Pope appoints two Bishops for India

June 13, 2013: Pope Francis on Thursday, appointed Rev.Dr. Jaya Rao Polymera, of the Diocese of Warangal, as the bishop of the Diocese of Eluru, in Andhra Pradesh, South India.

The Rev.Dr. Jaya Rao Polymera, was born August 27, 1965 at Dharmasagar, Diocese of Warangal. He attended primary school in Dharmasagar, and was then in the Seminary of St. Pius X Fatimanagar. It was sent to the preparatory year at St. Paul's Seminary in Nuzvid and, later, to the Board of Vijayawada. He completed his studies in philosophy and theology and his preparation for the priesthood at St. John's Regional Seminary, Hyderabad. He obtained a B.A. in English Literature, a B.A. in Civil Law and a Masters in Organizational Leadership & Culture & Communication at the High Siena University (USA). He was ordained a priest on 2 April 1992 in Fatimanagar, and is incardinated in the same diocese of Warangal.

After ordination he held the following positions:
1992-1994: Assistant parish priest at Dacharam;
1994-1997: Parish Priest in Dornakal;
1998-2003: Assistant parish Priest of St. Philip Parish, Diocese of Kalamazoo (USA);
2003-2009: Pastor of the Cathedral;
Since 2009: Director of the Diocesan Youth Centre, a member of the College of Consultors, the Priests' Council and the Diocesan Tribunal.

The Diocese of Eluru (1976), suffragan of the Archdiocese of Vijayawada, has an area of 6,800 square kilometers and a population of 8,300,000 inhabitants, of whom 315,157 are Catholics. There are 110 parishes served by 226 priests (111 diocesan and 115 religious), 637 religious brothers, 655 sisters and 79 major seminarians. The Diocese of Eluru, has been vacant since August 16, 2009, following the death of the Ordinary, SE Archbishop John Mulgada.

The Holy Father on Thursday also made an appointment of a Bishop for the Jullundur Diocese in North India. Bishop Franco Mulakkal, until now titular Bishop of Chullu and Auxiliary Bishop of Delhi has now been appointed bishop of Jullundur.