Bishop His Excellency Msgr. Addagatla Innayya Chinna retired from the pastoral care of the Srikakulam diocese of Andhra Pradesh on December 12.
Most Rev. Addagatla was born in Ravipadu, Guntur District on 2nd May 19937 one of three children to Aseervadam and Agnesamma. After completing his high school studies in St. Anthony’s High School, Maharanipet entered the Minor Seminary. He finished his minor seminary studies in Mariapuram Minor Seminary of Cuddapah. Philosophy and Theology in St. John’s Major Seminary, Nellore and completed his priestly studies in St. John’s Major Seminary in Hyderabad. He was ordained to the priesthood on 4th January 1965 in Saluru together with his companions Most Rev. Mulagada John, Msgr. Joji Babu K and Fr. V. Ambrose . Most Rev. Dr. Baud ordained him.
He was initially assigned to serve Holy Family Church, Bathili. In the years that followed i.e. 1965 to 1968, he was sent for college studies to Loyola College in Vijayawada. He finished B.ed in Maharaja College in Vizianagaram 1979071.
He was appointed as Headmaster and Correspondent of St. Theresa RCM High School, Peddaboaddepalli. Together with High School, he was also correspondent of Elementary school, Boarding and Parish Priest for some years. Here he was fifteen years (till 1985), during his tenure as Headmaster of the High School, he used to get 100% pass outs in the SSC Public examination. The school became very famous both in studies, discipline and sports and games. He was known for his duty and discipline. In the year 1985 from Boddepalli High School he was transferred to St. Anthony’s High School at Maharanipet, Visakhapatnam. He became incharge of the boarding and elementary school for four years i.e. till 1989. This period he was also vicar General of the diocese.
In 1989 he was nominated as the second Bishop of Nalgonda by St. Pope John Paul II. The announcement as Bishop is 6th May 1989. He was consecrated on 29th June 1989 in Gnanapuram – the consecrators were Most Rev. K. Mariadas, Archbishop S. Arulappa, Mulagada John(Bishop of Eluru) and Gali Bali (Bishop of Guntur) He took up the Diocese of Nalgonda on 6th July 1989. He was there for four years and then transferred to the newly erected Diocese of Srikakulam, which was separated from the Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam in 1993. He was installed as the first bishop of the diocese of Srikakulam on 4th November 1994.
Long Innings
He remained as the first Bishop of Srikakulam for 25 years. At the time of his coming to the diocese, Srikakulam District was backward in all aspects and no development. Among the officials the talk was that Srikakulam is a punishment place.
After taking up the charge of the Diocese, he made thorough survey of the diocese in the areas of Pastoral, Educational, Social and health with the priests of the diocese. He took initiative to promote vocations to increase the number of the priests, invited different men and women religious congregations.
By nature he is educationist, he saw the poor catholic families and their children without proper education. He established boarding homes for boys and girls in different parishes and elementary & High school education was given freely without collecting any rupee from them. Till his retirement he maintained the boarding homes and Telugu medium schools without collecting any fee. He wanted pave better platform for the girl education. He encouraged the girls to go for further studies like Intermediate, Degree. He educated more than 150 girls in Bsc Nursing, General Nursing. Costly fee and boarding expenses were bore by the diocese. Industrial Training center (ITC) a boon for the young students . Tailoring center for widows and dropout girls is another successive adventure to help the women. Lab Technician course also helping a good number of students to equip themselves with the course to work in the labs.
Another factor where he concentrated is health. He initiated free mobile clinic. The medicine was given freely to the patients.
Pastorally he erected new parishes according to the need and established parish churches, parish houses and village chapels. The mile stones are of Bishop’s House, Cathedral, Pastoral centre and Pilgrimage center. The necessary infrastructure is made available to the new bishop.
As the Bishop, he rendered his services as Delegate of St. John’s Seminary, Hyderabad and. He was the chairman for Education and Chairman for Vocations on regional level.