Bangalore 10 May 2023 (CCBI): Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Most Rev. Varghese Thottamkara, C.M. (64), Vicar Apostolic of Nekemte, Ethiopia, East Africa as Bishop of Balasore on Wednesday 10 May 2023.
Bishop Varghese Thottamkara was born on 23 May 1960 at Thottuva, Ernakulam-Angamaly Syro Malabar Archdiocese. After finishing the Matriculation studies at G. V. H. School, Koovapady, he joined the minor seminary of the Congregation of the Mission (CM) in Gopalpur in July 1976.
He was ordained priest on 6 January 1987 at his home parish, St. Joseph’s Church, Thottuva by Cardinal Antony Padiyara. In 1987 he served as assistant pastor at Muniguda and from 1988-1990 as assistant pastor and hostel warden at Christnagar (Allada). 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. He holds a Licentiate in Moral Theology. In 1997 was appointed rector of the Vincentian Major Seminary at Addis Ababa. In 2003 he was elected assistant provincial of the Southern Indian Province and in 2004 he was appointed rector and superior of St. Vincent’s Mission House, Aluva.
The Superior General appointed him Procurator General to the Holy See of the Congregation of the Mission (CM) and of the Daughters of Charity cum 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. On 28 June 2013 he was was appointed as Coadjutor Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Nekemte in Ethiopia and he was ordained bishop on 13 August 2013.
Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara
Deputy Secretary General, CCBI