Tamil Nadu gets new diocese
The new diocese has been created with territories taken from the Kottar diocese, making it a suffragan of Madurai Archdiocese.
Pope Francis has created Kuzhithurai as a new diocese in Tamil Nadu.
He erected the Latin rite diocese in Kanyakumari district and appointed Salesian priest Fr. P. Jerome Dhas Varuvel as its first bishop. The new diocese has been created with territories taken from the Kottar diocese, making it a suffragan of Madurai Archdiocese.
Kuzhithurai Diocese has over 264,000 Catholics in 100 parishes and 123 mission stations spread across an area of 915 sqkm.
They are served by 131 priests and 269 religious men and women. The cathedral of the new diocese will be the Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Kuzhithurai.
Bishop designate Fr. Jerome Dhas Varuvel was born Oct. 21, 1951 at Paduvoor in Kottar diocese.
He studied at Carmel Secondary School, Nagercoil and after his pre-University, he joined St. Aloysius Minor Seminary of Nagercoil in 1968. In 1973, he completed a 3-year philosophy course at the Sacred Heart Seminary di Poonamallee.
St. John Paul II ordained him a priest in 1985. He belongs to the Salesian Province of Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Source: Vatican Radio (through UCAN)
Kuzhithurai ,Tamil Nadu ,New Diocese ,Madurai Archdiocese
