Bishop Chakkalakal appointed Bishop of Calicut diocese
May 15, 2012: On Tuesday, 15 May, Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Bishop Varghese
Chakkalakal, Bishop of the Diocese of Calicut in India and simultaneously appointed
him Apostolic Administrator for the vacant seat of the Diocese of Kannur. He is presently
the bishop of Kannur diocese in the Southern Indian state of Kerala. Bishop Varghese
Chakkalakal was born on Feb. 7, 1953 at Malapallipuram in Thrichur district of Kerala
which belongs to the diocese of Kottapuram. After schooling he joined seminary in
1971 for the diocese of Calicut.
He completed his seminary studies at St.
Joseph's Seminary, Mangalore. He was ordained a priest on April 2, 1981 in Mother
of God Cathedral, Calicut. During 1986 and 1991 he did his doctorate in canon law
from Pontifical Urban University, Rome. He taught in the seminary from 1992 -1998.
He was a professor of Fundamental Theology, Canon Law and Moral Theology. He also
served as Dean of Studies. He was appointed as bishop on Nov. 5., 1998 and was consecrated
as the first Bishop of Kannur on Feb.7, 1999.