Established 11 January 2014 | Rite East Syrian Rite Cathedral St. Alphonsa Cathedral | |
Sui iuris church Syro-Malabar Catholic Church | ||
The St. Thomas the Apostle Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Melbourne is an eparchy (Eastern Catholic diocese) of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church sui iuris in Australia. The eparchy, established in 2014, is the second eparchy of the Syro-Malabar Church outside India, after the Eparchy of Chicago, and it has jurisdiction over Syro-Malabar Catholics in the entirety of Australia.
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It is not part of any ecclesiastical province, but immediately subject to the Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly and depends on the Roman Congregation for the Oriental Churches.
Its ordinary is also appointed permanent Apostolic Visitator for the Syro-Malabar Catholics in New Zealand, where they have no proper jurisdiction.
Its future cathedral episcopal see is the Cathedral of St. Alphonsa in Melbourne, Victoria.
History
The eparchy was established on 2013.12.23 as Diocese (without previous missionary stage) of Saint Thomas the Apostle of Melbourne, on Australian territory previously without jurisdiction of the Syro-Malabar rite.
Statistics
As per 2014, it pastorally served 50,000 Catholics with 17 priests (5 diocesan, 12 religious), 12 lay religious (brothers).
Ordinaries
The first and current bishop of the eparchy is Mar Bosco Puthur, appointed by Pope Francis in 2014, born in India 1946.05.28, ordained Priest 1971.03.27, consecrated Bishop 2010.02.13; previously Titular Bishop of Foratiana (2010.01.18 – 2013.12.23) as Bishop of Curia of the Syro-Malabars (2010.01.18 – 2013.12.23) permanent Apostolic Visitator to .