Brief History of Shapurnagar Parish

Shapurnagar was a Sub-station of St. Ignatius Church, Gagillapuram Parish. For the pastoral benefit of the people, it was erected as an independent Parish in 1992 with Fr. Yeruva Thomas as the first Parish Priest. Upto 1992, the Parish Priests of Gagillapuram ministered to the Catholics of this area. Fr. Batherapally Peter, Fr. Thumma Francis and Fr. Thumma Solomon strengthened the people in their faith. In 1987, a small Chapel was built at Shapurnagar under the supervision of late Fr. Thumma Francis. At Suraram, Fr. Thumma Solomon constructed a Community Hall, where Holy Mass was regularly celebrated and community meetings were also held. Fr. Yeruva Thomas as Parish Priest built a new Church at Suraram Sub- station. He also undertook the construction of a Chapel at Subhashnagar Sub-station in 1995, which was later completed during the time of Fr. Gade Showreddy. The Parish has been growing steadily. Suraram which was one of the Sub-stations of Shapurnagar Parish was erected as an independent Parish in 2003. Fr. Udumala J. Chinnappa Reddy as Parish Priest at Shapurnagar Parish had extended St. Agnes Church and on 15th May, 2006 Archbishop Marampudi Joji blessed & inaugurated. He also constructed a new Presbytery near the Church for the Priest’s Residence. He planned to have a Parish Hall for the use of Parishioners. He received a grant from a Donor Agency for this purpose and in the meantime he was transferred to St. Alphonsus High School, Banjara Hills as the Principal. Fr. Chinnabathini Jayaraj as Parish Priest constructed Parish Hall at Shapurnagar Parish and on 18th January, 2010 Archbishop Marampudi Joji blessed & inaugurated it. He also celebrated Silver Jubilee of Shapurnagar Parish on 23rd January, 2012 and Archbishop Thumma Bala was the main celebrant for the celebration.

ST. ANTHONY’S CHAPEL: St. Anthony’s Chapel was developed in a piece of land (710 square yards) at Markandeyanagar, which was given by local faithful 32 years back. The land was actually a deserted rocky area considered to be a waste land. After Fr. Chinnabathini Jayraj was appointed as the Parish Priest of Shapurnagar Parish in 2007 he took special interest in developing the devotion to St. Anthony and also to protect this costly piece of land. Now regular prayers and Holy Mass along with novena in honor of St. Anthony are held there. A small Chapel was built to conduct prayers and as the number of devotees was increasing Fr. Chinnabathini Jayaraj along with local Church Committee members took initiatives to do the extension of the Chapel there.

Sub-Station In The Parish

SUBHASHNAGAR : Arogyamata Church is a Sub-station of St. Agnes Church, Shapurnagar Parish. Arogyamatha Chapel is located at Subhashnagar, and this Chapel was built in 1992 by Fr. Yeruva Thomas. The length of the Church is about 80 feet and the breadth of the Church 20 feet. In the beginning there were only 3 Catholic families, but now there are about 50 Catholic families. The Church was just a small hall in the beginning with a small Cross. After Fr. Bandanadam Showry Prabhakar was appointed Parish Priest in 2015, he took special interest to renovate the Chapel. He also took up various activities to encourage the devotion to Arogyamata. Catholics and other religious people are also joining in the devotion.