Vicar Apostolic of Nekemte in Ethiopia Appointed Bishop of India’s Balasore Diocese

Hawassa, 10 May, 2023 / 9:04 PM

Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Varghese Thottamkara who has been serving as the Vicar Apostolic for Ethiopia’s Nekemte Vicariate, as the Bishop of Balasore Diocese in India.

The appointment of the member of the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians/Lazarists-C.M) was made public on Wednesday, May 10 and published by the Holy See Press Office.

The Indian Diocese became vacant in December 2013 when Bishop Thomas Thiruthalil retired.

In a statement issued following the appointment, members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE) express appreciation to Bishop Thottamkara for his services to the Church in Nekemte.

“The Catholic Church in Ethiopia thanks Bishop Varghese Thottamkara for his excellent and great service and wishes him all the best for his newly appointed service,” CBCE members say in their May 10 statement.

Born in June 1959 in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamally in India, Bishop Thottamkara was ordained a Priest in January 1987.

As a Priest, he served as Curate at Muniguda Parish in Odisha. In 1990 he was sent to Ethiopia to teach in the minor seminary of the Vincentians of Ethiopia at Ambo. In 1992 he taught in the major seminary at Addis Ababa as a visiting Professor. 

In 1993, he was transferred to Addis Ababa as the first Rector of St. Paul's Major Seminary of the Apostolic Vicariate of Nekemte. He also served as the Judicial Vicar of the Vicariates of Southern Ethiopia. 

The holder of a Licentiate in Moral Theology was appointed Rector of the Vincentian Major Seminary at Addis Ababa in 1997.

In 2003, he was elected Assistant Provincial of the Southern Indian Province. The following year, he was appointed Rector and Superior of St. Vincent's Mission House, Aluva in Kochi. 

The Superior General appointed him procurator general of the CM members, and of the Daughters of Charity as well as the role of Archivist at the General Curia in 2005. 

In 2010 he was elected one of the Assistant Generals of the Congregation of the Mission. He has been given the responsibility of assistant for the missions and delegate to the provinces and international missions of Asia Pacific zone.

In June 2013, Pope Francis appointed him Coadjutor Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Nekemte in Ethiopia.

He was ordained Bishop in August 2013 and succeeded Bishop Thiruthalil as the Vicar Apostolic in November, 2013.