Pope appoints Fr. Anthony Poola new bishop of Kurnool diocese

(Feb. 8, 2008) Pope Benedict XVI on Friday appointed a new bishop for the diocese of Kurnool in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The new bishop is 46-year old priest, Fr. Anthony Poola of Kurnool diocese a suffragan of Hyderabad metropolitan archdiocese. He succeeds Bishop Johannes Gorantla who passed away on Jan 20, 2007. Fr. Anthony Poola was born on Nov. 15, 1961 at Poluru in Kurnool diocese. After attending the minor seminary of Nuzvid he studied at St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary in Bangalore, Karnataka state. He was ordained priest on Feb. 20, 1992 for the diocese of Cuddapah. He served in various parishes from 1992 to 2001, after which he began studies for a master’s degree in pastoral healthcare and theology at the Loyola University of Chicago in the United States. Since 2004 he has been the director of the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging. Besides he is also a diocesan consultor, secretary for education, vice-director of schools of Cuddapah diocese and coordinator of sponsorship programmes. Created in 1967, Kurnool diocese today has over 78,500 Catholics out of a total population of over 8.5 million.