The ever-expanding Coimbatore city, is abounding with hundreds of “Nagars”, springing up like ‘mushrooms’ on all directions: more or less, upto Avinashi and Palladam to the east upto Pollachi to the south, upto the State. border and Marutba Malai to the west and to Mettupalayam and Annur to the North. Hence great responsibility and fore sighted planning devolves on the Diocesan authorities to foresee and purchase lands well-in- advance, before the price of the land sky-rockets! Bishop Visuvasam was very adept at this, and he was always particular, the land to be purchased should be on the main high-ways! Ganapathi was a bit unfortunate to have awakened a bit late, to the need of the ever- sprawling new settlements and has to pay the price for ever of having its parish church, a little interior from the main road, and had to raise a tall belfry to be spotted! The foundation for the new church in honour of St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan Order, of which the Capuchins form the largest part, was laid by Bishop Ambrose on 3-5-1987. Rev. Fr. Mathaias OFM (cap) was the then parish priest of Gandhipuram. Ganapathi was a substation of Gandhipuram till 1990. He drew up the plans and nearly completed it. But due to some structural defects, the roofing had to be rectified. On 1-6-1990, it was created as a separate parish, with Rev. Fr. Oubagara Maria Xavier as its first Parish Priest, who had to toil hard to set right the defects, giving a new shape in the process and finally, the church was consecrated on 9- 10-1994 by Bishop Ambrose. A belfry was raised and blessed on 20-10-1996. Visuvasa Puram and Cheran-Ma-Nagar were made its substations. A new Presbytery (unfortunately attached to the church was blessed on 15-10-2000, in the time of Rev. Fr. Dhanaraj. The temporary hail, used as the chapel, is being utilized as the “Parish Hall” vith some modifications. The Salesian iisters, came to the parish and bought a land, adjacent to the :hurch and started a “Home for the street girls” (one of their special :harism as their founder St. John Bosco had started his special spostolate by working among the street boys of Milan, Italy).

Mass Timings:

Weekdays: Mon to Thurs : 6.30 a.m
Fri & Sat: 6.OO p.m
Sundays: 8.15 a.m & 6.00 p.m

Contact:
St. Francis of Assisi Church,
Athipalayam Pirivu – Assisi Nagar
Ganapathy – Coimbatore – 641 006.
(Estd 1990- Area : 20 Sq. K.M)
Phone No. -0422- 2531533

For more information please visit: www.coimbatorediocese.org