Jacob Manathodath (; born 22 February 1947) is a former Bishop of
Palghat
Palakkad (), formerly known as Palghat, historically known as Palakkattussery is a city and municipality in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the Palakkad District. Palakkad is most densely populated munic ...
. Briefly he also served as the Apostolic Administrator of the
Archdiocese of Ernakulam
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...
, India.
Biography
Jacob Manathodath was born on 22 February 1947 in
Kodamthuruthu, one of seven children born to Kurian and Kathreena. He attended the L.P. School, Kodamthuruthu, the E.C.E.K. Union High School,
Kuthiathode
Kuthiathode is a gram panchayat in Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala.
Geography
The Kuthiathode or the river stream was once the major waterway for transporting goods to the local market from Kochi via the Vembanad lake.
His ...
. He entered the Sacred Heart Minor Seminary, Ernakulam, and then the
Papal Seminary
Papal Seminary, Pune, India, is a Catholic educational institute whose primary function is training priests. Currently, it caters to the formation of about 180 Seminarians from most of the dioceses of India. It trains students from all three ri ...
,
Pune
Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million As of 2021, Pune Metropolitan Region is the largest i ...
, where he earned his Licentiate in Philosophy and Master's in Theology. He was ordained priest on 4 November 1972.
His first assignments after ordination included Assistant Vicar of St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica, Ernakulam, and then private secretary to Cardinal
Joseph Parecattil. He earned his Doctorate in Theology from the
Gregorian University in Rome from 1979 to 1984.
[
Returning from Rome, he held various positions in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam, including Archdiocesan Secretary, secretary to Cardinal ]Antony Padiyara
Mar Antony Padiyara (11 February 1921 – 23 March 2000) was a Syro Malabar Major Archbishop and cardinal. He was the First Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. He was Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly from 1985 to 1996, ...
, Promoter of Justice and Defender of Bond at the Archdiocesan Tribunal, Chancellor, parish priest in Elamakara and Chempu, Eparchial Consultor, Executive Secretary of Save A Family Plan (India) and editor of ''Ernakulam Missam''. He began teaching at St. Joseph's Pontifical Seminary, Aluva, in 1990.[
On 6 September 1992, ]Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
nominated him titular bishop of Abydus and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam. He received his episcopal consecration on 28 November 1992 and was appointed Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam. He chose as his episcopal motto "To do what pleases Him". Pope John Paul appointed him Bishop of Palghat on 11 November 1996 and he was installed there on 1 February 1997.[
He is recognized as an authority on ]inculturation
In Christianity, inculturation is the adaptation of Christian teachings and practices to cultures. This is a term that is generally used by Catholics, whereas Protestants, especially associated with the World Council of Churches, prefer to use th ...
, an opponent of globalization and violations of human rights, and an advocate for the need for the Church to be poor.
Real Estate & Fake Document controversy
On 22 June 2018, Pope Francis
Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...
named Manathodath the Apostolic Administrator of the Archieparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly. His appointment, according to Cardinal Leonardo Sandri
Leonardo Sandri (born 18 November 1943) is an Argentine prelate of the Catholic Church who has been a cardinal since November 2007 and vice dean of the College of Cardinals since January 2020. He was prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Chu ...
, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches
The Dicastery for the Eastern Churches (also called Dicastery for the Oriental Churches), previously named Congregation for the Oriental Churches or Congregation for the Eastern Churches ( la, Congregatio pro Ecclesiis Orientalibus), is a dicaste ...
, reflected Vatican concern about the real estate transactions as well as "ecclesiastical division" among the clergy and the archieparchy's bishops. An installation service was scheduled for 23 June with Giambattista Diquattro, Papal Nuncio to India, and several other prelates in attendance, including Cardinal George Alencherry
George Alencherry ( syr, ܡܵܪܝ ܓܝܼܘܲܪܓܝܼܣ ܐܵܠܲܢܫܝܪܝ, Mar Giwargis Alencherry) is the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and also a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was elected by the Holy Synod of the ...
, whose authority as Major Archbishop of the was suspended by Manathodath's appointment as administrator, completed his duty as apostolic administrator on 26/06/2019 .
Writings
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References
External links
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Catholic hierarchy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Manathodath, Jacob
1947 births
People from Kerala
Pontifical Gregorian University alumni
Indian bishops
Living people