Father Thomas Animoottil, 64, protosyncellus of the Archdiocese of Kottayam, has been appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese by Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil.
The announcement was made at the public session held here on Thursday in connection with the second sitting of the 34th Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church. The appointment decree was read out simultaneously at the Vatican at noon Italian time.
Following the announcement, Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and Mathew Moolakkatt, Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Kottayam, invested Fr. Animoottil with the insignia of office.
A native of Payyavoor, Fr. Animoottil was ordained a priest in April 1989. In 1998, he was appointed director of the Barumariam Pastoral Centre in Kannur and procurator of the Malabar Region.
He subsequently served as director of the Knanaya Missions in Los Angeles, New York and New Jersey. He was also Forane Vicar of Uzhavoor for five years and of Kaduthuruthy for nine months. Since February 2025, Fr. Animoottil has been serving as protosyncellus of the Archdiocese. He has also served as a judge of the Archdiocesan Marriage Tribunal and secretary of the Archdiocesan Presbyteral Council. He is currently the secretary of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council.
Published – August 27, 2026 06:41 pm IST
