VIDALIA, La. &045; Father Paul will take little pieces of his Vidalia-based flock with him on Friday when he moves to his new church.

It may be a handshake, a greeting or maybe even the tiniest twinge of a Southern accent, but it will be impossible for him to completely forget the customs he’s learned at his first American church.

Nine years ago the Rev. Paul Kunnumpuram left behind his native India for Our Lady of Lourdes Church, and Friday he’ll leave Vidalia for another Our Lady of Lourdes in Marksville.

&uot;Everything was kind of new here,&uot; Kunnumpuram said. &uot;Much different ways and manners and customs, but it was wonderful to be here. I felt very comfortable in my own nest.&uot;

And Kunnumpuram’s church felt very comfortable with him.

&uot;He just makes friends everywhere he goes,&uot; church member Beullh Dallalio said. &uot;He came from a far away country and just fit in.

&uot;He’s been such an inspiration not only to our church but the whole community.&uot;

Creating community was Kunnumpuram’s goal, he said.

&uot;The main goal was to build up a friendly community and a friendly church,&uot; he said.

In addition to his work at the church, Kunnumpuram has been involved as a volunteer chaplain at Natchez Regional Hospital and Hospice Help and has worked with Cathedral School.

&uot;He’s just brought the parish so close together,&uot; Connie McDonough said. &uot;He’s just so kind, one of the kindest people I’ve met.&uot;

McDonough’s husband Bill said Kunnumpuram’s motto &uot;I am third,&uot; sums him up.

&uot;God is first, other people are second and he is third,&uot; Bill McDonough said.

Corinne Randazzo said she’ll always remember seeing Father Paul riding in the Christmas Parade, trick-or-treating with the kids and just being a part of the community.

&uot;He was part of the non-Catholic community as well as the Catholic community,&uot; she said. &uot;He loved having people around him, and I think our people just bonded together like we’ve never ever been before.&uot;

Our Lady of Lourdes has about 100 families. In Marksville, Kunnumpuram’s congregation will be around 300 families, with a smaller mission church of about 100 families.

&uot;It’s going to be different,&uot; he said. &uot;The community is predominately Catholic. I’m excited about what’s going to happen.&uot;

Catholic diocese policy moves priests from one church to the next. Priests usually stay at one church for six years. The maximum time allowed is 12 years.

&uot;We know as Catholics that our priests can’t stay forever,&uot; Randazzo said. &uot;We were very fortunate to have him an extended time, and I feel that our people, our parishioners and the people of the Miss-Lou are much better by having his influence.&uot;

Kunnumpuram’s last Mass is today.

The Rev. George Pakkattu, from Jena, moved to Vidalia Wednesday to take over at Our Lady of Lourdes.