Rev. Lourdu Anandam, 65, assumes office as the new Bishop of Sivaganga Diocese here on Sunday.
The Bishop elect, who was the clergy of the Archdiocese of Madurai, was appointed by His Holiness Pope Francis and the ceremony was organised at the St Justin’s Higher Secondary School Campus in Sivaganga.
The ceremony was held in the presence of Rev. Leopoldo Girelli, Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal. The Archbishop of Madurai Rev. Antony Pappusamy was the principal consecrator and Bishop of Thoothukudi Rev. A. Stephen and Bishop Emeritus of Sivaganga Rev. J. Susaimanickam and Archbishop of Madras Mylapore Rev. George Antonysamy participated.
Soon after the formal ceremony, Rev Francis Kalist, Archbishop of Pondicherry-Cuddalore, Rev. V. Devasahayam Emeritus Bishop, CSI Madras Diocese, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi president Jawahirullah, TN State Minorities Commission chairman S. Peter Alphonse and Tiruchi MLA S. Inigo Irudayaraj and others offered felicitation.
Following the felicitation and worship, a mass was conducted on the special occasion.
Bishop Dr. Lourdu Anandam, who was parish priest of the Holy Rosary was born on August 15, 1958. After studying philosophy at Arul Anandar College in Madurai and Theology at St. Paul’s Seminary in Tiruchi, he obtained a doctorate in systematic theology from the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (Germany). He was ordained a priest on 6 April 1986 for the Archdiocese of Madurai.
He had held positions including secretary to the Archbishop of Madurai (1986-89); parish priest of Sacred Heart, Kodaikanal (95-99); Professor of Theology at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Chennai (1999-04); Editor-in-Chief of the Catholic weekly Nam Vazhvu – A Tamil Catholic Weekly in Chennai (2004-2011); Rector of St. Peter’s Seminary in Madurai (2011-2014) and among others.
From 2014, until now he has been parish priest of the Holy Rosary, Vicar Forane of the Madurai South Vicariate, Director of the Pastoral Centre and Coordinator of the Archdiocesan Commissions.
