ASIA/INDIA - Appointment of the Bishop of Kohima

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On June 16, 2011, the Holy Father Benedict XVI appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Kohima (India) Rev. Sac. James Thoppil of the clergy of Kohima, Rector of Oriens Theological College in Shillong.
Rev.James Thoppil , was born in Kottayam on 8 May 1959 into a family of the Syro-Malabar Church. After his primary studies in Kerala, he entered the Minor Seminary of St. Joseph, Dibrugarh (1974-1977). Later he attended the Christ King College, for his Philosophy studies (1977-1980);and Oriens Theological College and the Sacred Heart Theological College, for his Theological studies (1982-1985), after completing training at the Parish of St . Joseph in Tseminyu, Nagaland (1980-1982). He was ordained priest on 12 January 1986, in the diocese of Kohima. After ordination he held the following ministries: 1986-1990: Dean of Studies, Good Shepherd Seminary, Dimapur, 1990-1994: Pastor and Headmaster, Holy Cross Church, Dimapur, Secretary of the Nagaland Association of Catholic Schools, 1994-1999: studies for a Licentiate and a Doctorate in dogmatic theology at the Pontifical Urban University, 1999-2006: Professor, Chancellor and Dean of Studies, Oriens Theological College, Shillong, Northeast Diocesan Secretary Priests' Forum for Theological Reflection (NEDPFTR); 2006-2007 : sabbatical Year in St. Felicitas Church, San Leandro, California, United States, since 2007: Rector at Oriens Theological College, Shillong.
The Diocese of Kohima, built in 1980, is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Imphal, it has an area of 16,579 square kilometers and a population of 2,154,000 inhabitants, of whom 57,549 are Catholic. There are 38 parishes, 156 priests (84 diocesans and 72 religious), 7 religious brothers, 324 nuns and 26 major seminarians. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 06/16/2011)