Saturday, December 22, 2018

New Eparchy for Syro-Malabar Catholics in Canada

This morning, Pope Francis elevated the Apostolic Exarchate for Syro-Malabar Catholics resident in Canada to the rank of Eparchy (the Eastern Church's equivalent to a Diocese) and assigned it the name Mississauga, maintaining the same territorial configuration.  His Holiness has appointed His Excellency, Jose Kalluvelil, who has until now served as Apostolic Exarch as the new Bishop of Mississauga for Syro-Malabar Catholics.


Meet His Excellency, Jose Kalluvelil
Eparch of Mississauga for Syro-Malabar Catholics

His Excellency, Jose Kalluvelil was born on 15 November 1955 in Thottuva, in the Eparchy of Palai (India).  Ordained a priest for the Eparchy of Palghat on 18 December 1984, he served in various parishes including at the Cathedral of Saint Raphael in Palakkad.  He also held the position of Director of the residences for young people and, after having obtained his doctorate in catechetical theology at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome, he was appointed as Eparchial Director of Catechesis. Since 2013, he has been transferred to Toronto to serve as chaplain to the Siro-Malabar faithful.

On 6 August 2015, His Holiness, Pope Francis appointed him as the first Apostolic Exarch for the Syro-Malabar Catholics resident in Canada, promoting him to the dignity of Bishop and assigning to him the titular see of Tabalta.  In addition to Malyalam, he speaks English, Italian and German.

The Eparchy of Mississauga for Syro-Malabar Catholics
Mississauga, the see of this new circunscription, is a city within the Metropolitan area of Toronto, but the territory of the new Eparchy includes the entire country of Canada, where the Syro-Malabar population has reached 20,000 faithful.  Pastoral efforts are organized in 12 parishes and 34 missions.  In these places, there are 23 priests including both secular and religious priests, along with 7 seminarians who are in formation for the new Eparchy.  There are also 12 Religious women who are involved in various pastoral activities.

The Cathedral of Saint Alphonsa is the Eparchial Curia, located at 6630 Turner Valley Road, Mississauga, Ontario.  The Eparchy is immediately subject to the Holy See.

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