Bangalore: His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Rev. Fr. Arulselvam Rayappan (60), of the Clergy of Pondicherry-Cuddalore, as Bishop of Salem. This provision was made public in Rome on Monday. He is presently Professor and Director of the Centre for Canon Law Studies at St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute, Bangalore, and a Judge of the Archdiocesan Tribunal of Pondicherry.
Fr. Arulselvam Rayappan was born on 18 November 1960 in Sathipattu, Archdiocese of Pondicherry-Cuddalore. He completed his studies in the following Institutions: St. Agnes Minor Seminary and St. Joseph’s Hr. Sec. School, Cuddalore (1974-1978); Philosophy at Christ Hall Seminary, Madurai (1978-1981); Theology at St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary, Bangalore (1982-1986).
He was ordained priest on 20 May 1986 for the Archdiocese of Pondicherry-Cuddalore. He obtained a Masters in Canon Law from St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute, Bangalore (1990-1992) and Doctorate in Canon Law from Pontificia Università Urbaniana, Rome (1992-1994). He served in the following ministries: Vice-Rector, St. Agnes Minor Seminary, Cuddalore (1986-1988), Asst. Parish Priest at Viriyur and Karaikal (1988-1989), Parish Priest at Kurumbagaram (1989-1990).
After his studies in Rome, since 1994, he has been teaching Canon Law at St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute, Bangalore. He was then Director of the Centre for Canon Law Studies at St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute, Bangalore (1996-2001), Vice-Rector, St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary, Bangalore (200-2006), President, St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute, Bangalore (2010-2017), Executive Secretary of CCBI Commission for Canon Law and Legislative Texts (2010-2018). He was President of the Canon Law Society of Tamil Nadu for two terms and Secretary General of Canon Law Society of India for a term. He was President of the Canon Law Society of India for two terms (2013-2017).