India: Bishop Udumala Bala appointed Archbishop of Visakhapatnam

Pope Francis appointed Bishop Udumala Bala Showreddy as the Archbishop of Vishakapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, India, transferring him from the Diocese of Warangal on February 8, 2025.

He was appointed Bishop of Warangal on April 13, 2013, and ordained Bishop on May 23, 2013. He was the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Khammam from 2022 to 2024. He was the Deputy Secretary General of the CCBI from 2006 to 2013 and the Chairman of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) Commission for Vocations, Seminaries, Clergy, and Religious from 2015 to 2023.

Bala was born on June 18, 1954, in Ghanpur, Gudur, Diocese of Warangal, Andhra Pradesh. He began elementary school in his native village of Gudur and then completed high school at St. Gabriel High School, Warangal. He holds a diploma in Telugu and a Bachelor of Arts from Osmania University. He did his priestly formation at St. Pius X Minor Seminary, Fatima Nagar, Warangal, and St. John's Regional Seminary, Ramanthapur, Hyderabad.

He was ordained a priest on February 20, 1979, for the Diocese of Warangal. After his priestly ordination, he held the following positions: 1979-1980: Parish Vicar in Dornakal; 1980-1984: parish priest in Produtur; 1984-1985: parish priest in Ravi Nuthala; 1985-1986: parish priest in Cherumadaram; 1986-1987: Financial Administrator and Chancellor of the diocese; 1987-1990: Procurator and Catechetical Teacher at St. John's Regional Seminary, Hyderabad; 1990-1994: Studies at the Alphonsianum, Rome, where he obtained a doctorate in Moral Theology; 1994-1997: Professor of Moral Theology at St. John's Regional Seminary, Hyderabad; 1997-2006: Rector of St. John's Regional Seminary, Hyderabad.

The Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam became vacant by the resignation of Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu on February 14, 2024. - Stephen Alathara