Pope appoints Fr Jose Sebastian as new Bishop of Jalandhar

Indian Express

5 hours ago

Pope Leo XIV Saturday appointed Fr Jose Sebastian Thekkumcherikunnel as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Jalandhar, in Punjab, a post that had remained virtually vacant for nearly seven years. Fr Jose (63) is currently serving as the financial administrator of the Diocese.
'His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has appointed Rev. Jose Sebastian Thekkumcherikkunnel, a priest of the Diocese of Jullundur and currently serving as its Financial Administrator, as the new Bishop of Jullundur. The appointment was made public in Rome at noon (15:30 IST) on Saturday,' said Bishop Agnelo Rufino Gracias in a statement.
Bishop Gracias, Emeritus Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay, has been serving as Apostolic Administrato of the Diocese of Jalandhar since 2018, when the last Bishop, Franco Mulakkal, was arrested after he was accused of rape by a nun. The Vatican had temporarily relieved him of his responsibilities as the Bishop. Though he was acquitted by a court in Kerala in 2022, the Vatican had asked for his resignation, and was accepted as 'pro bono Ecclesiae' (for the good of the Church), in June 2023.
In a message, Bishop Gracias said, 'I was very keen that the one chosen to be the Bishop should be from among the ranks of the Jalandhar priests. I realize how much the Diocese suffered, because I came from outside with no knowledge of Punjabi and little acquaintance with the ethos of the Diocese. Fortunately, the Holy See has appointed a priest from the Diocese who knows it very well.'
A meeting of the Diocesan Consultors is scheduled for June 9, during which the date and logistics of the Episcopal Ordination will be finalized and announced, read the statement. 'The Diocese looks forward with renewed hope and unity, trusting in the leadership of Bishop-elect Thekkumcherikkunnel to guide God's people with wisdom, compassion, and faith,' it added.
Tarsem Peter, who is closely associated with the Diocese, said the local appointment will boost the confidence of the local Catholics.
As per the details shared by the Diocese, Fr Jose was born in 1962 in Kalaketty, Kerala and was ordained a priest on May 1, 1991 for the Diocese of Jalandhar. He began his ministry as Assistant Parish Priest at St Mary's Church in Fatehgarh Churiana and served as Parish Priest at St Joseph's Church in Khasa and Sacred Heart Church in Amritsar, before being appointed as principal of St Francis School.
From 1996 to 2002, he served as Dean and Parish Priest of St Francis Church in Amritsar and later at Jandiala Guru. From 2002 to 2004, he obtained a Licentiate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Urban University in Rome. On his return to Jalandhar, he served as Vice Chancellor, Defender of the Bond, and Director of Village Catechesis. From 2007 to 2020, he was Chancellor and Judicial Vicar of the Diocese. He also taught at the Holy Trinity Regional Major Seminary in Jalandhar and served as Head of the Theology Department. For next two years, he served as Rector and Parish Priest of St Mary's Cathedral in Jalandhar Cantonment. Since 2022, he has been the Financial Administrator of the Diocese and was currently serving as the Parish Priest of St Joseph's Church in Phagwara and Director of St Joseph's Convent School.