

Hindus are the majority in this region, more than 83 %, and Muslims and Christians are the minority. Muslims are 10.46% and Christians are 6.19 %. There are 180 thousand Catholics in my diocese, 80% living in villages in less than standard living conditions. Priests along with catechists go to the rural areas to visit the sick and celebrate the Holy mass. The Catechism classes are conducted for the children in the evenings. Besides the usual ministries like Vincent de Paul, Legion of Mary, Sodality of Mary, and Altar Servers, it is noteworthy and unique that in the diocese of Sivagangai, there are 1250 voluntary Lay Evangelizers. They are actively engaged in direct re-evangelization.

Part of our pastoral care, we have taken initiatives to coordinate already existing health care providing catholic hospitals, dispensaries, primary health care providing centers, homes, and schools for special children and homes for the aged. The literacy rate in my diocese is about 40%, much lower than that in the State; school dropouts among the poor are increasing. Therefore, providing education, healthcare, and safe living conditions to the children, and assuring them a better future, has been the top priority of the diocese. There are 106 Primary Schools, 30 Middle schools, 43 high schools, and 7 University Colleges to help the education of poor children in rural areas. We work hard to maintain 30 children’s homes and orphanages, provide them with a safe environment and healthy food, and promote holistic education. Since good private schools are not affordable to poor Catholic families, the diocese builds good schools with student homes and orphanages and creates opportunities for a healthy future for our children.

We have also special homes like 3 centers for the mentally challenged, 4 aged homes, and 2 homes for handicapped children. They are operating with 100% of support from the benefactors. The diocese felt the need for upgrading the education of the poor from primary school to high school and currently, we have more than 8670 students residing in our orphanages.