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Serving 1,650 Catholic families across Cherthala — a community of faith, service, and devotion.
✦ Thankey Church · Since 1583 ✦
Serving 1,650 Catholic families across Cherthala — a community of faith, service, and devotion.
St. Mary's Forane Church, Thankey is not simply a destination for pilgrims. It is the living heart of a thriving Catholic community — 1,650 families, approximately 5,300 souls, spread across an 8.9 square kilometre parish in the backwater landscape of Cherthala taluk.
The parish's designation as a Forane Church reflects its importance within the Diocese of Cochin — it has a degree of pastoral oversight over surrounding areas, and its vicar holds the title of Vicar Forane. This status, earned through centuries of significance, continues to shape how the parish sees its role: not inward-looking, but outward-facing; not merely maintaining tradition, but actively serving the community and welcoming the wider Church.
The parish's ministries extend from the liturgical to the social, from youth formation to care for the elderly. Every baptised Catholic has a role to play.
Altar servers, readers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and the choir — the ministries that enable the celebration of the Eucharist and the sacraments in their full dignity. Training and formation are provided for new ministers throughout the year.
Get InvolvedThe choir leads the congregation in sung prayer at Sunday Masses, feast days, and Holy Week. Drawing on the rich tradition of Kerala Christian music — both Malayalam and Latin — the choir is central to the liturgical life of the parish. New voices are always welcome.
Join the ChoirSunday school, sacramental preparation (First Communion, Confirmation), and adult faith formation programmes ensure that the next generation inherits a living, understood faith — not merely inherited custom. Dedicated catechists serve the parish with remarkable commitment.
Learn MoreThe parish's charitable ministry reaches beyond its own families to serve the wider Cherthala community — supporting families in need, contributing to local healthcare and education, and maintaining the tradition of hospitality (epitomised by the Good Friday gruel) that has always characterised Thankey Church.
Support the WorkThe parish youth ministry gathers young Catholics for prayer, service, social engagement, and faith formation. Retreats, outreach programmes, and participation in diocesan youth events build a sense of belonging to something larger than oneself — and to a tradition worth inheriting.
Get InvolvedExtraordinary Ministers bring Holy Communion to the homebound. The parish's pastoral care team visits the sick and elderly, ensuring that no Catholic in the parish is cut off from the sacramental life of the Church or the community of their brothers and sisters.
Request a VisitThe rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Legion of Mary, and the Confraternity of the Passion — the devotional groups of the parish sustain a culture of daily prayer and Marian devotion. Kallara Japam takes place every Friday at the Tomb, with the first Friday of each month being especially observed. All are welcome to come and pray — no booking required.
Join a Prayer GroupPre-marriage preparation, marriage enrichment, and support for families in difficulty — the parish's family ministry accompanies couples and families at every stage of life. Catholic marriage preparation is required for all marriages celebrated in the church.
Contact the ParishAs a Forane Church with over four centuries of history, Thankey has a particular responsibility to steward its heritage for future generations. The heritage ministry preserves archives, coordinates the Good Friday pilgrimage, and welcomes visitors from near and far.
Church HistoryThe Adoration Chapel at Thankey Church provides a sanctuary for quiet prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Open throughout the day, it invites parishioners and pilgrims alike to pause, kneel, and enter into the silence where God speaks. The chapel's presence in the parish reflects the deep Eucharistic spirituality that has always characterised the faithful of Thankey.
Celebrated on Sundays and at the Easter Vigil. Parents and godparents are required to attend a preparation session. Contact the parish office to arrange.
Preparation through the parish catechetical programme. First Holy Communion is typically celebrated in May. Confirmation follows diocesan schedule.
Marriages must be arranged at least three months in advance. Pre-marriage preparation is required. Contact the vicar to begin the process.
Available for the seriously ill, elderly, or those facing surgery. Contact the parish office or call directly for an urgent pastoral visit.
Available before all Masses and by appointment. The sacrament of reconciliation is offered with particular availability during Lent and Holy Week.
The parish accompanies families through bereavement with the Church's full liturgy of Christian death. Contact the parish office to arrange a funeral Mass.
Whether you are a long-standing parishioner or visiting for the first time, there is a place for you in this community. Get in touch to find out more.
