Bishop John "Joy" Alappat

Bishop John "Joy" Alappat, Bishop of Saint Thomas the Apostle of Chicago (Syro-Malabar), Illinois, USA, was born in Parappukara, in the Eparchy of Irinjalakuda, Kerala, on 27 September 1956. After priestly formation at Saint Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor, he was ordained a priest on 31 December 1981. He obtained a master's degree in theology at Saint Joseph's Pontifical Institute, Aluva, and at Adheva University, Wattair. At Georgetown University, he completed the Clinical Pastoral Education Program. In addition to Malayalam and English, he knows Hindi and Tamil. In India, he carried out pastoral ministry in Chalakudy, Mala, in the eparchial cathedral, and as chaplain of the Syro-Malabar community in Chennai. Having moved to the United States in 1993, he was chaplain at Georgetown University, pastor in New Milford, Connecticut, Newark and Garfield, New Jersey, and, from 2011, rector of the eparchial cathedral in Bellwood, Illinois.