Joseph Pamplany

Mar Joseph Pamplany (born December 11, 1969) is a is an Indian-born bishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church serving archbishop of the Archdiocese of Tellicherry since 2022.

Pope Francis announced his approval of his election by Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church as archbishop on January 15, 2022, replacing Mar George Njaralakatt. He was also elected the synod's secretary replacing Mar Antony Kariyil. He previously served as the Archdiocese of Tellicherry's auxiliary bishop.

Childhood and education
Mar Joseph Pamplany was born on December 11, 1969, in Charal, Kannur, Kerala to Thomas and Mary Pamplany, as the fifth of seven children. He went to St. Sebastian’s School, Charal and St. Thomas High School, Kilianthara. He then went to Nirmalagiri College, Koothuparamba for a Pre-degree before deciding his vocation as a Priest. In 1988, He joined the St. Joseph's Minor Seminary in Tellicherry to begin his priestly formation and completed it at St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Aluva. Mar George Valiamattam ordained him a Priest for the Archdiocese at St. Joseph's Cathedral on December 30, 1997. After a few years as a Priest, He was sent for further studies. In 2001, He obtained a Master of Arts in Religious Studies from Katholike Universiteit Leuven in Belgium. He continued his education there for a Licentiate and Ph.D. in Sacred Scripture in 2006. He also holds a P.G Diploma in German, Hebrew and Greek

Priestly Ministry
He began his Priesthood as the assistant vicar of St. Joseph’s Forane Church, Peravoor before becoming the Vicar of St. Thomas Church, Deepagiri. After he returned from his studies in Belgium, He was appointed by George Valiamattam as the Archdiocese's Bible Apostolate Director and founded the Alpha Institute of Theology and Science to help form the theological formation of lay people in the Archdiocese and was the Founder-Director.

He also became a Professor at various colleges including teaching Sacred Scripture in St. Joseph’s Pontifical Institute, Aluva, Good Shepherd Major Seminary, Kunnoth, St. Peter’s Seminary, Bangalore, and Divine Bible College, Muringoor and also serving as a research guide.

Mar Pamplany has published more than 30 books and has conducted 40 research articles in his career along with 250 articles in Malayalam Newspapers serving on editorial boards of many of academic journals. Mar Pamplany also served as a retreat preacher in India and the various disapora of the Syro Malabar Church.

He has also served in Various Bishop Conferences as a priest including

- Catholic Bishops' Conference of India: Secretary of the Commission for Doctrine and Secretary of the Commission for Inter Ritual Text Books

- Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences: Member of the Commission of Theology

- Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council: Member of the Commission for Doctrine

- Syro-Malabar Catholic Church: Chair of the Catechesis Textbook Committee

Auxiliary Bishop
On September 1, 2017, Pope Francis announced his election as the Auxiliary Bishop of Tellicherry by the Synod of Bishops for the Syro Malabar Church after the request of Mar George Njaralakatt to have a Auxiliary Bishop. He was ordained and consecrated a bishop by Mar Njaralakatt, Archbishop of Tellichery in the presence of George Valiamattam, Archbishop Emeritus of Tellicherry and Joseph Kallarangatt, Eparch of Palai at the St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Thalassery.

When He began his Tenure as Auxiliary Bishop, He became the Media Commission Chairman for the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council and the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. He also serves as the Chairman of the Synodal Commission of the Good Shepherd Major Seminary, Kunnoth which supervises the Seminary. He also spoke at the 2021 International Eucharistic Congress in Hungry to a large crowd.

Archbishop
In 2022, He was nominated by Cardinal Mar George Alencherry to become the Secretary of the Synod of Bishops replacing Mar Antony Kariyil. In that Synodal Session, He was also elected to become the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Tellicherry replacing Mar George Njaralakatt. He was installed by Major Archbishop George Alencherry on April 20, 2022, at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Thalassery.