Mar Joseph Perumthottam
Mar Joseph Perumthottam (b. 5 July 1948, Punnathura, Kerala, India) is an East Syrian Catholic Archbishop representing the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. He is the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Changanassery.
Education
He did his education in St. Joseph's High School, Punnathura and St. Berchmans' College, Changanassery. He completed his seminary studies at St. Thomas Petit Seminary, Changanassery and St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor, Kottayam.
In 18 December 1974 he was ordained priest by Archbishop Mar Joseph Powathil, then auxiliary Bishop of Changanacherry. After his ministry as assistant parish priest for a few years he was appointed in 1979 as Director of Sandesanilayam, the Catechetical Centre of the Archdiocese and Chaplain of Catholic Workers' Movement of the Archdiocese. In the Catechetical field, he introduced many training programmes, including Catechetical Leaders' Training (CLT), which is being continued to this day by Sandesanilayam.
In 1983 he was sent for higher studies, at Gregorian University Rome where he took doctorate in Church History. Back from Rome, in 1989 he was appointed professor of St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary Vadavathoor and Missionary Orientation Centre, Manganam, Kottayam and vicar of St. Sebastian's Church, Kodinattumkunnu. During this period he was instrumental in starting Marthoma Vidyanikethan at Changanacherry, the higher institute of religious sciences for the laity at the initiative and active support of Archbishop Mar Joseph Powathil. This institute is a unique venture affiliated to Paurastya Vidyapitam, Vadavthoor, conferring P.G. degree recognized by the Congregation for Catholic Education, Rome and Joseph Perumthottam has been at its helm for the last one decade.
Simultaneously he has been vicar of Mar Sleeba Church, Ponga. He was nominated auxiliary bishop on 24 April 2002 and was ordained bishop by Archbishop Mar Joseph Powathil at St. Mary's Metropolitan Church, Changanacherry, on 20 May 2002, the 116th anniversary of the Archdiocese.
Bishop Perumthottam was appointed Archbishop of Changanassery on 22 January 2007 and he assumed charge on 19 March 2007