H. E. Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil
Bishop Emeritus
- Date of Birth:10 April 1927
- Priestly Ordination : 23 November 1958
- Episcopal Ordination: 15 August 1973
- Enthronement: 25 March 1981
Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil was born on 10 April 1927 at Mutholapuram. After his University studies in St. Berchman’s College Changanacherry, St. Joseph’s College Trichinapolly and Loyola College Madras from where he took his M.A. in Ecconomics, he joined the St. Thomas Petit Seminary, Changanacherry. For his Major Seminary formation he was sent to St. Joseph’s Major Seminary Mangalore and then to the Collegio Urbano de Propaganda Fide, Rome. He was ordained priest on 23 November 1958 in Rome. After the ordination, he began his research work for a doctoral thesis in Philosophy, related to the Marxian thought. While doing his doctoral studies, he was appointed the Vice-Rector of the Malabar College Rome, where Rev. Fr. Placid Podipara CMI was the Rector. After taking his Ph.D. from the Pontifical Urban University Rome, in 1962 he came back to the Diocese.
He was appointed professor of Philosophy in the St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary Vadavathoor, Kottayam. While serving the seminary as its rector in 1973 he was nominated as Auxliary to H.E. Mar Sebastian Vayalil and was ordained Bishop on 15th August 1973 by His Eminence Joseph Cardinal Parekattil. Following the retirement of H.E. Mar Sebastian Vayalil he was appointed as the Bishop of Palai on 06 February 1981. On 25 March 1981, he was installed at the St. Thomas Cathedral Palai. After serving the diocese for 23 years, he handed over the charge of the eparchy to his successor Mar Joseph Kallarangatt on 02 May 2004.