Just behind the school, there was an open ground that the Collector was willing to donate to the school to be used as a playground. As soon as the potters heard of it, they claimed it as theirs and built 40 houses on it overnight. It took two and a half years to make them vacate. It was named St. Josephs Playground. During the tenure of Fr. Lourdu Ubagaram, the golden jubilee of the church was celebrated; he renovated the church and the presbytery, laid a path between the presbytery and the main road, built the compound wall, constructed churches in Thodaneri and Kilamathur, and arranged for an abundant water supply for the students.
Fr. N.P. Alphonse, who came to this parish in 1983, besides building a chapel in Oormachikkulam and improving the school buildings in Samayanallur and Sholavandan, engaged in direct evangelization with the help of a zealous group. He also started youth associations in villages and paved the way for ecumenism and dialogue.
He was sensitive to the suffering of the Sri Lankan Tamils and undertook a fast. He conducted a procession of women with empty pots to urge the authorities to take immediate steps for water supply.
Fr. Lourduraj has numerous achievements to his credit, such as renewing the youth club, building Visuvasam Arangam and Casimir Hall, improving the school roofing, completing the chapel, renewing the altar, initiating Lourdes dispensary in Mannadi Mangalam, and bringing the convent of Pallotine Sisters to Mariammalkulam. With the help of MMSSS, he started the Marianus dispensary in Samayanallur; he decided to provide nutritious food for 1,000 children in Samayanallur and Sholavandan.
