MAHARANIPETA (1917)
The history of maharanipeta parish started in the year 1852 when a small house was bought at prakashrao peta where a small chapel was built for the tamil speaking catholics by Fr.J M Tissot. Fathers used to come from St.Aloysius to cater to the spiritual needs of the people. MGR.Neyret bought 10 acres of land near prakasharao peta in 1853. At the corner of the property a new church was built by Fr.Gontier in 1917. The old chapel was converted into a school and the same was sold away in 1929. There were many priests who used to come to conduct religious service at St.Anthony's church. A special mention is to be made of Fr J B Gontier who regularly undertook the job of looking after the faithful from 1904 to1935. It was he who built the church opened the St.Anthony's school and shifted in to its present location in 1923. It became a higher elementary school in 1925, the boarders who were in the old cathedral were brought to .St.Anthony's in 1935 when priests began to stay here. The first part of thepresaent school was built by Fr.Andrade who was the hm in 1940. Subsequently it became ahigh school when Fr Gopu inna reddy occupied the hm's seat.It was bishop rossillon who built the new bishop's house on a10 acre plot and shifted his residence from the fort to this new house in 1934. With the opening of bishop's house ,the church got its resident priests.the procurator to the bishop used to serve as the parish priest for some years.
Maharanipeta acquired its importance due to the collectrate,the district court and the king george hospital. Many residential quarters came up in its surroundings. The school and the church necessitated many catholics to settle down. The catholic populations increased steadily. St.Anthony's parish stands as the second largest parish in the city. The priests who worked here later became bishops such as Fr J M Tissot and Fr Baud to mention a few.
Present church was established in 1972 under the premises of our Bishop Rv. Gopu inna reddy ,Fr.Joseph pavath(procurator) , and Fr.Jacob pathupallil(parish priest) .
