Indian Catholic Movement

The Indian Catholic Movement (ICM) is a parish organization of the Church of the Risen Christ, which was inaugurated in July 1972 with the encouragement of Rev Fr Adrian Anthony for the Spiritual needs of the Tamil speaking community.

Since September 1972, a three day mission or Triduum in Tamil was organized to serve as a retreat for the Tamil Speaking community. This mission coincided with the Feast of Our Lady of Velankanni. 

Catholics and Non- Catholics all over the island come to renew their faith and their devotion to Our Lady of Velankanni is also known as Our Lady of Good Health.

The Feast of Our Lady of Velankanni is celebrated annually in September with the Triduum – that begins on Thursday, Friday with Benediction & Healing of the Sick and ends on Saturday with distribution of Blessed Oil and Velankanni Prayer Cards followed by food & fellowship. 

The Feast has been the climax event for the Movement since its inauguration. 

Preparation for this Feast begins as early as January each year.

Monthly Tamil Mass was celebrated on the First Saturday of each month at 5.30pm since 1974. 

In December 1987, the Tamil Mass was shifted to the First Sunday due to the rescheduling of Mass Times

in the parish and subsequently to the Second Sunday of each month till date. 

We invite all Tamil speaking and Indian Parishioners to join in our 2nd Sunday Monthly Tamil Mass at 7pm.

The ICM also participates in the operation of the Church Canteen since 1989. 

We also take part in all activities organized at the parish level, Food and Fun Fair, Parish Feast Day, Parish Mission, Parish Renewal Experience - (PRE), Lay Apostolate Weekend and Parish Rosary Devotion.

The Movement has also organized many activities such as Lenten Retreats conducted in both English & Tamil, Retreats, picnics & trips for its members & their families.

Since October 2018, Fr Leo Justin from India was appointed to serve as an Assistant Priest in the Parish and as a Spiritual Director of Indian Catholic Movement. 

With his strong proficiency in the Tamil Language, many events, both Spiritual and Social, were organized in the Parish and Archdiocese level. 

As of July 2022, Fr Arun Bellarmin from India now serves as the Assistant Priest of our Parish and has taken over the role of the Spiritual Director of the Indian Catholic Movement.

With his valuable advice and suggestions, the Movement continues to actively organize and participate in both parish & Archdiocese level activities.

The Movement also marked an iconic milestone during the uncertain Covid 19 situation, the 48th Feast of Our Lady of Velankanni was celebrated on 8th September 2020 and piloted its very 1st Live Broadcast through Youtube with the kind assistance of the Parish Media Team.

Our 49th Feast in 2021 was celebrated in Church with a small capacity of 50 parishioners as well as a Live Youtube Broadcast. 

In 2022, a video Montage was released to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the Velankanni Feast as well as to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Movement with a Message and Blessing from His Eminence Cardinal William Goh.

The Indian Catholic Movement is represented by two members in the Archdiocesan Commission for Tamil Speaking (ACTS). The Commission coordinates and reaches out to the various Parishes with Tamil speaking ministries, which comes under its umbrella. It organizes various Liturgical, Catechetical, Pastoral, and cultural programs for the Tamil speaking on different occasions in accordance with Archdiocesan norms and regulations.