By Matters India Reporter
Kochi, Aug 25, 2022: The Syro-Malabar Church on August 25 announced the appointment of three auxiliary bishops for the larger of the two Oriental Catholic rites in India.
It also accepted the resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Jacob Muricken of Palai, who wants to lead an ascetic life.
Cardinal George Alencherry, who heads the Church as its Major Archbishop, appointed Father Alex Tharamangalam as the auxiliary bishop of the eparchy of Mananthavady and Fathers Joseph Kollamparambil and Thomas Padiyath as auxiliaries of the eparchy of Shamshabad.
The announcement was made during the closing ceremony of second session of the Church’s 30th Synod of Bishops, after obtaining the assent of Pope Francis through the Apostolic Nuncio.
Since Tharamangalam is in Germany, he could not be present on the occasion. The other two were given the insignia by Cardinal Alencherry together with Bishop Raphael Thattil Shamshabad.
The date of their episcopal ordination will be announced later, according to a press release issued by Vincentian Father Antony Vadakkekara, secretary of the Church’s Media Commission.
With the three new prelates, the Church has a total of 65 bishops, retired as well as active.
Bishop-designate Tharamangalam, a priest of the archdiocese of Thalassery, was born in 1958. He began his priestly formation in the minor Seminary at Thalassery in 1973 and was ordained a priest on January 1, 1983. He holds a doctorate in philosophy from the Gregorian University, Rome.
He has served in various parishes of Tellicherry archdiocese and as the Syncellus of the Archeparchy of Thalassery from 2016 to 2022. He has also served as a professor, vice rector and rector at St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor, Kottayam. He has published philosophical books and numerous articles.
The new assignment came to him while he is serving as vicar in the parish of Madathil in Tellicherry archdiocese.
Bishop-elect Kollamparambil, who was born in 1955, began his priestly training at the minor seminary of Palai diocese. He was ordained a priest on December 18, 198. He has served in several parishes of Palai diocese. Having secured a Master’s from St. Thomas College, Palai, he served as a lecturer, bursar and warden of the college hostel.
He was the principal of St. George College, Aruvithura, from 2003 to 2011. He also served as Senate Member and Syndicate Member of Mahatma Gandhi University. At present he is working as Syncellus for Gujarat Mission area in the eparchy of Shamshabad.
Bishop-elect Padiyath, a priest from the archdiocese of Changanacherry, was born in 1969. He entered the minor seminary in 1984 and was ordained a priest on December 29, 1994. He started his priestly ministry as the assistant vicar in Athirampuzha parish and secretary to Archbishop Joseph Powathil of Changnacherry. He has a doctorate in philosophy and a Master’s in theology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. He served as a professor at Good Shepherd Major Seminary, Kunnoth in Kannur district. He has taught in several major seminaries and Institutions. He is currently serving as Syncellus in the Archeparchy of Changanacherry.
Cardinal Alencherry has accepted the resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Jacob Muricken of Palai submitted on august 16. He had received the consent of the Church’s Permanent Synod. Bishop Muricken had in 2017 expressed his desire to lead monastic life. He was asked to continue as the auxiliary taking also into account a Vatican directive.
However, Bishop Muricken submitted his resignation to the Major Archbishop in accordance with the canonical norms, reiterating his demand to be relieved from the Office of the Auxiliary Bishop of Palai to embrace monastic life. The Major Archbishop then informed the Vatican about his decision to accept the resignation.
The Dicastery for the Eastern Churches communicated that the resignation would come into effect on August 25.