His Holiness Pope Francis appointed Father Stephen Antony Pillai as the new bishop of Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu. He was serving until now as the director of the Diocesan Retreat Centre and Professor at St. Paul’s Seminary, Tiruchirapalli. His Holiness Pope Francis also has accepted the resignation of His Grace Bishop Yvon Ambroise from the pastoral care of Tuticorin diocese, according to canon 401§ 1 on reaching the age limit.
Father Pillai was born in Keezha Manakudy, Kottar diocese, on June 22, 1952, and was ordained priest on May 7, 1979, for Vellore. He entered Santhome Minor Seminary, Chennai, in 1969. He did his Philosophy at Arul Anandar College, Madurai and Theology at St. Paul’s Seminary, Tiruchirapalli. He obtained a Master Degree in Theology from St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary, Bangalore, and later a Doctorate in Biblical Theology from Urbanian University, Rome in 1989. He knows Tamil, Malayalam, English, Italian, German and French.
The appointment was announced at 12 noon Rome time; 4:30 pm India.
