- His Excellency
Rt. Rev. Dr. Vincent Samuel,
Bishop of Neyyattinkara
Rt. Rev. Dr. Vincent Samuel, Bishop
born:
August 10th, 1950
S/o Mr. Samuel & Rosamma
(Arayoor parish)
ordination as priest:
December 19th, 1975
elected as bishop:
June 14th, 1996
concegration as bishop:
November 1st, 1996
motto:
"To Serve an Save"
Patron Day:
September 27th (St. Vincent De Paul)
His ordination as bishop
His Holiness, Pope John Paul II apointed Dr. Vincent Samuel, the Vice Rector of the Pontifical Seminary, Alwaye as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Neyyattinkara. The erection of the new Diocese and the appointment of Dr. Vincent Samuel as its first Bishop were announced by Rt. Rev. Dr. Soosa Pakiam, the Bishop of Trivandrum on 16th July, 1996.
Dr. Vincent Samuel was ordained as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Neyyattinkara by Cardianl Joseph Tomko on 1st November, 1996. He took the ecclesiastical possession of the new Diocese on 5th November, 1996.
His life
Dr. Vincent Samuel was born on 10th August, 1950 as the third son of Mr. C. Samuel and Mrs. T. Rosamma at Pavarathuvila in Arayoor parish. He has four brothers and one sister.
His father died in 1985; his mother is still alive. After the completion of his schooling at LMS LPS, Arayoor and St. Peter's UPS, Vlathankara, he joined St. Vincent's Minor Seminary at Trivandrum and completed his high school studies at St. Joseph's High School, Trivandrum in March, 1967.
He did his preliminary studies for priesthood for two years in the Minor Seminary at Palayam, Trivandrum. From June, 1969 to March, 1976 he studied Philosophy and Theology in St. Peter's Pontifical Seminary, Alwaye.
He was ordained Priest on 19th December, 1975 at St. Joseph's Cathedral, Palayam, Trivandrum by Rt. Rev. Dr. Peter Bernard Pereira.
After ordination, he served in several parishes of the present Neyyattinkara and Trivandrum Diocese as a zealous pastor and missionary.
In September, 1981 he was sent to Rome for higher studies and secured Licentiate Degree in Theology (STL) in September, 1983.
In September, 1985 he was again sent to Rome for higher studies and secured Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Urban University, Rome in June, 1987.
In May, 1989 he was appointed Professor of Theology in St. Joseph's Pontifical Seminary, Alwaye. Then he was appointed there Vice Rector in June, 1994 and continued in that office until his appointment as the first Bishop of the new Diocese.
The motto of Rt. Rev. Dr. Vincent Samuel is "To serve and save".
His Patron's Day is 27th September (St. Vincent De Paul).
At present he holds several positions such as Kerala Catholic Bishop's Council (KCBC) Youth Commission Chairman, Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) member Bishop, General Secretary of Kerala Region Latin Catholic Bishop's Council (KRLCBC) etc.
Under his powerful guidance and service the Diocese marches to its multifarious developments.
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