1775–1838

Sixty-three years without a Jesuit

For sixty-three years after the last Jesuit father, Clement Thomassini, died in 1775, no Jesuit served Vadakkankulam. It was not left to itself. Bishop Caldwell's history records that the Jesuits left in Tinnevelly, this parish among them, "died one by one, and their places were supplied by native priests from Goa." The parish's own roll names the pastors who followed under the Bishop of Cochin — Deva Varadhanar, Ignatius, John Louis Cardoza and their successors.

DocumentedThis moment rests on 3 sources.
Parish history 2026p. 8
8. Rev. Fr. Bursus (1713) 9. Rev. Fr. Bernardiza (1714) 10. Rev. Fr. Antonius Brandolini (1715) – “Antoninadher” 11. Rev. Fr. Alexander (1716) 12. Rev. Fr. Dominicus Madeyara (1717–1727) 13. Rev. Fr. Giliya (1728) 14. Rev. Fr. Thomas Prosper Guliani (1729–1733) – “Pakkianadher” 15. Rev. Fr. Joseph Silverio (1734–1740) 16. Rev. Fr. John Baptiste Buttari (1741–1750) – “Paranchodinadhar” 17. Rev. Fr. Francis Clemente Thomassini (1751–1775) –“ Madurendranadher” or Gnana Amourdam” - Period II the Priest of Cochin 18. Rev. Fr. Deva Varadhanar (1776–1791) 19. Rev. Fr. Ignatius (1792–1802) 20. Rev. Fr. John Louis Cardoza (1803) 21. Rev. Fr. Francis De Miranda (1804–1808) 22. Rev. Fr. Xavier Gestand (1809–1826) 23. Rev. Fr. Jacob Puthampare (1827–1831) 24. Rev. Fr. Michael Fierras (1832–1835) - Period III of Transition – Pondicherry Mission 25. Rev. Fr. Thairiyanadhar (1836–1837) Fr Dayriam - Period IV – The new Jesuits 26. Rev. Fr. Alex Martin (1838) 27. Rev. Fr. Louis Duranguet (1839–1840) 28. Rev. Fr. Antonius Sales (1841) 29. Rev. Fr. Constantine (1842–1843) 30. Rev. Fr. Joseph Gregory (1844) – I 31. Rev. Fr. Louis Verdier (1847–1850)
8

Vadakankulam History (2026)The parish's own in-house compilation

The parish's own record, printed here by the parish.

What this source establishes

The parish's own roll — an unbroken line of RESIDENT pastors through the whole Jesuit gap, so the parish was never left to itself. And note the heading the roll itself gives: the Priest of COCHIN. Not Cranganore.