St. Joseph’s Parish is located about 7 kilometers away from the town of Kottayam in the state of Kerala and falls within the territory of the Latin diocese of Vijayapuram. This parish, already 107 years old, consists of about 275 Catholic families spread over a large area of approximately five square kilometers. These indigenous people, socially and economically backward, are basically agricultural people and most of them depend on the small tracts of land that they might own for their daily sustenance. A good number of people also work as unskilled, daily wage earners. Holy Cross assumed pastoral responsibility of this parish in 2002 and Frs. Alexander Cheruvil and N.P. Abraham now minister to the people, accompanying and assisting them for their spiritual welfare and social upliftment.

Our priests took up the daunting task of replacing the old church with a brand new one. The parishioners being very poor could ill afford it. In June, 2006 the young, energetic and dynamic Fr. Agi Paul took up the staff of shepherding and with his charismatic touch  rallied the people behind him. By October the simple, functional church was ready and was blessed (picture above). He has introduced several new devotions and programs that have brought back many people who had strayed away to other denominations.