KOCHI: The Kerala-based Syro-Malabar Church will have a new eparchy for the faithfuls from Kerala in the UK. Pope Francis appointed Fr. Joseph Srampickal (Benny Mathew) as the first Bishop of the eparchy to be based in Preston. The announcement was made simultaneously in Vatican and Kochi. Cardinal George Alencherry the Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church made the announcement in Kochi.
Fr. Srampickal, born on August 11, 1967 at Urulikunnam near Pala as the fourth child of Late Mathew and Elikutty Srampickal, was ordained as priest in August 2000 by Bishop Joseph Pallickaparambil. After his ordination, he served as teacher in the Eparchial minor seminary in Pala, Mar Ephrem Formation Centre and St. Thomas Training College, Pala. He was appointed as the vice- rector of Pontifical Urban College Rome in August 2013.
As vice-rector of Urban College he has been assisting in the pastoral ministry for the Syro-Malabar faithful in Rome. The Syro-Malabar Church will also have Apostolic Visitator for the faithfuls in Europe. Pope Francis appointed Mgr. Stephen Chirappanath from the Irinjalakuda diocese.
The appointment was announced simulaneously in Vatican and Kochi. Msgr. Stephen Chirappanath was ordained as a priest in 1987 by Bishop James Padayatil and he worked under various capacities in the church institutions. The dates of ordination of Fr. Srampickal as Bishop and Msgr. Chirappanath as Apostolic Visitator will be announced later.
