Mar Joy Alappatt Appointed Bishop of St. Thomas Syro Malabar Eparchy, Chicago, USA

News

By Verghese V Joseph –

Bangalore: Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed Mar Joy Alappat (65) as the second Bishop of St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Chicago, USA. This was announced on 3 July 2022.

Mar Joy Alappat has been serving the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Chicago as its auxiliary Bishop. The date of the installation will be announced later.

Mar Joy Alappatt was born at Parappukara, in Thrissur district, Kerala, India, on September 27, 1956. He joined St. Mary’s Minor Seminary, Thope, Thrissur, after finishing his high school studies. He then took his licentiate from St. Thomas Apostolic Major Seminary, Vadavathoor, Kottayam. He was ordained a priest by Mar James Pazhayattil on December 31, 1981 for the diocese of Irinjalakuda.

He came to the United States in 1994 and served as Associate Pastor in Staten Island, New York and New Milford, New Jersey. He completed his Clinical Pastoral Education Programme and worked at Georgetown University, Washington, DC, as a certified Chaplain. He was invited by Mar Jacob Angadiath in 2001 to serve in the St. Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago and he was appointed Director of Syro Malabar Mission of Garfield, Newark and Administrator of Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Garfield. He was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop on 24 July 2014 and ordained Bishop on 27 September, 2014.