Fr. Thomas Animoottil Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Kottayam

New Delhi, 27 August 2026: The Synod of the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church has canonically elected Fr Thomas Animoottil, 64, as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archeparchy of Kottayam. The election was made with the prior assent of Pope Leo XIV, in accordance with CCEO canon 184. The appointment was made public on 27 August 2026.

 

Fr. Thomas Animoottil was born on 13 January 1962 in Payyavoor, Kerala. After completing his primary and secondary education in Payyavoor and his university studies in Mysore, he entered St. Stanislaus Minor Seminary in Kottayam for his priestly formation.

 

He later pursued philosophy and theology at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Mangalore, and was ordained a priest on 13 April 1989. He subsequently went to Rome for higher studies at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, where he obtained a Licentiate in Canon Law in 1993.

 

Following his ordination, Fr. Animoottil served the Archeparchy of Kottayam in various pastoral and administrative capacities. His assignments included Parish Priest of Pulinjal, Secretary to the Eparchial Bishop, Eparchial Chancellor, Secretary of the Pastoral Council, Ecclesiastical Adviser to the Catholic Nurses Guild of India, and Vicar Forane of Uzhavoor and Kaduthuruthy.

 

From 2003 to 2008, he carried out pastoral ministry in the United States of America. Since 2025, he has served as Pro-Protosyncellus of the Archeparchy of Kottayam.

 

Dr. Stephen Alathara 

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