ASIA/INDIA - The Pope appoints Bishop of Ootacamund

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI on 30 June, 2006 appointed Bishop of Ootacamund (India) Rev. Arulappan Amalraj, former rector of Good Shepherd Seminary in Coimbatore.
Rev. Arulappan Amalraj was born on 4 December 1953, in the district of Nilgiris, in the State of Tamil Nadu, diocese of Ootacamund. After primary and secondary school at Coonoor, he entered the diocesan minor seminary and later continued his studies for the priesthood at St. Peter's Pontifical Seminary in Bangalore. He was ordained for the diocese of Ootacamund on 26 December 1980. Since then he has been: 1981-1982: assistant priest at Sathyamangalam and Ketti; 1982-1987: Studies in Rome at the Angelicum for a Licentiate and Doctorate in dogmatic theology, while residing at the pontifical college S. Paolo Apostolo; 1987-1988: assistant priest at Nagalur; 1988-1995: Professor at Good Shepherd Seminary in Coimbatore and dean of Theology; 1996-2005: rector of the same Seminary; since May 2005: Sabbatical year in the United States.
The diocese of Ootacamund, created in 1955, is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Pondicherry-Cuddalore. It has an area of 7,312 sq., km., a population of 1,465,000 including 85,116 Catholics gathered in 59 parishes, assisted by 116 priests (96 diocesan e 20 religious), 64 Brothers, 520 Sisters, 22 major seminarians. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 30/6/2006; Righe 17; Parole 224)