Palakkad: Fr. Joby Kunnathettu, belonging to Palghat diocese in Kerala has been appointed the vice rector of The Pontifical Urban College of Rome.
A letter of confirmation of the appointment has been received by Bishop Jacob Manathodath of Palghat.
The Pontifical Urban University, also called the Urbaniana (after its names in both Latin and Italian) is a university under the authority of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. The university’s mission is to train priests, religious brothers and sisters, and lay people from different countries for service as missionaries.
Fr. Joby, 36, is third priest from Kerala to hold the esteemed position. His predecessors were the former bishop of Palai diocese, Fr. Joseph Pallikkaparambil and Fr.Joseph Srampickal, the recently appointed bishop of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Great Britain. Fr Joby takes over the vice rector’s office from Fr. Srampickal.
Fr. Joby was born on February 19, 1980, at Josgiri in Palakkad. He was ordained a priest on December 31, 2005, by Bishop Manathodath. He completed his higher studies in Rome where he obtained licentiate in Clinical Psychology from Pontifical Gregorian University, before returning to Palakkad in 2015.
Fr Kunnathett was serving as the Joint director of Sanjo Institute of Pharmaceuitical Studies and Manager of Sanjo Central School – both under Palghat diocese, when news of appointment came from Rome.