Vatican: The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed the Rev. JFr. oseph Thykkattil, parish priest of the Saint Peter parish in Bharatpur, as bishop of the diocese of Gwalior.
The bishop-elect was born in 1952 in Enamakkal, Kerala, India, and was ordained a priest in 1988. During his pastoral ministry he has served as parish priest of the Cathedral of Agra, rector of the Saint Lawrence, and vicar general of the archdiocese of Agra.
He then studied at Regional Major Seminary St. Joseph’s, Allahabad. He was ordained Priest on 25th April, 1988. He served the Archdiocese of Agra as Vice-Principal of St. Peter’s College, Agra (1988-1990); as Parish Priest of Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Agra (1990-1999); as Parish Priest at St. Mary’s in Noida (1999-2002); as Rector of St. Lawrence Minor Seminary, Agra (2002-2009); as Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Church, Mathura (2009-2012); as Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Agra and as Parish Priest of Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Agra (2012-2018) and as Parish Priest at St. Peter’s Church, Bharatpur (2018-2019).
“We send our prayerful greetings and best wishes to Bishop-elect Joseph Thykkattil, welcome him to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India and let us entrust to the intercession of the Virgin Mary the episcopal ministry of the new Bishop,” said Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, SFX, Secretary General, CBCI.