Pope appoints new bishop in Balasore Diocese

December 09, 2013 - Pope Francis on Monday appointed a new bishop to the Diocese of Balasore in eastern India’s Odisha state. Fr. Simon Kaipuram, a member of the Congregation of the Mission, popularly known as Vincentians, is the new bishop of the Diocese of Balasore. The 59-year old rector and professor of Aquinas College in Gopalpur of Berhampur Diocese, also in Odisha, takes over from Vincentian Bishop Thomas Thiruthalil, who has retired. Born Feb. 9, 1954, in Thanneermukkom, Kerala state, Fr. Kaipuram studied at Aquinas College in Gopalpur, Berhampur Diocese, as a novice of the Vincentians. Later he continued with theology at the Pontifical University in Pune and took his first vows as a Vincentian on May 2, 1979. After his ordination on Dec. 20 as a Vincentian priest., Fr. Kaipuram served in various capacities, including in studies:

1981-1982: Assistant parish priest at Aligonda, Berhampur Diocese
1982-1983: Assistant parish priest at Mohana, Berhampur Diocese
1983-1985: Licentiate studies at the Pontifical Gergorian University, Rome
1985-1990: Formator and professor at Aquinas College, Gopalpur
1990-1993: Doctoral studies at the Pontifical Gergorian University, Rome
1993-1999: Rector at Vidya Sadan Theology House, Pune
1999-2007: Formator, professor and dean of studies at Aquinas College;
2007-2011: Formator at Vincentian Minor Seminary, Baripada, Balasore
2011-2013: Rector and professor at Aquinas College; diocesan consultor, Assitant Provincilal, visiting professor in various seminaries and theological institutes in India
Created in 1989, Balasore Diocese is a suffragan of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar metropolitan see. It has an area of over 25,000 sqkm., where Catholics number over 23,600 out of a population of more than 8.9 million. The 39 parishes of the diocese is ministered to by 53 priests, both diocesan and religious, and 174 men and women religious.