India: Pope Francis appoints Father Ambrose Pitchaimuthu as Bishop of Vellore Diocese

The Holy Father has appointed Fr. Ambrose Pitchaimuthu (58), currently serving as the Executive Secretary of the CCBI Commission for Proclamation and Director of the Pontifical Mission Organizations, as the new Bishop of Vellore in Tamil Nadu, effective November 9, 2024.

Fr. Pitchaimuthu was born on May 3, 1966, in Cheyur, Tamil Nadu, and was ordained a priest on March 25, 1993. He holds a master’s degree in philosophy from the Catholic University of Leuven and a doctorate in philosophy from the Angelicum in Rome.

Throughout his ministry, Fr. Pitchaimuthu has served in various parishes, including as assistant parish priest at San Thome Cathedral in Chennai and St. Francis Xavier Church in Pallavaram.

He later became parish priest at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Chingleput, Sacred Heart Church in Oragadam, and Sagaya Annai Alayam in Padappai.

His administrative roles have included positions as Superintendent of R.C. Schools and Director of the Jeevan Jothi Institute of Administrative Services (JIAS).

In academia, he has contributed as Vice-Rector, Registrar, Librarian, and professor at Sacred Heart Seminary in Poonamallee, and served as Vicar General of the Diocese of Chingleput for seven years.

Since 2018, Fr. Pitchaimuthu has led the Pontifical Mission Organizations in India, and in 2022, he was appointed Executive Secretary to the CCBI Commission for Proclamation, showcasing his dedication to leadership within the Church in India.

The Diocese of Vellore, which became vacant after the passing of Bishop Soundaraj Periyanayagam, S.D.B., on March 21, 2020, has a rich history.

Established on November 13, 1952, it was originally formed by dividing the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore, with additional parishes from the Archdiocese of Pondicherry-Cuddalore incorporated in 1969.

Today, the Diocese of Vellore spans the civil districts of Vellore and Tiruvannamalai, encompassing 97 parishes and a Catholic population of approximately 195,000, supported by 167 diocesan priests, 93 religious priests, and 890 women religious.