TURA: In a first for the Catholic faith in the Garo Hills, senior priest Rev. Fr Jose Chirackal, who has spent decades in this region working for the church has been appointed as the first Auxiliary Bishop of Tura by the Vatican on Monday.
The Auxiliary Bishop will assist the Bishop of Tura, Rt. Rev. Andrew R Marak, in his official and church duties.
“In the light of the Communication received from the Apostolic Nunciature, I wish to inform you that the His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Rev. Fr. Jose Chirackal, of the Clergy of Tura, as Auxiliary Bishop of Tura. This provision was made public in Rome on Monday,” read an official statement from Felix Anthony Machado, the Archbishop and Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI).
There are three types of bishops in the catholic church- Diocesan Bishop who heads the church and clergy in his diocese, a coadjutor bishop who takes over in the event of a bishop passing away while in office or who resigns and the auxiliary bishop who helps the governing bishop and assists him in day to day work.
Bishop Andrew was the Coadjutor Bishop of Tura from 2004 to 2007. He was ordained the Bishop of Tura after the retirement of Bishop George Mamalassery in 2007.
Sixty year old Rev. Fr. Jose Chirackal was born on 14th July, 1960 in Karukutty, Kerala, in the Major Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, and was ordained priest on 29th December, 1987, for the Diocese of Tura. After the schooling in Kerala, he joined the Diocese of Tura in 1976. He studied at St. Paul’s Minor Seminary, Shillong, Philosophy at Christ King College, Shillong, and Theology at Oriens Theological College, Shillong. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts from St. Anthony’s College, Shillong and later a Licentiate and Doctorate in Canon Law from Università Urbaniana, Roma, in 1995.
He served the Diocese in the following ministries: 1988-1991: Asst. Priest, St. Joseph’s Church, Selsella; 1991: Acting Headmaster, Sacred Heart School, Dalu; 1995-2004: Rector, St. Peter’s Minor Seminary, Tura; 2004-2009: Diocesan Procurator and Chancellor; 2004-2011: Judicial Vicar and Diocesan Spokesperson; 2009-2011: Parish Priest, Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, Tura; 2011-2014: Rector, Oriens Theological College, Shillong, and Secretary, North East Regional Commission for Vocations and Formation; 2014-2019: Diocesan Procurator, Diocesan Spokesperson and Defender of the Bond. Since July 2019: Parish Priest, St. Luke’s Church, Walbakgre, Tura and Director of Pastoral Centre. He has been member of the College of Consultors, and visiting professor in Oriens Theological College, Shillong, for many years.