MAR JOSE PUTHENVEETTIL (Auxiliary Bishop of Faridabad)

Mar Jose Puthenveettil was born on 4th April 1961 at Edappally in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly as the second of eight children of late Mr.Devassy and Mary, Puthenveettil. After his school education at St. George’s H.S. Edappally, He had his priestly formation for three years (1977-1980) at Sacred Heart Minor Seminary, Thrikkakara and for seven years (1980-1987) in St. Joseph’s Interdiocesan Seminary, Mangalore. On 26th December 1987 Cardinal Antony Padiyara, then Archbishop of Ernakulam, ordained him priest at St. George’s Forane Church, Edappally, for the Archdiocese of Ernakulam.  After the ordination Fr. Jose served the archdiocese as Assistant Vicar at St. Mary’s Forane Church, Kanjoor (1988-1990) and then as Secretary to Mar Antony Cardinal Padiyara (1990-1992). Rev. Fr. Jose had his higher studies at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium and took Doctorate in Theology.

After having returned to India he served as Vicar of St. Augustine’s Church, Thuravoor North (1998-1999) and St. Mary’s Church, Mookkannoor (1999). From 1999 to 2000 he served as Assistant Director and Dean of studies of Niveditha, Institute for Religious Formation and Fellowship at Chunangamvely and during the same period he was Assistant at St. Joseph’s Church, Chunangamvely and in that capacity he also took care of St. Pius X Church, Choondy.He had been Professor of Systematic Theology at Paurastya Vidyapitam, Kottayam, for 11 years from 2000 to 2011, of which he served for a term of three years as the Vice-President of the Institute. Since 2011 he has been serving as the Syncellus of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly.

On Friday, 23rd August 2013, the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church, having received prior Papal Assent according to CCEO can. 184, canonically elected Rev. Fr. Jose Puthenveettil to the office of Auxiliary Bishop of the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly. The Holy Father Pope Francis has assigned to the new Auxiliary Bishop the Titular See of Rusubbicari. He was consecrated Bishop on 21st September 2013 by Major Archbishop Mar George Cardinal Alencherry at St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica, Ernakulam. Mar Jose Puthenveettil was moved to Faridabad Diocese as Auxiliary Bishop on November 10th 2019.