KOCHI: Pope Francis on Thursday appointed Fr Joy Alappatt as the auxiliary bishop of the Chicago diocese of the Syro-Malabar Church.
Fr Alappatt, a native of Parappukkara in Thrissur district, was serving as pastor of the Mar Thoma Sleeha Syro-Malabar Cathedral. As the auxiliary Bishop, he will be serving along with Mar Jacob Angadiath, bishop of the St Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago. His titular see is Bencenna.
The announcement of the appointment was read out at 12 noon in Vatican, 6 am in Washington and 3. 30 pm at the Mount St Thomas, Kakkanad, on Thursday. The designated bishop was born on September 27, 1956, as the second son of the late Varghese and the late Rosy of Parappukkara.
Though his baptismal name is John he is commonly known Fr Joy Alappatt. He had his primary education at the St George LP School, Puthenpally, Varapuzha, and at the A.U.P.S, Parappukkara.
His high school education was at the P.V.S. High School, Parappukkara. On completion of the high school education, he joined the St Mary’s Minor Seminary, Thope, Thrissur. Then, he continued his studies at the St Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor, Kottayam. He was ordained priest by Mar James Pazhayattil on December 31,1981 of the Diocese of Irinjalakuda. Later, he secured Masters in Theology from the St Joseph’s Pontifical Institute, Aluva.
He has served as assistant parish priest at Chalakudy, Mala, and at the St Thomas Cathedral, Irinjalakuda.
He also served as a chaplain and mission director of the Syro Malabar community in Chennai, for from 1987 to 1993.
He went to the United States in 1994 and served as associate pastor in Staten Island, New York; and New Milford, New Jersey. He took part in the Clinical Pastoral Education Programme, and then worked at the Georgetown University, Washington DC, as a certified Chaplain.
In 2001, Fr Alappatt was invited by Mar Jacob Angadiath to serve at the St Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago.
He was appointed as director of Syro-Malabar Mission of Garfield, Newark, and administrator of the Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Garfield.
He was Convener of the Syro-Malabar Convention-2003 at New Jersey. He has written several Christian devotional songs and released a few music albums. Fr Joy Alappatt is also known as a retreat preacher.