ABOUT THE PARISH
Heavenly Patron: Our Lady of Dolours (Vyakulamatha)

Name of the Church: St. Mary’s Church Mookkannur

Location: Mookkannur is village parish five kilometers (road distance) away from Angamaly junction. The parish lays three kilometers away from the NH 47 by the Karayamparmbu – Ezhattumugham Road.

Regional Significance
It was the first church in Angamaly – Athirappilly route, and the mother church of all the churches those were established in this route later on. Many more churches have been erected from Thabore and Kokkunnu which are the offshoots of Mookkannur parish.
Mookkannur church also welcomes the tourists to various tourist spots like Ezhattumugham, Munnoorpilly and Athirappilly waterfalls.

Mass Centers and Mass Timings
1. Parish Church
Sunday 6.45 am and 9.30 am
Week days 6.30 am
2. Little Flower Ashram (CST Brothers)
[LF Ashram is also a recognized Catechism Unit]
Sunday 6.30 am and 9.00 am
Week days 6.15 am
3. St. Thomas Convent
Tuesday 6.30 am

Note: In the private chapels of CSN Convent and MAGJ Hospital Holy Qurbana is held occasionally. There are also private chapels in the religious houses of Community Passion, CST Fathers and Vincentian Congregation where there is daily Holy Qurbana.

Shrines and Chapels
There are six shrines and a chapel under Mookkannur parish, the details of which are given below.
Name of the Shrine
Estd
Location
Vicar during Establishment
1. St. Thomas’ Shrine (1927)
Near the parish church (This Shrine was demolished for the development of the Road)
Rev. Fr. Panattu Thomma

2. St. Gregarious’ Shrine 1929
Western end of the parish, Bharaniparambu
Rev. Fr. Panattu Thomma

3. St. Sebastian’s Shrine 1957
Northern end of the parish, Nattukallu
Rev. Fr. Kandathil Thomma

4. Cemetery Chapel 1967
In the cemetery
Rev. Fr. Mambilly John

5. Geevarghese’ Shrine 1970
To the north of the church, Erappu
Rev. Fr. Sankoorickal Joseph

6. St. Joseph Shrine 1986
To the southeast of the church, Kalarkuzhy
Rev. Fr. Thekkinen Joseph

7. St. Sebastian’s Shrine 1986
To the north of the church, Pala junction
Rev. Fr. Thekkinen Joseph


Religious Houses
Little Flower Monastery (CST Brothers)
The mother house of the Congregation of St. Therese is within the territory of the Mookkannur parish. His Grace Archbishop Augustine Kandathil founded this congregation in 1931 and appointed Rev. Fr. Thomma Panattu, the then vicar of Mookkannur as the director of the Congregation. At present numerous institutions function under them.
1. Sacred Heart Orphanage, Balabhavan; It is the continuation of the Thiruhrudaya Balanagar (Orphanage for boys) established by the Archdiocese in 1913
2. Mar Augustine Golden Jubilee Memorial Hospital
3. Lisiue School of Nursing
4. Sacred Heart Orphanage High School (State Syllabus)
5. Sacred Heart English Medium School (CBSE)
6. Balanagar Technical Institute
7. Balanagar Press
8. CST Welfare Centre (Carpentry)
Basil Bhavan (CST Fathers)
This house under St. Joseph Province of Congregation of St. Therese (Fathers), Aluva was established in 1991 as the Mother House of the Congregation. This congregation has its roots in the Congregation of St. Therese founded by His Grace Mar Augustine Kandathil in 1931. This congregation began as a part of the former congregation in 1946 by Rev. Fr. Pannattu Thomma (later named Fr. Baselius CST).
Vincentian House
A house of the Vincentian Congregation was established in Mookkannur parish near St. Gregarious Shrine in 1996
Calvary Ashram
The Passion Community of the congregation of Passion started Calvary Ashram in 2004 as the minor seminary of the congregation in the Syro-Malabar Rite.
Little Flower Convent (CSN)
A convent of the Edakkunnu Nzareth Sisters was established in 1957 in order to assist the functioning of the MAGJ Hospital. They also serve the parish in the catechetical and pastoral ministries.
St. Thomas Convent (CMC)
A convent of the CMC Sisters was established in 1960. They assist the catechetical and pastoral ministries of the parish very effectively. They also manage an English Medium School (ICSE Syllabus) and a Nursery School.

Total No. of families in the parish 1188

The family unit system very effectively functions according to the direction of the Vicar and strong leadership of laity.
The People
The people are mostly middle class and basically belong to agricultural tradition. Many of the parishioners especially youth are employed abroad especially in gulf countries. There are also upper class and lower class families. People are mostly cooperative especially regarding church matters.

Organizations, Associations and Trusts
Holy Childhood, Altar Boys Association, Christian Life Community(CLC), Cherupushpa Mission League, Mariyan Youth Forum, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Women Welfare Association, St. Mary’s Marananthara Sahaya Sangham, St. Mary’s Kudumba Kshema Nidhi and St. Mary’s Charitable Trust etc. are organizations and associations for the integral development of the parish and its people.