Diocese of Ootacamund

Brief History: The first Catholic Church in Ooty. In 1837 Rev. Fr. Bigot Beauclair visited Ootacamund and within 2 years the construction of a Church was commenced which is now St. Joseph's Primary School. As the catholic population of Ootacamund increased, the original church was found inadequate and a much larger one was constructed in 1870 which is the present church of St. Mary's.

Sub – Stations:

Our Lady of Rosary Church, Rosemount	Infant Jesus Shrine, Upper Bazaar
Our Lady of Vailankanni Church, Muthorai	Christ the King Church, Mullikorai

Brief History: In 1934 the chapel of St. Joseph's Industrial School served as the parish church for the faithful of St. Theresa's Parish. In 1935 it was bifurcated from St. Mary's Parish, Ooty as a separate parish. The foundation stone for the present church was laid on 15th March 1964. On 6th June 1965 the present church was blessed by Rt. Rev. Dr. A. Padiyara and renovated in 1979

Brief History: The Shrine situated on the outskirts of the town of Ooty is a pilgrimage centre. There is a life size bronze crucifix imported from France by Rev. Fr. P. Crayssac, the then parish priest of St. Mary’s Church, Ooty which was installed on a boulder in 1933 to commemorate the 19th centenary of the Redemption of Mankind. The shrine was a substation of St. Theresa’s Parish, Fingerpost till 1998. On 14.05.1998 it was established as a separate parish by His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Antony Anandarayar

Brief History: Elkhill was a substation of St. Mary's Parish till 1985. On the 7th of July, 1985 it was divided from St. Mary's Parish, and made a separate parish and dedicated to the patronage of St. Jude. The church was blessed in 1984.

Brief History:The beautiful church of Our Lady of Lourdes is situated on the Mysore-Ooty highway. This parish was created in 1975 mainly for the faithful who resided in Indunagar and were employed in casino in australia the Hindustan Photo Films Factory. Rev. Fr. Laborde was instrumental in the development of this parish. In 2000 Rev. Fr. Victor constructed a grotto in the church premises and in 2001 Rev. Fr. Mark Montfort erected the bell tower.

Brief History:Records maintain that since 1904 Christianity has been flourishing in Lovedale. In 1905 a small chapel was built and remained a substation of St. Mary's Parish,Ooty. In 1941 it was raised to a status of a separate parish. In 1942 the chapel was renovated to the present structure.

Brief History : This area was a substation of St. Theresa's Parish, Fingerpost until 1968 when it was erected as a separate parish. In 1975 when Indunagar was established as a parish, Kalhatti became its substation. Once again on the 28th of June 1992 Kalhatti came into existence as a separate parish. St. Joseph is the kasyna polska Patron of this Parish.

Sub Stations :

Annai Vailankanni Church, Alagarmalai	Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine, Sholada

Brief History : Kothumudi was a substation of Sacred Heart Cathedral, Ooty. The foundation stone for the church was laid on 5th January 1967 and the church was blessed and opened on 28th January 1968. On 19.06.1982 St. Antony’s Parish was bifurcated from Sacred Heart Cathedral and made a new parish.

Brief History : The new parish of St. Theresa’s, Nanjanad, was divided from St. Mary’s Parish, Ooty on the 7th of July 1985. The F.M.M sisters are running a Mercy Home for the handicaps, mentally retarded and the old. This parish is dedicated to Little Flower of Child Jesus. On 29th July 1994 the chapel at Nanjanad was blessed and inaugurated.

Brief History : The parish of Ithalar was erected in 1957 and Emerald was a part of Ithalar. Fr. Humberto D’Souza was its first parish priest. After the remodeling and extension of the chapel at Emerald it was made a separate parish in 1987.

Brief History : Kundah had been for a long time a substation of St. Theresa’s Parish, Selas and later of St. Antony’s Parish, Lovedale. In April 1963 it was made a separate parish with Fr. Roland Lefevre as its parish priest. This parish was created especially for those who were employed in the Kundah Hydro-Electric Project. The place is inhabited by the Badagas.

Brief History : The new parish at Parli was a substation of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Kundah. It was on 21st June 1987 that Parli was divided from Kundah and made a separate parish. Fr. Roland Lefevre became the first parish priest of St. Thomas Church, Parli, while Mulli was his residence. The place is mostly inhabited by the tribes called Irulas. The FMM sisters by their social and medical service brought some of them to the Christian faith. A dispensary was opened in 1968 at Mulli to render medical service mainly to the Irulas. Later it grew into a small hospital managed by the F.M.M. Sisters.