Bangalore 20 May 2017 (CCBI): His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Fr. Nazarene Soosai (54), of the clergy of Kottar, as new Bishop of Kottar. This provision was made public in Rome on Saturday, 20th May, 2017, at noon local time, corresponding to 15:30 hours, Indian Standard Time.
Rev. Fr. Nazarene Soosai was born in Rajakkalamangalamthurai, in the Diocese of Kottar, on 13th April, 1963. He studied at the St. Aloysius’ Minor Seminary, in Nagercoil, completing his philosophical and theological studies at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Poonamallee, Chennai. He acquired a Licence Degree in Theology at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium and a Doctorate in Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. In addition, at the University of Madurai he passed a Master’s Degree in Political Science.
He was ordained a priest on 2nd April, 1989 for the Diocese of Kottar. He has exercised his priestly ministry in the following assignments: Assistant Parish Priest of Our Lady of Presentation Church, Colachel (1989-1990); Prefect of Studies at the Tamil Nadu Xavier Mission Home, Nagercoil, at the same time Secretary of the Diocesan Commission for Vocations (1990-1992); Parish Priest of St. Helen’s Parish, Enayam, at the same time Ecclesiastical Assistant of Christian Life Community and Secretary of the Diocesan Priests Personal Board (1992-1998); post graduate student of Theology in Leuven, Belgium (1998-2000); doctoral student of Theology in Rome (2000-2003); Dean and Professor of Theology at the Sacred Heart Seminary, Poonamallee, Chennai (2003-2011).
From March 2011: Parish Priest of the Shrine of Our Lady of Ransom, Kanyakumari, and Vicar Forane, at the same time visiting Professor at the Sacred Heart Seminary, Poonamallee, Chennai, as well as at various other Universities and Institutes (Madras University, Chennai; CRI Theological Institute, Bangalore; Sanon, Sambalpur, Odisha; Salesian Theological Institute, Chennai; St. Paul’s Seminary, Tiruchirapalli; Arul Kadal, Chennai). In the Diocese of Kottar he is a member of the Diocesan College of Consultors and Secretary of the Council of Priests.