Fr. Vijaya Paul Appointed Bishop of Warangal

New Delhi, 9 May 2026 (CCBI): Pope Leo XIV has appointed Fr. Vijaya Paul Reddy Duggimpudi (61), currently the Diocesan Administrator of Warangal, as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Warangal. He becomes the fourth Bishop of the Diocese.

Fr. Vijaya Paul Reddy was born on 8 January 1965 in Manugonda, Geesugonda Mandal, in the Warangal district of Telangana. He completed his studies in Philosophy and Theology at St. John’s Major Seminary, Hyderabad, from 1985 to 1987 and from 1988 to 1991. During the same period, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Osmania University (1987–1990). He later obtained a Master of Arts degree from Osmania University (1996–1998). He also completed a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Education from Annamalai University (1995–1996; 1998–1999).

He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Warangal on 2 April 1992. Over the years, Bishop-elect Vijaya Paul Reddy has served the Church in several pastoral, educational, and administrative roles. He served as Assistant Parish Priest and Hostel Director at St. Joseph’s Church in the Diocese of Khammam (1992–1993); in charge of the PIME Regional House and Director of St. Xavier’s Hostel in the Diocese of Eluru (1993–1995); Parish Priest of Devagiripatnam Parish in Warangal (1995–2002); Director and Legal Representative of Fatima College of Education, Warangal (2002–2009); Parish Priest of St. Francis de Sales Parish, Velair (2009–2015); Director of the Lodi Multipurpose Social Service Society, Warangal (2015–2023); and Director of Christu Jyothi Institute of Technology and Science, Warangal (2023–2026).

Since 5 April 2025, he has been serving as the Diocesan Administrator of Warangal following the transfer of Bishop Udumala Bala as Archbishop of Visakhapatnam.

The Diocese of Warangal became vacant after Pope Francis appointed Bishop Udumala Bala as Archbishop of Visakhapatnam on 8 February 2025.

The Diocese of Warangal was erected on 22 December 1952 from the ecclesiastical territory of Hyderabad. Bishop Alphonsus Beretta, PIME, was appointed the first Bishop of Warangal and served until his retirement on 30 November 1985. He was succeeded by Bishop Thumma Bala on 17 November 1986, who later became Archbishop of Hyderabad on 12 March 2011. Bishop Udumala Bala was appointed Bishop of Warangal on 13 April 2013 and was later transferred to Visakhapatnam as Archbishop on 8 February 2025.

The Diocese of Warangal covers an area of 24,702 square kilometres and includes the civil districts of Warangal and Karimnagar in Telangana. The Diocese has a Catholic population of 85,502 spread across 78 parishes. It is served by 92 diocesan priests, 187 religious priests, and 650 religious sisters.

By Dr. Stephen Alathara