The Metropolitan Archbishop Mar Joseph Perumthottam

Born on July 5, 1948, at Punnathura, Joseph had his education in St. Joseph’s High School, Punnathura and St. Berchmans’ College, Changanacherry. Completing his seminary studies at St. Thomas Petit Seminary, Changanacherry and St.Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor, Kottayam, he was ordained priest on 18 December 1974 by Archbishop Mar Joseph Powathil, then auxiliary bishop of Changanacherry. After his ministry as assistant parish priest for a few years he was appointed in 1979 as Director of Sandesanilayam, the Catechetical Centre of the Archdiocese and Chaplain of Catholic Workers’ Movement of the Archdiocese. In the Catechetical field, he introduced many training programmes, including Catechetical Leaders’ Training (CLT), which is being continued to this day by Sandesanilayam.

In 1983 he was sent for higher studies, at Gregorian University Rome where he took doctorate in Church History. Back from Rome, in 1989 he was appointed professor of St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor and Missionary Orientation Centre, Manganam, Kottayam and vicar of St. Sebastian’s Church, Kodinattukunnu. During this period he was instrumental in starting Marthoma Vidyanikethan, the higher institute of religious sciences for the laity, at Changanacherry, with the active support of Archbishop Mar Joseph Powathil. This institute is a unique venture affiliated to Paurastya Vidyapitam, Vadavathoor, conferring P.G. degree recognized by the Congregation for Catholic Education, Rome-Rev. Dr. Joseph Perumthottam has been at its helm for the last one decade. Simultaneously he has been vicar of Mar Sleeva Church, Ponga. He was nominated auxiliary bishop on 24 April 2002 and was ordained bishop by Archbishop Mar Joseph Powathil at St Mary’s Metropolitan Church, Changanacherry, on 20 May 2002, the 116th anniversary of the Archdiocese.

On 20th January 2007 Mar Joseph Perumthottam was appointed the Metropolitan Archbishop of Changanacherry and was enthroned by His Beatitude Mar Varkey Vithayathil on 19th March 2007 at a solemn function held at the Metropolitan Church ground, Changanacherry.