First Mumbai-born Priest Ordained for the Eparchy of St Ephrem – Khadki – Pune

Mulund, Mumbai – 26 April 2025
In a moment of quiet thanksgiving and ecclesial joy, Dn. Jerry Joseph, a beloved son of the Holy Family Malankara Syrian Catholic Church, Vikhroli, was ordained to the sacred priesthood on 26 April 2025 at St. Pius X Church, Mulund.

The ordination was conferred by His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Mathews Mor Pachomios, Eparch of St Ephrem – Khadki – Pune, amidst a deeply prayerful assembly of clergy, religious, and laity from Mumbai, Pune, Gurgaon, Kerala, and beyond.

This ordination holds special significance as Fr. Jerry Joseph becomes the first priest born and brought up in Mumbai to be ordained for the Eparchy of St Ephrem – Khadki – Pune, a sign of the steady flowering of vocations among the Syro-Malankara Catholic faithful in Western India.

The day bore the added weight of sacred mourning as the Universal Church bade farewell to His Holiness Pope Francis. Reflecting this solemnity, no celebratory festivities were held. Special prayers for the repose of the Holy Father were offered during the liturgy, and a poignant moment of silence was observed, uniting the gathering in the larger grief of the Church.

The generosity and gracious hospitality extended by Fr. George Athaide, Parish Priest of St. Pius X Church, shone brightly. The church premises were made available from morning till afternoon to accommodate the ordination and the prayerful gatherings that followed, a gesture of Christian fraternity that touched every heart.

Priests and religious sisters from Syro-Malankara communities across Mumbai, Pune, Gurgaon, and Kerala joined the faithful for the ordination liturgy. His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Thomas Mor Anthonios OIC, Bishop of the Gurgaon Eparchy, concelebrated the Holy Qurbono alongside the newly ordained priest, marking the unity and strength of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.

The following day, 27 April 2025, Fr. Jerry Joseph offered his First Holy Qurbono at his home parish, the Holy Family Malankara Syrian Catholic Church, Vikhroli, where the faithful, with hearts full of gratitude, witnessed the fulfilment of long-cherished prayers.

The ordination of Fr. Jerry Joseph stands as a radiant milestone for the Eparchy of St Ephrem – Khadki – Pune, a testimony to the silent, steadfast working of God’s grace amidst the faithful in the cities of India.

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.” (John 15:16)