Bishop of Tuticorin
Stephen Antony Pillai was born on June 22, 1952, in Keezha Manakudy, in the Diocese of Kottar. He pursued philosophy studies at Santhome Minor Seminary in Chennai and Arul Anandar College in Madurai, and theology at St. Paul’s Seminary in Tiruchirapalli; he obtained a Master’s degree in Theology from St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary in Bangalore and a Doctorate in Biblical Theology from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome. Following his priestly ordination for the Diocese of Vellore on May 7, 1979, he held the following positions: Parochial Vicar at the Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine in Chetpet (1979–1980); Parochial Vicar at Sacred Heart Church in Polur (1980–1981); studies for a Master’s degree in Theology at St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary in Bangalore (1981–1983); Parish Priest of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Thachambadi (1983–1986); doctoral studies in Biblical Theology in Rome (1986–1989); missionary in Guadeloupe, France (1990–1996); Director of the Catholic Pastoral Centre in Vellore (1996–1999); Professor at St. Paul’s Seminary in Tiruchirapalli (1999–2001); Parish Priest of Vellore Cathedral (2001–2002); Vicar General and Parish Priest of the Cathedral (2002–2005); Vice-Rector and lecturer at St. Paul’s Seminary in Tiruchirapalli (2006–2010); Parish Priest of the Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine in Chetpet, Vicar Forane, and member of the Episcopal Council of the Diocese of Vellore (2010–2016); and visiting lecturer at Don Bosco Major Seminary in Chennai and Pallottine Major Seminary in Mysore (2016–2017). Since 2017, he has served as Director of the Diocesan Retreat Centre and as a visiting lecturer at St. Paul’s Seminary in Tiruchirapalli.