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Bishop Thomas Chakiath was born
of Chackappan and Mariam Chakiath on
September 10, 1937 at Moonnamparambu,
Karukutty, in Ernakulam District.
After his school education at St.
Mary’s L.P.S. Karukutty, S.H.
Orphanage U.P.S. Mookkannoor, and
Mar Augustine Memorial H.S. Koratty,
Young Thomas Chakiath had his
seminary formation for two years in
the Sacred Heart Petit Seminary, Ernakulam and for seven years in the
Pontifical Seminary, Alwaye, and was
ordained priest on November 30, 1964
by Joseph Cardinal Parecattil at the Eucharistic Congress in Bombay. Fr.
Thomas Chakiath served as assistant
vicar of St. Thomas Church,
Malayattoor and of St. Mary’s
Cathedral Basilica, Ernakulam where
he was also Managing Director and
the First Principal of Amulia
Industrial Training Centre (I.T.C.)
From 1968 to ’72 Fr. Thomas Chakiath
had his higher education at St.
Thomas Acquinas University,
Angelicum, Rome, from which he took
his doctorate in sociology. He
specialized further in the same
subject later in 1981-82 when he
attended a course on Community
Development and secured a Diploma
from the Coady International
institute Canada. After coming back
from Rome, Dr. Thomas Chakiath
served as the vicar of St. Antony’s
Church,
Chengamanad for nearly two years. From 1974 Dr. Thomas Chakiath had been
Professor of Sociology for 23 years
at the Pontifical Institute of
Philosophy and Theology, Alwaye,
where he was Vice Rector for a term
and also Spiritual Father. Besides
his Doctoral Thesis entitled “Value
Clarification and Conscientization –
The Role of the Church in
Socio-Economic Development”, he has
also authored the book “The Social
Vision of the Church” He was the
chief editor of “Mathavum Chinthayum”
for eight years, and was also the
editor of “St Thomas Academy for
Research (STAR) Documentation”
Besides English and Latin, he knows
German, Italian and Syriac. Dr.
Thomas Chakiath has served the
Church and the archdiocese in other
ways as well. He was member of the
K.C.B.C. Commission for Justice and
Peace, and the secretary of the
priests’ Senate of the Archdiocese
of Ernakulam, and has been a
consulter of the Archdiocese for
three terms. He was the
founder-director of Niveditha,
Institute for Religious Formation
and Fellowship. He was appointed the
Vicar General of the Archdiocese of
Ernakulam in January 1997. On 17th
February 1998 Dr. Chakiath was
nominated the Titular Bishop of
Uzipari and the Bishop Auxiliary of
Ernakualm – Angamaly and he was
consecrated Bishop on April 14, 1998
by Archbishop Mar Varkey Vithayathil
at St. Mary’s Basilica Ernakulam. |
