Fr. Jacob Chollampel is the first Syro-Malabar priest officially appointed by a Latin diocese to serve the Kerala Catholics. With the permission of the Archbishop of Chicago the Bishop of Kottayam Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry sent Fr. Jacob Chollampel to Chicago. He reached Chicago and started the Kerala Catholic Ministry for Kerala Catholics under the Latin diocese on October 28, 1983.
When the Archbishop of Chicago Joseph Cardinal Bernadine approved and inaugurated the Syro-Malabar Ministry in Chicago on August 25, 1985, Fr. Jacob Chollampel’s ministry became Knanaya Catholic Ministry. He returned to Kottayam diocese in September 1985. Fr. Cyriac Manthuruthil was his successor for the Knanaya Catholic Ministry after a gap of almost three years. Local Syro-Malabar priests served the Knanaya Ministry during the interim period.
Fr. Jacob Chollampel passed away on February 26, 2023 at Thellakom, Kottayam.
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