Bangalore 25 September, 2020 (CCBI): His Holiness Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of His Excellency Most Rev. Jebamalai Susaimanickam (75) from the pastoral care of the Diocese of Sivagangai, Tamilnadu on 25 September, 2020. He was shepherding the diocese of Sivagangai for the last fifteen years (2005-2020)
Bishop Susaimanickam was born on 25 September1945, in Marudakanmoi, Andichurani parish in Sivagangai diocese. He was ordained a priest on 27 January 1971. At the age of 59 he was appointed as the Coadjutor Bishop of Sivagangai on 1 April 2005 and ordained Bishop on 15 May 2005. He was the vicar general of Archdiocese of Madurai. The Sivagangai diocese was created from Madurai Archdiocese on 3 July 1987. He is a well-known scripture scholar and famous for his biblical lectures in India and abroad.
He was the Chairman of the CCBI Commission for Bible from 2015 to 2019. Under his able scholarly leadership and competent guidance the CCBI Bible Commission completed the projects of the New Living Translation Catholic Edition (NLT CE) and English Standard Version Catholic Edition (ESV CE) Bibles. The CCBI released the NLT CE on 5 March, 2016 and the ECV CE on 4 February, 2018. The ESV CE is used in the new three volume English Lectionary. He is a priest for 49 years and a Bishop for 15 years.
Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara
Deputy Secretary General, CCBI