LEADERSHIP
HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV
POPE OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
Pope Leo XIV , born on 14 September 1955 is the 267th and current Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City. He is the first pope to have been born in the United States and North America, the first to hold American and Peruvian citizenships, the first from the Order of Saint Augustine, and the second from the Americas after his predecessor Pope Francis. Pope was born in Chicago and raised in the nearby suburb of Dolton, Illinois. He became a friar of the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977 and was ordained as a priest in 1982. His service includes extensive missionary work in Peru in the 1980s and 1990s, where he worked as a parish pastor, diocesan official, seminary teacher, and administrator. Elected prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine, he was based in Rome from 2001 to 2013, and extensively traveled to the order's provinces around the world. He then returned to Peru as Bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in Rome, and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
CARDINAL MAR RAPHAEL THATTIL
MAJOR ARCHBISHOP SYRO-MALABAR
Cardinal Mar Raphael Thattil is the current Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. He was elected by the Holy Synod of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church on 11 January 2024. Mar Raphael Thattil was born to Ouseph and Thresia on 21 April 1956 and was baptized on 30 April 1956 in Thrissur. He was elected as Auxiliary Bishop of Thrissur in 2010 to serve along with metropolitan archbishop Andrews Thazhath. In 2013, Pope Francis appointed him as the apostolic visitator for all members of the Syro-Malabar Church in India outside their own territory. He served in these roles until he was appointed the first bishop of the newly erected Eparchy of Shamshabad in 2017.
Rev. FR. Dr. Peter Kannampuzha
VICAR
Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Kannampuzha is the Vicar of St. Mary's Forane Church Pallippuram. After his schooling, he started his seminarial life in Minor Seminary (1979-82), took Philosophy from Carmelgiri(1982-85) and Theology from Mangalapuzha (1986-89). On Dec 26 , 1989 Cardinal Antony Padiyara , ordinationed him as priest. He has got his M.Th., LLB, & Ph.D., Paris Catholic Institute, Paris. He also served as Director of Catechism Ernakulam.
FR. JOSEPH MAKKOTHAKKATT
Resident Priest
Fr. Joseph Makkothakkatt was born in May 13, 1941 to Makkothakkatt Mathew & Brigit. He had his studies for Minor Seminary (1957-60) , Philosophy - Carmelgiri (1960-63), Theology - Mangalapuzha (1963-67). On March 11, 1967 Cardinal Joseph Parecattil, ordained him as priest.