Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed Fr. John Panamthottathil CMI the second Bishop of St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Melbourne. The formal announcement of this appointment was done at 12-noon Italian time on Saturday, 14 January 2023 at the Vatican, at 4.30 pm Indian time at the Major Archiepiscopal Curia at Mount St. Thomas Kakkanad and at 10 pm Australian time at the Eparchial Centre Melbourne. The Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar George Alencherry made the announcement of this appointment at a public meeting held after the conclusion of the Synod of Bishops at Mount St. Thomas at Kakkanad. The new bishop was vested with the insignia of the Episcopal Office by Cardinal Mar George Alencherry and the retiring Bishop Mar Bosco Puthur.
Fr. John was born on 13 May 1966 in the parish of Perumpunna in the Archeparchy of Tellicherry as the son of late Joseph Panamthottathil and Thresiamma. After his school studies, he joined the Calicut St. Thomas Province of the CMI congregation for priestly formation. He did his First Profession in 1986 and his Final Profession in 1994. He took his M.A in English Literature from Devagiri College and B.Ed. from St. Joseph’s College, Mannanam. He also secured M.Ed. from Igno University.
Fr. John who completed his philosophical and theological studies at Dharmaram College was ordained a priest by the late Mar Paul Chittilapilly, the former Bishop of Thamarassery. Then, he served as assistant parish priest at the parish of Koodaranji in the Eparchy of Thamarassery and later taught at the Morning Star School, Gudallur and at Devagiri Higher Secondary School as a teacher of English language.
He was elected twice the Provincial Superior of Calicut St. Thomas Province in the period from 2008 to 2014. From 2015, he did his pastoral ministry at the Archdiocese of Brisbane in Australia till 2020. During this period, he was also rendering his service for the pastoral care of the Syro-Malabar Catholics in that area. From 2021 onwards, he is working as the Superior of St. Elias Monastery at Niravilppuzha in the Eparchy of Mananthavady and also as the Vicar of the parish there. The bishop-elect is proficient in many languages including English, Hindi and German.
It was in 2013 that St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Melbourne was erected to cater to the spiritual needs of Syro-Malabar Catholics in that country. The jurisdiction of the Eparchy was extended up to New Zealand and other counties in Oceania in 2021. The new Bishop is appointed as the present Bishop, Mar Bosco Puthur submitted the mandatory resignation at the age of 75 and the Holy Father accepted the same. The details of the Episcopal Ordination are yet to decide.