KOCHI: The Syro-Malabar Church appointed three new bishops on Friday on the concluding day of the synod held at the St. Thomas Mount in Kochi. Fr. Sebastian Vaniyapurackal was elected Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Curia Bishop, Fr. Tony Neelankavil Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Thrissur and Fr. Joseph Pamplany, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Thalassery.
Fr. Sebastian Vaniyapurackal
Fr. Tony Neelankavil was born on July 23, 1967 as the eldest of five children of Chevalier N.A. Ouseph and Mrs. T.J Mary. He belongs to Lourdes Metropolitan Cathedral Church, Thrissur. He was ordained priest on December 27, 1993 by Archbishop Mar Joseph Kundukulam. In 1995, he was sent for higher studies in Catholic University, Leuven, from where he obtained a licentiate and doctorate in theology.
Fr. Joseph Pamplany
Fr. Joseph Pamplany was born on December 3, 1969 as the fifth of seven children of Mr. Joseph and Mrs. Mary Pamplany. He completed his philosophical and theological studies at St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Alwaye, and was ordained priest on December 30, 1997 by Archbishop George Valiamattam. In 2001, he was sent to Catholic University, Leuven, and he obtained a licentiate and doctorate in biblical theology.
Fr. Sebastian Vaniyapurackal was born as the eighth child of Vaniyapurackal V.M. Thomas and the late Mrs. Eliamma on March 29, 1967. He belongs to Nirmalagiri parish of the Eparchy of Kanjirapally. He was ordained priest on December 30, 1992 by Bishop Mathew Vattakuzhy. He was sent for higher studies in Rome in 2000 and he obtained doctorate in canon law from the Holy Cross University, Rome.
