Brief History of Mallapur Parish

Mallapur was a Sub-station of Nacharam. Priests from Nacharam visited Mallapur and its surrounding areas, in order to cater to the spiritual needs of the people. As time passed, the number of Catholic families increased. Since they were migrants, they needed special attention. Sisters of St. Ann of Providence gifted land for the purpose of the Church there. As place for worship was available the community became spiritually vibrant and the number of Faithful coming to the Church increased. Therefore, on 14th September, 2004 on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Mallapur was canonically erected as a Quasi- Parish by Archbishop Marampudi Joji, with St. Ann as the Patroness of the Parish. Priest in-charge looks after St. Ann’s Church from Nacharam as there is no Priest’s Residence at Mallapur. Fr. Mathew Ponvelil OCD as Parish Priest built St. Ann’s Church at Mallapur Quasi-Parish and on 15th January, 2011 Msgr. Swarna Bernard blessed & inaugurated it. The number of Catholic families now is about 200. At present OCD Fathers are taking initiatives to establish a Monastery at Mallapur Quasi-Parish and after obtaining due permission from Archbishop Thumma Bala, the process would be initiated. Holy Mass on Sunday is at 8.30 a.m. in English and 10.30 a.m. in Telugu.

In the Archdiocesan Consulters’ Body Meetings held on 12th June, 2020 and 14th July, 2020 a point was discussed with regard to raising Mallapur Quasi-Parish to the status of a Parish and after due discussion the Archdiocesan Consulters’ Body in the light of Canon Law recommended that this matter be discussed in the Priests’ Senate Body Meeting. Accordingly in the Priests’ Senate Body Meeting held on 06th August, 2020 it was discussed and after due discussion recommended the same. This recommendation of the Priests’ Senate Body was further discussed in the Archdiocesan Consulters’ Body Meeting held on 31st August, 2020 and after due discussion the Archdiocesan Consulters’ Body resolved to raise Mallapur Quasi-Parish to the status of a Parish with effect from 08th December, 2020 on the Solemnity of Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the light of the above-mentioned matters Archbishop Thumma Bala, raised Mallapur Quasi-Parish to the status of a Parish with effect from 08th December, 2020.

Mallapur Parish had Bolligudem Sub-station. Foundation Stone for new Lourdu Mata Church was laid by Fr. Johannes Gorantla OCD, Provincial Superior on 06th May, 2013. After the completion of the new church, it was blessed by Archbishop Thumma Bala and inaugurated by Fr. Gorantla Johannes OCD on 28th February, 2016. There are 130 Catholic families in this Sub-station. As per need the Archdiocese of Hyderabad would make Bolligudem a separate Centre bringing it under the pastoral care of the Archdiocesan Priests, while Mallapur Parish will continue to be under the pastoral care of Carmelite Fathers of St. Francis Xavier Province, Kothagudem, who are establishing a Monastery at Mallapur.

The Society of the Holy Spirit (SHS), which is taking pastoral care of the Boduppal Mission Centre made a request proposal to attach Bolligudem, which is a Sub-station of Mallapur Quasi- Parish, to attach it to Boduppal and the SHS Society would take care of the maintenance of the Priest In-charge there and also would build Presbytery and would take care of the maintenance of the Presbytery and the Church there; to register the land at Bolligudem in the name of Society of the Holy Spirit and in turn the Society of the Holy Spirit would register its land at Boduppal in the name of the Archdiocese of Hyderabad Society. Though the Society of the Holy Spirit is ready to hand-over its land in Boduppal to the Archdiocese of Hyderabad and in turn requested to register the land at Bolligudem sub-station in their Society’s name, yet the Archdiocese of Hyderabad did not want that way.

After due discussion the Consulters’ Body resolved only to bifurcate Bolligudem sub-station from Mallapur Quasi-Parish, which is under the pastoral care of Discalced Carmelites (OCD Fathers), and attach it to Boduppal Quasi-Parish, which is under the pastoral care of the Society of the Holy Spirit (SHS) for a period of 25 years, and name it as ‘Boduppal-Bolligudem Quasi- Parish’, and whenever the Society of the Holy Spirit (SHS) is able to build a Church in their present land at Boduppal or in any other place within the jurisdiction of Boduppal Quasi-Parish even selling away the present land belonging to their Society, and after discussion and consideration the Archdiocese of Hyderabad would take over Bolligudem and bring it under the pastoral care of an Archdiocesan Priest and this comes into effect from 08th December, 2020 on the occasion of the Solemnity of Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. When the Church in Boduppal Quasi-Parish will be ready the Society of the Holy Spirit would inform the Archbishop about it. In the light of the above-mentioned matters Archbishop Thumma Bala, attached Bolligudem sub-station to Boduppal Mission Centre and raised Boduppal-Bolligudem to the status of a Quasi-Parish with effect from 08th December, 2020.

On 10th October, 2020 during his 5th Pastoral Visit to St. Ann’s Church, Mallapur Parish, Archbishop Thumma Bala blessed & laid foundation Stone for St. Ann’s Carmelite Monastery at Mallapur, Hyderabad in the presence of Fr. Jayaraj Bollikonda OCD, Provincial Superior of St. Francis Xavier Province, Sr. Jacintha Mariappa SAP, Provincial Superior of St. Ann of Providence, Fr. Yohan Rajesh Palepu, Parish Priest of Mallapur Parish, Clergy, Religious & Faithful.

Men & Women Religious Congregations

Sisters Of St. Ann Of Providence(SAP), Formation House : Sisters established Community on 25th March, 1973. St. Ann’s Degree & PG College for Women established on 11th October, 2003. Ministries in the Parish are teaching catechism, preparing children for First Holy Communion and Confirmation, visiting families and one of their Sisters is the Sacristan.

Second Comunity Of Sisters Of St. Ann Of Providence (SAP) : Sisters established their community, St. Ann’s Juniorate in 1983. They have Formation House and Kindergarten School. Mission of the Congregation is education and Christian Formation of children and young girls belonging to the poor and needy families. Ministries in the Parish are teaching catechism, preparing children and adults to receive Sacraments, helping in the Church activities and sacristy, visiting families, Legion of Mary and teaching Altar servers’ boys and girls.