Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Palghat

History of Diocese of Palghat (Palakkad)

Mar Jacob Manathodath, bishop of Palakkad diocese, releasing the biography of Servant of God Varghese Payapilly Palakkappilly during his 82nd death anniversary by handing over a copy of it to his great-nephew Mathew Palakkappilly (Payapilly)

The Eparchy of Palghat was erected on June 20, 1974, through the Decree "Apostolico Requirente" by Pope Paul VI, bifurcating the eparchy of Trichur and adding into the territory of the new eparchy a few parishes of the eparchy of Tellichery, which were in the district of Palakkad. It was a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam. The eparchy was inaugurated on September 8, 1974. The episcopal ordination of Msgr. Joseph Irimpen and his assumption of office as the first bishop of the eparchy took place on the same day. It is now a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Trichur. The eparchy covers an area of 28515 sq. km and it comprises the civil district of Palakkad in Kerala and the districts of Coimbatore, Erode, Karur and Tirupur in Tamilnadu. At the time of the inauguration of the Eparchy it had a total of 16 parishes and 8 stations. The number of diocesan priests was 14 and that of the faithful was 20810. It has now 69057 faithful, 127 priests incarnated to it and 99 parishes and 45 stations. By the grace of God the eparchy is today what it is. The Lord has done great things for the people of God of this area through the pioneering and missionary work of the priests, religious priests, Sisters and the laity under the able and inspiring leadership of Mar Joseph Irimpen. After twenty years of dedicated and loving service Bishop Irimpen retired from his office on December 6,1994. Even after his retirement he, true to his motto, spent his time to love and serve. He slept in the Lord on August 23, 1997. Msgr. Joseph Veliyathil served the Eparchy as its Administrator from December 6, 1994 to February 1,1997. Pope John Paul II nominated Bishop Jacob Manathodath, then the Auxiliary Bishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly as the Bishop of Palghat on November 11, 1996. Bishop Manathodath took canonical possession of the eparchy on February 1, 1997.

The diocese of Palghat was bifurcated and new diocese namely Ramanathapuram was erected on 18th January, 2010. The Bishop of the diocese of Ramanathapuram is Mar Paul Alappatt.

Former Bishop

Mar Joseph Irimpen (1974 - 1996) Joseph Irimpen was born at Poovathussery in the eparchy of Irinjalakuda on 25th February 1919. After finishing successfully the High School studies at St. Aloysius High School, Elthuruth, he had his college education at St. Thomas College, Thrissur and graduated in 1943 from the Madras University. He had his eccelesiastical studies in the Papal Seminary, Kandy and was ordained priest on 6th May, 1950. While he was the Vicar General of the eparchy of Trichur, he was appointed Bishop on 27th June 1974 of the newly erected eparchy of Palghat and was ordained bishop on 8th September 1974 by His Eminence Joseph Cardinal Parecattil, assisted by their Excellencies Mar Joseph Kundukulam, the then Bishop of Trichur and Mar Sebastian Vallopilly, the then Bishop of Tellicherry. He took charge of the eparchy on 8th September 1974. He was a simple, humble and zealous pastor who went about "loving and serving". He built up the diocese with a vision and taught by his example to be holy and happy. He retired from the office on 6th December 1994. Mar Joseph Irimpen slept in the Lord on 23rd August 1997 and was buried in St. Raphael's Cathedral, Palakkad.

Statistics of the Diocese of Palghat (Updated on 11/04/2010)

Diocese of Palghat - Geographical Area, 4480 km sq.km (Palakkad Dt) 1 Catholic Families: 12521 2 Catholics: 56668 3 Priests:  :Diocesan 121  :Working 8 4 Religious Men 59 5 Religious Women 1051 6 Diocesan Seminarians : Theologians 15 : Regents 11 : Philosophers 25 : Minor Seminarians 34 7 Foranes 8 8 Parishes 74 9 Stations 43

External links

• Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Palghat
• Catholic-Hierarchy entry