This morning, the Holy See Press Centre published the text of a Letter which the Holy Father has addressed to the Bishops of India.
Dear Brother Bishops,
1. The remarkable varietas Ecclesiarum (variety of Churches), the result of a long historical, cultural, spiritual and disciplinary development, constitutes a treasure of the Church, regina in vestitu deaurato circumdata variegate (the queen dressed in a golden gown and surrounded by variety) (cf Psalm 44 and Leo XIII, Orientalium Dignitas), who awaits her groom with the fidelity and patience of the wise virgin, equipped with an abundant supply of oil, so that the light of her lamp may enlighten all peoples in the long night of awaiting the Lord’s coming.
This variety of ecclesial life, which shines with great splendour throughout lands and nations, is also found in India. The Catholic Church in India has its origins in the preaching of the Apostle Thomas. It developed through contact with the Churches of Chaldean and Antiochian traditions and, from the sixteenth century onward, through the efforts of Latin missionaries. The history of Christianity in this great country thus led to three distinct sui iuris Churches, corresponding to ecclesial expressions of the same faith celebrated in different rites according to the three liturgical, spiritual, theological and disciplinary traditions. Although this situation has sometimes led to tensions in the course of history, today we can admire a Christian presence that is both rich and beautiful, complex and unique.
2. It is essential for the Catholic Church to reveal her face in all its beauty to the world, in the richness of her various traditions. For this reason the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, which celebrates its centenary year, having been established through the farsightedness of Pope Benedict XV in 1917, has encouraged, where necessary, the restoration of Eastern Catholic traditions, and ensured their protection, as well as respect for the dignity and rights of these ancient Churches.
3. The Second Vatican Council embraced this vision of the Church and reminded the faithful of the need to protect and preserve the treasure of the particular traditions of each Church. Moreover, within the Church particular Churches hold a rightful place; these Churches retain their own traditions, without in any way opposing the primacy of the Chair of Peter, which presides over the whole assembly in charity (cf Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Romans, Preface), and protects legitimate differences, while at the same time assuring that such differences do not hinder unity but rather contribute toward it (Lumen Gentium, 13).
4. As Lumen Gentium teaches, it is for the Bishop of Rome to promote unity in the diversity of the Body of Christ. In this task, the Roman Pontiffs faithfully interpret and apply the voice of the Second Vatican Council, which expressed the ardent desire that the Oriental Churches, venerated for their antiquity, should flourish and with new apostolic vigour execute the task entrusted to them (Orientalium Ecclesiarum, 1). Their responsibility is not only to become ever more effective instruments of that special duty of promoting the unity of all Christians, especially Eastern Christians (OE, 24), but also to promote their equal dignity … for they enjoy the same rights and are under the same obligations, also in respect of preaching the Gospel to the whole world (OE, 3).
Thirty years ago, my beloved predecessor Saint John Paul II wrote a Letter to the Bishops of India. Drawing on the Second Vatican Council, he sought to apply the conciliar teaching to the Indian context. In India, even after many centuries, Christians are only a small proportion of the population and, consequently, there is a particular need to demonstrate unity and to avoid any semblance of division. Saint John Paul II also stated that the need for unity and the preservation of diversity are not opposed to one another: This need to be faithful to the traditions and patrimony of one’s own rite must not be interpreted as an interference with the Church’s task of ‘gathering into one the children of God who are scattered abroad’ (Jn 11:52) or with the mission of the Church to promote the communion of all people with the Redeemer (Epistula ad Indiae Episcopos, 28 May 1987).
5. Five decades ago, when the Syro-Malabar Church expanded to some central and northern parts of India with missionary eparchies, it was generally thought by the Latin Bishops that there should be just one jurisdiction, that is, one bishop in a particular territory. These eparchies, created from Latin dioceses, today have exclusive jurisdiction over those territories, both of the Latin and Syro-Malabar faithful. However, both in the traditional territories of the Eastern Churches, as well as in the vast area of the so-called diaspora (where these faithful have long been established), a fruitful and harmonious cooperation between Catholic bishops of the different sui iuris Churches within the same territory has taken place. This cooperation not only offers an ecclesiological justification for such a solution, but also demonstrates its pastoral benefits. In a world where large numbers of Christians are forced to migrate, overlapping jurisdictions have become customary and are increasingly effective tools for ensuring the pastoral care of the faithful while also ensuring full respect for their ecclesial traditions.
6. In India itself, overlapping jurisdictions should no longer be problematic, for the Church has experienced them for some time, such as in Kerala. Saint John Paul II’s Letter authorized the erection of a Syro-Malabar eparchy in the Bombay-Pune region, which became the Eparchy of Kalyan. In 2012 the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Faridabad was erected in the region of Delhi and its neighbouring states, while the boundaries of the Eparchy of Mandya were extended in 2015 to include the metropolitan area of Bangalore. In the same year, an Eparchy and an Apostolic Exarchate were erected for the Syro-Malankar faithful, so that by these ecclesiastical circumscriptions the Syro-Malankar Church could provide pastoral care for its faithful throughout the territory of India. All these developments show that, albeit not without problems, the presence of a number of bishops in the same area does not compromise the mission of the Church. On the contrary, these steps have given greater impetus to the local Churches for their pastoral and missionary efforts.
7. In 2011 my predecessor Benedict XVI wished to provide for the pastoral needs of the Syro-Malabar faithful throughout India, and I confirmed his intention following the plenary session of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in 2013. Archbishop Raphael Thattil is currently the Apostolic Visitor for those Syro-Malabar faithful in India who live outside their own territory, and he has provided detailed reports to the Apostolic See. This issue has been examined in meetings at the highest levels of the Church. Following these steps, I believe the time is now right to complete this process.
I have therefore authorized the Congregation for the Oriental Churches to provide for the pastoral care of the Syro-Malabar faithful throughout India by the erection of two Eparchies and by the extension of the boundaries of the two already in existence.
I decree also that the new circumscriptions, as with those already in existence, be entrusted to the pastoral care of the Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly and to the Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church, according to the norms of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.
8. I hope that my decision will be welcomed with a generous and peaceful spirit, although it may be a source of apprehension for some, since many Syro-Malabars, deprived of pastoral care in their own rite, are at present fully involved in the life of the Latin Church. I am convinced, however, that all those involved will understand that there is no need for concern: the Church’s life should not be disrupted by such a provision. Indeed it must not be negatively interpreted as imposing upon the faithful a requirement to leave the communities which have welcomed them, sometimes for many generations, and to which they have contributed in various ways. It should rather be seen as an invitation as well as an opportunity for growth in faith and communion with their sui iuris Church, in order to preserve the precious heritage of their rite and to pass it on to future generations. There is already an instruction by the Congregation for the Oriental Churches to the Eparchy of Faridabad, which indicates that a member of the Syro-Malabar faithful, by virtue of the same law, is also a member of the Syro-Malabar parish where he or she is domiciled (Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, Can, 280 §1); yet at the same time, he or she can remain fully involved in the life and activities of the parish of the Latin Church. No dispensation is required from the law currently in force for the faithful to practice their faith serenely, and they may do this with the pastoral care of either Latin or Syro-Malabar pastors (cf Protocol Number 197/2014, 28 January 2016).
9. The path of the Catholic Church in India cannot be that of isolation and separation, but rather of respect and cooperation. The presence of several bishops of the various sui iuris Churches in the same territory will surely offer an eloquent witness to a vibrant and marvellous communion. This is the vision of the Second Vatican Council, which I quote once again: “Between all the parts of the Church there remains a bond of close communion whereby they share spiritual riches, apostolic workers and temporal resources. For the members of the people of God are called to share these goods in common, and of each of the Churches the words of the Apostle hold good: ‘According to the gift that each has received, administer it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God’ (1 Pet 4:10) (Lumen Gentium, 13). It is in this spirit that I urge all the beloved Churches in India to be generous and courageous as they witness to the Gospel in the spirit of fraternity and mutual love. For the Syro-Malabar Church, this continues the valued work of their priests and religious in the Latin context, and sustains their availability for those Syro-Malabar faithful who, although choosing to attend Latin parishes, may request some assistance from their Church of origin. The Latin rite Church can continue to generously offer hospitality to members of the Syro-Malabar communities who do not have church buildings of their own. The cooperation among all the sui iuris Churches should continue, for example in the area of retreats and seminars for clergy, Bible conferences, celebrations of common feast days and ecumenical endeavours. With the growth of spiritual friendship and mutual assistance, any tension or apprehension should be swiftly overcome. May this extension of the pastoral area of the Syro-Malabar Church in no way be perceived as a growth in power and domination, but as a call to deeper communion, which should never be perceived as uniformity. In the words of Saint Augustine, who sang the praises of the Trinity and of the wonderful communion of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, I also ask you: dilatentur spatia caritatis (leave space for love) (Sermon 69, PL 5, 440.441). May there be a growth in love, communion and service.
Dear brother Bishops, I commend all of you to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and I assure you of my closeness in prayer. To all of you, the Church and the faithful in India, I impart my Apostolic Blessing, and I ask that you pray for me.
From the Vatican
9 October 2017
Francis
This morning, the Holy Father has canonically erected the Eparchy of Shamshabad (India) and has appointed as its first Bishop, His Excellency, Raphael Thattil, until now, Auxiliary of Trichur, transferring him from the titular See of Buruni.
His Excellency, Raphael Thattil was born on 21 April 1956 in Trichur. After having attended the seminary in Vadavathoor, he was granted a Doctorate in Oriental Canon Law from the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. He speaks fluent Malayalam and English and understands Italian and German.
He was ordained a priest on 21 December 1980 and was entrusted with the following pastoral responsibilities: Assistant Vicar at Aranattukara (1981), Prefect of the Minor Seminary (1982), Vice Chancellor of the Eparchial Curia (1988), Vice-Rector of the Minor Seminary (1991), Director of the Diocesan Biblical Catechetical Liturgical Centre (1992-1995), Chancellor and Eparchial Judge (1995-2000), first Rector of the Mary Matha Seminary (1998-2007) where he gave a strong contribution to the growth of the Major Seminary, and Protosincello of the Archeparchy of Trichur (2007-2010).
Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Titular Bishop of Buruni and Auxiliary of Trichur. He received Episcopal Ordination on 10 April 2010. Since 23 December 2013, he has also served as Apostolic Visitator for the Syro-Malabar faithful resident in India but outside of an established Syro-Malabar territory.
Note: The territory of the new Eparchy of Shamshabad is vast. It includes all areas in the entire country of India which are not already part of the territory of an existing eparchy. The pastoral life in the territory is already sufficiently organized thanks especially to the ministry of the Apostolic Visitator, His Excellency, Raphael Thattil, who is now being elevated to the position of first Bishop of Shamshabad. The Syro-Malabar community has been trained in their own traditions, especially concerning the liturgy and catechesis. There are currently 88 priests, including those belonging to the Eparchy and those belonging to various religious Institutes (Orders).
The See of Shamshabad is located 50km from Hyderabad, in the state of Telangana, where there are 500 Syro-Malabar families. While awaiting the completion of the Cathedral, the Pro-Cathedral will be Saint Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Kukatpally, close to Hyderabad. For the moment, the Chancery and the Bishop's residence will also be located in that place. The Eparchy of Shamshabad will be placed under the patronage of Saint Thomas, the Apostle and Saint John Paul II.
This morning, the Holy Father has canonically erected the Eparchy of Hosur (India) and has named as its first Bishop, Reverend Father Sebastian (Jobby) Pozholiparampil, who has until now been serving as Sincello (Episcopal Vicar) of the Eparchy of Irinjalakuda.
Reverend Sebastian (Jobby) Pozholiparampil, born on 1 September 1957 in Pullur, in the Eparchy of Irinjalakuda, entered the Minor Seminary in Trichur. Having completed his studies at the Saint Thomas Apostolic Seminary in Kottayam, he was ordained a priest on 22 December 1982. He obtained a Licenciate in Theology (Ecclesiology) at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome. In addition to English and Malayalam, he speaks Hindi, Italian and German.
He has been entrusted with the following responsibilities: Pastor of various parishes, including the Cathedral in Irinjalakuda; Procurator and then Rector of Saint Paul's Minor Seminary; Director of the Catholic Charismatic Movement; Apostolate for the Bible and for Jesus Youth; Coordinator of Missions in Chennai; Financial Administrator and finally Sincello of the Eparchy of Irinjalakuda.
Note: The Eparchy of Hosur includes one-seventh of the State of Tamil Nadu, where approximately 50,000 Syro-Malabar faithful can be found in the city of Chennai and another 15,000 in the neighbouring cities of Chingleput, Dharmapuri, Vellore and Pondicherry. Their pastoral care is entrusted to 22 priests who have been part of the Eparchy of Irinjalakuda, who oversee the operations of 44 pastoral centres. There are also 73 religious women in the region who administrate 8 schools and other pious works.
Despite the concentration of Syro-Malabar faithful in Chennai, the new Eparchy will have its See in the city of Hosur. The Cathedral and the Chancery will however be located in Chennai, respectively at Saint Anthony's Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Noothenchery and at Saint Thomas Pastoral Centre in Aynavaram.
Letter of His Holiness, Pope Francis
addressed to the Bishops of India
Dear Brother Bishops,
1. The remarkable varietas Ecclesiarum (variety of Churches), the result of a long historical, cultural, spiritual and disciplinary development, constitutes a treasure of the Church, regina in vestitu deaurato circumdata variegate (the queen dressed in a golden gown and surrounded by variety) (cf Psalm 44 and Leo XIII, Orientalium Dignitas), who awaits her groom with the fidelity and patience of the wise virgin, equipped with an abundant supply of oil, so that the light of her lamp may enlighten all peoples in the long night of awaiting the Lord’s coming.
This variety of ecclesial life, which shines with great splendour throughout lands and nations, is also found in India. The Catholic Church in India has its origins in the preaching of the Apostle Thomas. It developed through contact with the Churches of Chaldean and Antiochian traditions and, from the sixteenth century onward, through the efforts of Latin missionaries. The history of Christianity in this great country thus led to three distinct sui iuris Churches, corresponding to ecclesial expressions of the same faith celebrated in different rites according to the three liturgical, spiritual, theological and disciplinary traditions. Although this situation has sometimes led to tensions in the course of history, today we can admire a Christian presence that is both rich and beautiful, complex and unique.
2. It is essential for the Catholic Church to reveal her face in all its beauty to the world, in the richness of her various traditions. For this reason the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, which celebrates its centenary year, having been established through the farsightedness of Pope Benedict XV in 1917, has encouraged, where necessary, the restoration of Eastern Catholic traditions, and ensured their protection, as well as respect for the dignity and rights of these ancient Churches.
3. The Second Vatican Council embraced this vision of the Church and reminded the faithful of the need to protect and preserve the treasure of the particular traditions of each Church. Moreover, within the Church particular Churches hold a rightful place; these Churches retain their own traditions, without in any way opposing the primacy of the Chair of Peter, which presides over the whole assembly in charity (cf Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Romans, Preface), and protects legitimate differences, while at the same time assuring that such differences do not hinder unity but rather contribute toward it (Lumen Gentium, 13).
4. As Lumen Gentium teaches, it is for the Bishop of Rome to promote unity in the diversity of the Body of Christ. In this task, the Roman Pontiffs faithfully interpret and apply the voice of the Second Vatican Council, which expressed the ardent desire that the Oriental Churches, venerated for their antiquity, should flourish and with new apostolic vigour execute the task entrusted to them (Orientalium Ecclesiarum, 1). Their responsibility is not only to become ever more effective instruments of that special duty of promoting the unity of all Christians, especially Eastern Christians (OE, 24), but also to promote their equal dignity … for they enjoy the same rights and are under the same obligations, also in respect of preaching the Gospel to the whole world (OE, 3).
Thirty years ago, my beloved predecessor Saint John Paul II wrote a Letter to the Bishops of India. Drawing on the Second Vatican Council, he sought to apply the conciliar teaching to the Indian context. In India, even after many centuries, Christians are only a small proportion of the population and, consequently, there is a particular need to demonstrate unity and to avoid any semblance of division. Saint John Paul II also stated that the need for unity and the preservation of diversity are not opposed to one another: This need to be faithful to the traditions and patrimony of one’s own rite must not be interpreted as an interference with the Church’s task of ‘gathering into one the children of God who are scattered abroad’ (Jn 11:52) or with the mission of the Church to promote the communion of all people with the Redeemer (Epistula ad Indiae Episcopos, 28 May 1987).
5. Five decades ago, when the Syro-Malabar Church expanded to some central and northern parts of India with missionary eparchies, it was generally thought by the Latin Bishops that there should be just one jurisdiction, that is, one bishop in a particular territory. These eparchies, created from Latin dioceses, today have exclusive jurisdiction over those territories, both of the Latin and Syro-Malabar faithful. However, both in the traditional territories of the Eastern Churches, as well as in the vast area of the so-called diaspora (where these faithful have long been established), a fruitful and harmonious cooperation between Catholic bishops of the different sui iuris Churches within the same territory has taken place. This cooperation not only offers an ecclesiological justification for such a solution, but also demonstrates its pastoral benefits. In a world where large numbers of Christians are forced to migrate, overlapping jurisdictions have become customary and are increasingly effective tools for ensuring the pastoral care of the faithful while also ensuring full respect for their ecclesial traditions.
6. In India itself, overlapping jurisdictions should no longer be problematic, for the Church has experienced them for some time, such as in Kerala. Saint John Paul II’s Letter authorized the erection of a Syro-Malabar eparchy in the Bombay-Pune region, which became the Eparchy of Kalyan. In 2012 the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Faridabad was erected in the region of Delhi and its neighbouring states, while the boundaries of the Eparchy of Mandya were extended in 2015 to include the metropolitan area of Bangalore. In the same year, an Eparchy and an Apostolic Exarchate were erected for the Syro-Malankar faithful, so that by these ecclesiastical circumscriptions the Syro-Malankar Church could provide pastoral care for its faithful throughout the territory of India. All these developments show that, albeit not without problems, the presence of a number of bishops in the same area does not compromise the mission of the Church. On the contrary, these steps have given greater impetus to the local Churches for their pastoral and missionary efforts.
7. In 2011 my predecessor Benedict XVI wished to provide for the pastoral needs of the Syro-Malabar faithful throughout India, and I confirmed his intention following the plenary session of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in 2013. Archbishop Raphael Thattil is currently the Apostolic Visitor for those Syro-Malabar faithful in India who live outside their own territory, and he has provided detailed reports to the Apostolic See. This issue has been examined in meetings at the highest levels of the Church. Following these steps, I believe the time is now right to complete this process.
I have therefore authorized the Congregation for the Oriental Churches to provide for the pastoral care of the Syro-Malabar faithful throughout India by the erection of two Eparchies and by the extension of the boundaries of the two already in existence.
I decree also that the new circumscriptions, as with those already in existence, be entrusted to the pastoral care of the Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly and to the Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church, according to the norms of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.
8. I hope that my decision will be welcomed with a generous and peaceful spirit, although it may be a source of apprehension for some, since many Syro-Malabars, deprived of pastoral care in their own rite, are at present fully involved in the life of the Latin Church. I am convinced, however, that all those involved will understand that there is no need for concern: the Church’s life should not be disrupted by such a provision. Indeed it must not be negatively interpreted as imposing upon the faithful a requirement to leave the communities which have welcomed them, sometimes for many generations, and to which they have contributed in various ways. It should rather be seen as an invitation as well as an opportunity for growth in faith and communion with their sui iuris Church, in order to preserve the precious heritage of their rite and to pass it on to future generations. There is already an instruction by the Congregation for the Oriental Churches to the Eparchy of Faridabad, which indicates that a member of the Syro-Malabar faithful, by virtue of the same law, is also a member of the Syro-Malabar parish where he or she is domiciled (Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, Can, 280 §1); yet at the same time, he or she can remain fully involved in the life and activities of the parish of the Latin Church. No dispensation is required from the law currently in force for the faithful to practice their faith serenely, and they may do this with the pastoral care of either Latin or Syro-Malabar pastors (cf Protocol Number 197/2014, 28 January 2016).
9. The path of the Catholic Church in India cannot be that of isolation and separation, but rather of respect and cooperation. The presence of several bishops of the various sui iuris Churches in the same territory will surely offer an eloquent witness to a vibrant and marvellous communion. This is the vision of the Second Vatican Council, which I quote once again: “Between all the parts of the Church there remains a bond of close communion whereby they share spiritual riches, apostolic workers and temporal resources. For the members of the people of God are called to share these goods in common, and of each of the Churches the words of the Apostle hold good: ‘According to the gift that each has received, administer it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God’ (1 Pet 4:10) (Lumen Gentium, 13). It is in this spirit that I urge all the beloved Churches in India to be generous and courageous as they witness to the Gospel in the spirit of fraternity and mutual love. For the Syro-Malabar Church, this continues the valued work of their priests and religious in the Latin context, and sustains their availability for those Syro-Malabar faithful who, although choosing to attend Latin parishes, may request some assistance from their Church of origin. The Latin rite Church can continue to generously offer hospitality to members of the Syro-Malabar communities who do not have church buildings of their own. The cooperation among all the sui iuris Churches should continue, for example in the area of retreats and seminars for clergy, Bible conferences, celebrations of common feast days and ecumenical endeavours. With the growth of spiritual friendship and mutual assistance, any tension or apprehension should be swiftly overcome. May this extension of the pastoral area of the Syro-Malabar Church in no way be perceived as a growth in power and domination, but as a call to deeper communion, which should never be perceived as uniformity. In the words of Saint Augustine, who sang the praises of the Trinity and of the wonderful communion of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, I also ask you: dilatentur spatia caritatis (leave space for love) (Sermon 69, PL 5, 440.441). May there be a growth in love, communion and service.
Dear brother Bishops, I commend all of you to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and I assure you of my closeness in prayer. To all of you, the Church and the faithful in India, I impart my Apostolic Blessing, and I ask that you pray for me.
From the Vatican
9 October 2017
Francis
This morning, the Holy Father has canonically erected the Eparchy of Shamshabad (India) and has appointed as its first Bishop, His Excellency, Raphael Thattil, until now, Auxiliary of Trichur, transferring him from the titular See of Buruni.
His Excellency, Raphael Thattil
His Excellency, Raphael Thattil was born on 21 April 1956 in Trichur. After having attended the seminary in Vadavathoor, he was granted a Doctorate in Oriental Canon Law from the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. He speaks fluent Malayalam and English and understands Italian and German.
He was ordained a priest on 21 December 1980 and was entrusted with the following pastoral responsibilities: Assistant Vicar at Aranattukara (1981), Prefect of the Minor Seminary (1982), Vice Chancellor of the Eparchial Curia (1988), Vice-Rector of the Minor Seminary (1991), Director of the Diocesan Biblical Catechetical Liturgical Centre (1992-1995), Chancellor and Eparchial Judge (1995-2000), first Rector of the Mary Matha Seminary (1998-2007) where he gave a strong contribution to the growth of the Major Seminary, and Protosincello of the Archeparchy of Trichur (2007-2010).
Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Titular Bishop of Buruni and Auxiliary of Trichur. He received Episcopal Ordination on 10 April 2010. Since 23 December 2013, he has also served as Apostolic Visitator for the Syro-Malabar faithful resident in India but outside of an established Syro-Malabar territory.
Note: The territory of the new Eparchy of Shamshabad is vast. It includes all areas in the entire country of India which are not already part of the territory of an existing eparchy. The pastoral life in the territory is already sufficiently organized thanks especially to the ministry of the Apostolic Visitator, His Excellency, Raphael Thattil, who is now being elevated to the position of first Bishop of Shamshabad. The Syro-Malabar community has been trained in their own traditions, especially concerning the liturgy and catechesis. There are currently 88 priests, including those belonging to the Eparchy and those belonging to various religious Institutes (Orders).
The See of Shamshabad is located 50km from Hyderabad, in the state of Telangana, where there are 500 Syro-Malabar families. While awaiting the completion of the Cathedral, the Pro-Cathedral will be Saint Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Kukatpally, close to Hyderabad. For the moment, the Chancery and the Bishop's residence will also be located in that place. The Eparchy of Shamshabad will be placed under the patronage of Saint Thomas, the Apostle and Saint John Paul II.
This morning, the Holy Father has canonically erected the Eparchy of Hosur (India) and has named as its first Bishop, Reverend Father Sebastian (Jobby) Pozholiparampil, who has until now been serving as Sincello (Episcopal Vicar) of the Eparchy of Irinjalakuda.
Reverend Sebastian (Jobby) Pozholiparampil, born on 1 September 1957 in Pullur, in the Eparchy of Irinjalakuda, entered the Minor Seminary in Trichur. Having completed his studies at the Saint Thomas Apostolic Seminary in Kottayam, he was ordained a priest on 22 December 1982. He obtained a Licenciate in Theology (Ecclesiology) at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome. In addition to English and Malayalam, he speaks Hindi, Italian and German.
He has been entrusted with the following responsibilities: Pastor of various parishes, including the Cathedral in Irinjalakuda; Procurator and then Rector of Saint Paul's Minor Seminary; Director of the Catholic Charismatic Movement; Apostolate for the Bible and for Jesus Youth; Coordinator of Missions in Chennai; Financial Administrator and finally Sincello of the Eparchy of Irinjalakuda.
Note: The Eparchy of Hosur includes one-seventh of the State of Tamil Nadu, where approximately 50,000 Syro-Malabar faithful can be found in the city of Chennai and another 15,000 in the neighbouring cities of Chingleput, Dharmapuri, Vellore and Pondicherry. Their pastoral care is entrusted to 22 priests who have been part of the Eparchy of Irinjalakuda, who oversee the operations of 44 pastoral centres. There are also 73 religious women in the region who administrate 8 schools and other pious works.
Despite the concentration of Syro-Malabar faithful in Chennai, the new Eparchy will have its See in the city of Hosur. The Cathedral and the Chancery will however be located in Chennai, respectively at Saint Anthony's Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Noothenchery and at Saint Thomas Pastoral Centre in Aynavaram.
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