Mar Thomas Tharayil
( born 2 February 1972) is the auxiliary bishop of
Syro-Malabar
lat, Ecclesia Syrorum-Malabarensium mal, മലബാറിലെ സുറിയാനി സഭ
, native_name_lang=, image = St. Thomas' Cross (Chennai, St. Thomas Mount).jpg
, caption = The Mar Thoma Nasrani Sl ...
Archeparchy of Changanacherry.
He was conferred as the auxiliary bishop by
Mar Joseph Perumthottam on 23 April 2017.
Early life
Thomas Joseph Tharayil, born on 2 February 1972,
is the youngest son among the seven children of T. J. Joseph and Mariamma at
Changanacherry
Changanassery or Changanacherry is a municipal town in Kottayam district in the state of Kerala, India.
History
The first recorded history on the origin of Changanacherry is obtained from Sangam period literature. According to Sangam era d ...
,
. He attended
St Mary's Metropolitan Church, Changanacherry. He had his primary education in St Joseph's L. P. School, Changanassery, and his high school education at Sacred Heart English Medium School, Fathimapuram, completing his pre-degree course at
St Berchmans College, Changanassery.
He then joined the minor seminary of Changanacherry Archeparchy, St Thomas Minor Seminary, Kurichy, for priestly formation. He completed his philosophical and theological studies in St Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor.
He was ordained priest by
Mar Joseph Powathil on 1 January 2000, the Great Jubilee Year, at
St Mary's Metropolitan Church, Changanacherry.
Priestly life
Tharayil served as assistant vicar in Athirampuzha (2000), Nedumkunnam (2001) and Koilmuck-Edathua (2003). He served at Thazhathuvadakara as vicar in the year 2004.
He did doctoral studies in Psychology from
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University ( it, Pontificia Università Gregoriana; also known as the Gregorian or Gregoriana,) is a higher education ecclesiastical school ( pontifical university) located in Rome, Italy.
The Gregorian originated as ...
(2004-2011). After his doctorate in Rome he was appointed as the Director of Dhanahalaya, Institute of Formation and Counselling, Punnapra, Alappuzha, in 2011.
He served as visiting professor to St Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor, National Vocation Service Centre, Pune
Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram and Institute of Formators, Bengaluru.
Auxiliary bishop
The synod of bishops of the
Syro-Malabar Church, held at Kakkanad Mount St Thomas, elected Fr Thomas Tharayil (Tomy) as auxiliary bishop of the Changanassery archdiocese
on 14 January 2017.
He was conferred as the auxiliary bishop by
Mar Joseph Perumthottam on 23 April 2017.
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. ...
assigned to the Auxiliary Bishop-Elect the Titular See of Agrippia.
The southern part of the Changanacherry Archeparchy consisting of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Amboori Foranes is under the attention of Mar Thomas Tharayil.
On 20 October 2020 there was a hunger strike protest by three bishops of Catholic Church,
Bishop Joshua Mar Ignathios of Mavelikkara, chairman of the Kerala Bishops' Council (KCBC) Education Commission, its vice-chairman,
Bishop Paul Anthony Mullassery of Kollam and Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Tharayil of Changanassery, against the government for educational rights.
said that in the last five years, the government has not distributed its promised aid to over 3,000 teachers in Catholic schools.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tharayil, Thomas Joseph
Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Changanassery
Syro-Malabar bishops
1972 births
Living people