The Vatican on Saturday, January 15, 2022, announced two appointments from the Eastern Churches.
Resignation and election of metropolitan archbishop of Tellicherry, India
The Synod of Bishops of the Major Archiepiscopal Syro-Malabar Church has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archeparchy of Tellicherry, India, presented by Archbishop George Njaralakatt, and has elected Bishop Joseph Pamplany, currently auxiliary of the same archeparchy, as metropolitan archbishop.
Archbishop-elect Joseph Pamplany was born on 11 December 1969 in Charal. After attending the minor seminary of Tellicherry and carrying out his institutional studies at the Saint Joseph Pontifical Seminary Mangalapuzha, Alwaye, he was ordained a priest on 30 December 1997.
He provided parish service and from 2001 to 2006, studied at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, where he was awarded a doctorate in biblical theology. Upon his return in India, he was appointed as director of the Apostolate of the Bible. He taught in various seminaries and founded the Alpha Institute of Theology and Science.
He has held the following offices: member of the College of Consultors of the archeparchy, and secretary of the Doctrinal Commission of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India and the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council.
He was elected as auxiliary bishop of Tellicherry on 1 September 2017, and was consecrated the following 8 November. He chairs the Commissions for the Media of the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church and of the KCBC. He is a member of the Doctrinal Commission of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India and the Theological Commission of the Federation of Asian Catholic Bishops’ Conferences.
Besides Malayalam and English, he knows French and German.
Resignation and election of bishop of Palghat, India
The Synod of Bishops of the Major Archiepiscopal Syro-Malabar Church has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of eparchy of Palghat, India, presented by Bishop Jacob Manathodath, and has appointed Bishop Peter Kochupuruckal, currently auxiliary of the same eparchy, as bishop.
Bishop Peter Kochupuruckal was born on 29 May 1964 in Marangoli, in the eparchy of Palghat, and entered the minor seminary. He was ordained a priest on 29 December 1990.
After ordination, he exercised his ministry in the parishes of the eparchy for ten years, at the same time studying for a doctorate in canon law at the Saint Peter’s Pontifical Institute Seminary in Bangalore from 1993 to 1995. He subsequently became defender of the bond and promotor of justice from 1997 to 2000. He was sent to Rome in 2000, where he was awarded a licentiate and a doctorate in Eastern Canon Law from the Pontifical Oriental Institute. In 2007 he returned to India,, where he held various offices: judicial vicar, parish priest, rector of the minor seminary, chancellor, and syncellus for seminarians and consecrated persons.
He was elected as auxiliary of Palghat on 15 January 2020 and received episcopal ordination on the following 18 June.
Besides Malayalam and English, he speaks Italian and German.
