About Chairman

Mar Jose Pulickal

Bishop of Kanjirapally

Bishop Mar Jose Pulickal was born on March 3, 1964, at Inchiyani. He pursued his priestly studies at the Minor seminary of Mary Matha, later joining St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor, where he was ordained a priest on January 1, 1991. After appointed as the Assistant Vicar of Kanjirapally Cathedral and Director of Vettukadu Snehashram (Jesus Fraternity), he obtained a Master’s degree in biblical theology from St Peter’s Institute, Bangalore, and a Doctorate from the Dharmaram Institute in the same city. He has held several responsible positions such as Director of Catechesis, Vicar of Pathanamthitta Forane, Diocesan consultor, Protosyncellus or the bishop’s deputy for Ranni and Pathanamthitta.

The Syro-Malabar Synod elected him as the new auxiliary bishop of the eparchy of Kanjirapally during its meeting at Mount Saint Thomas in Kerala. Pope Francis on January 12, 2016 acknowledged the appointment of Fr. Jose Pulickal as Auxiliary Bishop of Kanjirapally. His Episcopal Consecration took place on February 4, 2016 at St. Dominic’s Cathedral, Kanjirapally. On the same day, he took charge of the office. He is also the Titular Bishop of Lares.

On attaining the canonical age of retirement, Mar Mathew Arackal submitted his resignation from the office of the Bishop of the Eparchy and in his place, Mar Jose Pulickal, the auxiliary Bishop of the Eparchy was elected as the Bishop by the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church. The official proclamation of the appointment was made concurrently on January 15, 2020 at Vatican and Mount St. Thomas, Kakkanad. His Episcopal enthronement as the Bishop of Kanjirapally was held on February 3, 2020 and he took office the same day. Mar Jose Pulickal became the chairperson of the Sahyadri Co-operative Credit Society when Mar Mathew Arackal resigned his position.