Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of St. Thomas of Chicago

The first and current bishop of the eparchy is Mar Jacob Angadiath, appointed by Pope John Paul II in 2001.[1] In 1984, Mar Angadiath was the first priest to officially start a Syro-Malabar ministry in the United States in Dallas, Texas. Mar Angadiath was sent by the former Bishop of Palai, Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil, who was in charge of the Overseas Mission of the Syro-Malabar Church. Mar Angadiath is also the permanent Apostolic Visitator to Syro-Malabar Catholics in Canada. Pope Francis appointed Rev. Fr. Joy Alappatt, pastor of Mar Thoma Sleeha Syro-Malabar Cathedral, Chicago as the Auxiliary Bishop of St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago on July 24, 2014.[2]

The Syro-Malabar Chicago eparchy (diocese) depends on Syro-Malabar priests from Kerala, India; priests would come from the archeparchies (archdioceses) and eparchies (dioceses) of Ernakulam-Angamaly (Idukki, Kothamangalam), Changanassery (Kanjirappally, Palai), Thalasshery (Mananthavady, Thamarassery), Thrissur (Irinjalakuda, Palaghat), and Kottayam (Knanaya). The Syro-Malabar liturgy was primarily in Syriac prior to the Second Vatican Council. Post-Second Vatican Council, the liturgy was translated to Indian languages Malayalam, Hindi, and Tamil as the Syro-Malabar Church was mainly based in India. Mar Jacob Angadiath commissioned on behalf of the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church, Rev. Fr. Joseph J. Palackal C.M.I. and George Thaila to set the English language Qurbana text to music in 2007.[3]

The American-born Roy Joseph was ordained in 2016 in the Latin Church as a Jesuit priest, although he's a bi-ritual priest in both the Latin and Syro-Malabar rites.[4] On May 5, 2018, Kevin Mundackal of Thornwood, New York, was ordained as the first ever American-born Syro-Malabar priest at St. Thomas Syro Malabar Forane Catholic Church, Somerset, NJ. Shortly after on June 2, 2018, Rajeev Valiyaveettil Philip of Tampa, Florida, was also ordained to the priesthood.[5] Melvin Mangalath Paul was ordained to the priesthood on 16 May 2020 at the Mar Thoma Sleeha Cathedral in Chicago.[6] Deacon Thomas "Timmy" Pulickal was ordained on 6th June 2020 for the diocese and the Jesus Youth movement.[7]

The eparchy's cathedral can be found in Bellwood, Illinois. The Mar Thoma Shleeha Cathedral (Saint Thomas the Apostle Cathedral) is a parish with almost 1000 families and is seat to the bishop. Their cathedral was dedicated on July 5, 2008.

There are an estimated 87,600 Syro-Malabar Catholics (circa 2014) following this rite in the United States. Some of the parishes and missions are dedicated to the pastoral care of faithful of the Knanaya Catholics (Knanaya Region), under the pastoral guidance of Knanaya priests. The eparchy includes 42 parishes and 32 missions. Congregations are located in the following states and provinces:

• Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
• List of the Catholic bishops of the United States#Other Eastern Catholic bishops
• List of the Catholic dioceses of the United States

• Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of St. Thomas of Chicago Official Site