Tuticorin gets new bishop

Bishop-elect Stephen Antony Pillai was director of the Diocesan Retreat Centre in Vellore.

Bishop elect Fr. Stephen Antony Pillai (Photo credit: Vatican News)

New Delhi:  Pope Francis has appointed Father Stephen Antony Pillai, a priest of Vellore diocese, the new bishop of Tuticorin after accepting the resignation of Bishop Yvon Ambroise.

Bishop Ambroise resigned upon arriving the canonical age limit of 75 years.

The Indian bishops’ conference said the announcement was made public in Rome Jan. 17.

Bishop-named Pillai was director of the Diocesan Retreat Centre and Professor at St. Paul’s Seminary, Tiruchirapalli at the time of appointment.

Bishop Ambroise will be the Apostolic Administrator of Tuticorin until the new bishop is ordained and canonically takes possession.

Father Pillai was born in a village parish in Kottar 1952. Following seminary studies in Chennai, Madurai and Tiruchirapalli, he was ordained in 1979 for Vellore diocese.

He holds a Masters in Theology from St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary in Bangalore, and a Doctorate in Biblical Theology from Urbanian University, Rome.

He speaks Tamil, Malayalam, English, Italian, German and French.

Father Pillai served the dioceses in various capacities including parish priest of the Vellore Cathedral and vicar general, besides serving as vice rector and professor of St. Paul’s Seminary, Tiruchirapalli.

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