The Holy Father has appointed Fr. Thomas Thennatt, S.A.C., as bishop of Gwalior (area 33,500, population 6,500,000, Catholics 4,900, priests 33, religious 79), India. The bishop-elect was born in 1953 in Koodalloor, India, gave his solemn vows in 1975 and was ordained a priest in 1978. He belongs to the group of Syro-Malabar faithful known as Canaanites. He studied theology in the seminary of Poona and has served in a number of pastoral roles, including parish chaplain; parish priest; director of the Commission for Youth and the Young Catholic Student/Young Students’ Movement, family and laity in the archdiocese of Hyderabad; rector of the Khrist Premalaya Theologate in Ashta; director of the Regional Commission of Formation; and consulter for his congregation for the Province of Nagpur. He is currently parish priest in Mankapur, in the archdiocese of Nagpur, member of the Commission for Christian Life, and president of the Pastoral Commission of the Province. He succeeds Bishop Joseph Kaithathara, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese was accepted by the Holy Father.