Pope Francis erects new Syro-Malabar Apostolic Exarchate in Canada

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis on Thursday erected an Apostolic Exarchate for Syro-Malabar Catholics who are residents in Canada, nominating Father Jose Kalluvelil of the Eparchy of Palghat as its first Exarchate and assigning him the titular seat of Tabalta.

The Exarchate extends throughout Canada, where Syro-Malabar Catholics have been present since the 1960’s. 

On 16 February 2001, besides being named the first Bishop of the Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle of Chicago for the Syro-Malabar Catholics, Bishop Jacob Angadiath had also been designated Apostolic Visitor for the faithful of the Canadian Syro-Malabar Church.

Currently, the Syro-Malabar Catholics in Canada number around 9,000 faithful and 15 priests, of whom 3 belong to religious orders. 

The seat of the new Apostolic Exarchate will be in Mississauga, near Toronto. 

Eparchy of Adilabad

Pope Francis on Thursday also accepted the resignation of Bishop Joseph Kunnath, C.M.I. of the Eparchy of Adilabad of the Syro-Malabar Catholics (India), according to canon 210 §§ 1-2 of the Code of Canon Law of the Oriental Churches.

In his place, the Holy Father nominated Father Antony Prince Panengaden as Bishop of Adilabad of the Syro-Malabar Catholics.

Born on 13 May 1976 in Arimpur, Fr. Panengaden entered the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate before passing to the Eparchy of Adilabad. 

He was sent to Rome for his studies, completing a Doctorate in Biblical Theology at the Pontifical Urbaniana University.