→ Infant Jesus Shrine at Maddikera

   History :

The new community was established by Fr. Stephen Fennely at Maddikera in 1875. He also started conversion work at Christian Pet and Maddikera where hundreds of heathens were baptized. It was looked after from Guntakal for some time. The present church was built by Fr. Louis Rego in 1995. He started the shrine of Infant Jesus in 1992. New Parish House (Presbytery) was built on 14th January - 2008 by Fr. K. Joji.

Late Fr. Louis Rego, The Founder of Infant Jesus Shrine, Maddikera.
" Whoever ask in my holy name will be definitely given ".

Rev. Fr. Louis Rego is the first person to start devotion to Infant Jesus in the diocese of Kurnool at Maddikera the border village of Kurnool District. There are 500 catholics in the village. These are Catholics for the last 300yrs. The people were very happy when Fr. Rego wanted to start a shrine here. The shrine was begun on Jan 14th 1992. From then to until now many people have been flocking to the shrine from all parishes of the diocese, from other dioceses and from Bellary, especially on 14th Jan a large crowd gathers there. Lots of people had spiritual and physical healings. Many people witnessed so many healings. People from other faiths also come here to worship Infant Jesus. The shrine lost its founder on October 17th 1995. People still remember him for his generous works, sacrificing life, prayerful and devout life. Though the shrine lost its founder his legacy still continues.

After the death of this great and pious priest, his mortal remains are buried in front of the church. Many miracles started taking place in the lives those faithful people who made pious and devout rounds around his tomb. It’s always good to remember and cherish the lives of the great personalities and imbibe their values and intercede such Historical figures for the spiritual and material favors. It is also good to know the methods they used to evangelize and the difficulties they faced during that process. They were happy with the minimum facilities to achieve maximum results. Their efforts and methods of evangelization will help the young ministers of Christ in their upcoming ministries will motivate them to carry out the work of Christ. Hence this is my little attempt to make known to the readers about interesting, outstanding, devout and sacrificing life of Our Dear Father Louis Rego.

Sri Fr. Louis Rego was the first born to Sri Jerome Rego and Smt Christina Mascharenas at Bondel village in Manglore, on May 3rd,1917. He finished his elementary education at st. Lawrence School at his home town. He went to st. Alosius School for his upper primary and high school education, which is 5 miles away from his home land. He used to walk on foot to go to school. He developed a special devotion to Mother Mary from the childhood. His grandfather was a firm devotee of Mary. Unless and until the morning and evening prayer got over he was not given any meals.

At a very early age he lost his father and so as the first born he had to take the responsibility of the family and earn livelihood for his mother and brother. Hence he reached Bombey and was working as the clerk in Sunday Standard Daily News Edition, and in the Navy. He served as the clerk in the military as well when the II world war broke out. There he was keenly doing the duties very well he was given.

After having finished his work for 15 years in the military service, he asked the officers to send him home to continue his studies. Then he conveyed his desire to become a priest to the helper at the Church in Raanchi in Jharkand. And then he wrote to the then Bishop of Nellore Willam Bowter to join in the seminary. Bishop willingly asked him to join the seminary at Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. He finished his seminary formation and was ordained on Dec 5th, 1953. He celebrated his first mass in his native village Bondel on Dec 12th 1953.

After his ordination he worked as an assistant parish priest in the parishes like Dona konda, Porumamilla. Later he became a parish priest where he was assistant in Dona konda. From then on he was the parish priest of the Markaapuram, Srisailam, Guntakallu and finally at Maddikera Parishes. Though he was from manglore he used to learn the local language(Telugu) with much patience and try to learn by talking to the people and by making mistakes. Along with the parish priests, he used to go to the parish substation on bullock cart and Cycle. At that there were almost more than 70 substations to a parish. He was teaching catechism, preparing people for confessions, listening confessions, praying the rosary, visiting the sick, and saying the Holy Mass and settling some of the petty fights among the villages. Apart from his priestly sevices he was alson known for his medical services. Since he had finsished RMP course in Auyurveda Homeopathic, he used to take care of the people medically where ever he was working. He was giving medicine for scorpion and snake bites. He such a good man he was never minding the cold, heavy rains, scorching heat of the sun to help the people, to save the souls of the people and to work always for the welfare of the people. People used to love him in all the parishes. People still remember him and offer masses for his soul. With his zeal and undaunted courage to serve his master Jesus Christ, he was never afraid to fight for equality and fraternity in all his parishes and he brought so many people to the feet of Christ. He loved the marginalized, downtrodden and was ready to die for them. Seeing his sacrificial life for the people, many wanted to know Christ and become believers. Accordingly he brought so many people to Christ by his acts of justice, mercy and love. He worked relentlessly for the growth of the church wherever he was placed. He attracted many towards him by incredible spiritual life, generous spirit and above all by his human nature. He did wonderful things in Guntakal parish and changed its outlook by building a school, renovating the church and providing proper fecilites for the piligrimages.

He worked as the parish priest in many places and did wonderful and marvelous things for the lord, for spreading the catholic faith, for preaching of the word of God for the church and for his diocese. Though he was gem of the parish priest wherever he was placed let restrict him to the Parish of Maddikera. He came to maddikera at the age of 75 in the year 1992. He renovated the church here and turned it into a Infant Jesus Shrine in the year 1994. Every year on 14th jan people from all over Andhra Pradesh come to this place for the feast. Here he helped many parishioners economically, spiritually and medically. Many people still share with me their fond memories with father Rego. Many people used to flock to Father Rego for his divine healing and to get rid of the demons that possessed them. In his old age he was suffering from Asthma. And on 17th October 1995, he breathed his last breath after a severe attack of Heart Attack. So many Diocesean Priests, sisters and multitudes of faithful gathered for his burial procession. He was buried in front of the church at the request of the parishioners. After his death miracles, healings started taking place in all those faithful who prayed to him, made rounds around his tomb. Still people say that they are receiving lot of benefits after praying to him. May his soul rest the kind father Rego and grant him eternal bliss. Truly he is a historical and renowned man in the diocese of Kurnool.

Date of Birth             :   03 - 05 - 1917
Date of Ordination   :   05 - 12 - 1953
Date of Death           :   17 - 10 - 1995

Collected on Nov 7th 2010 by the Parish Priest

Shrine Parish Priest  :   Fr. S. Raja Reddy
Address                      :   Infant Jesus Shrine
                                       Maddikera - 518385
                                       Kurnool Dist
                                       Andhra Pradesh, INDIA
Email                          :   srajareddy@gmail.com

Mass Timings :
Every day Evening Mass 6:30 am.
Infant Jesus Mass and Adoration on every Thursday
On Sunday Mass at 7:30 am
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