Pope Appoints Kerala Bishop to Vatican Council for Faith Formation

In a significant recognition for the Syro-Malabar Church, Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Mar Jose Pulickal of the Kanjirappally Diocese to the Vatican's International Council for Catechesis. The five-year term, announced by church authorities, marks the first time a Kerala bishop has been named to this high-level council.

Fr. Stanly Pullolikal, Public Relations Officer of the Kanjirappally Diocese, described the appointment as an honour for the local church. He explained that the International Council for Catechesis was established by Pope Paul VI in 1973 with the aim of fostering training in the life of faith. Initially part of the Congregation for the Clergy, the council was later reconstituted in 2013 by Pope Benedict XVI under the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization.

The council's major responsibilities, according to Fr. Pullolikal, include encouraging faith formation for believers of all categories, issuing guidelines and directives to ensure that catechesis aligns with the Church's tradition, ensuring adherence to the Magisterium's guidance, approving catechetical publications owned by the Church with the consent of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and coordinating international catechetical activities of national and regional bishops' conferences.

Bishop Mar Jose Pulickal was appointed auxiliary bishop of Kanjirappally in 2016 and became Bishop of Kanjirappally on February 3, 2020. He currently serves as Chairman of the Syro-Malabar Catechetical Commission and the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council Bible Commission. He is also a member of the Syro-Malabar Media Commission, Public Commission, and the Synodal Commission of Vadavathoor St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary.

Fr. Pullolikal added that the appointment provides the Syro-Malabar Church an opportunity to share its rich faith formation traditions within the universal Church's global mission. The Syro-Malabar Church, one of the ancient Christian communities in India, follows its own liturgical tradition and has a significant presence in Kerala.

The appointment underscores the growing representation of Asian church leaders in Vatican bodies. The International Council for Catechesis plays a pivotal role in shaping faith formation worldwide, and Bishop Pulickal's inclusion ensures that the perspectives of the Eastern Catholic Churches are represented in these deliberations.