# St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Forane Catholic Church (Philadelphia, PA)

The St. Thomas SyroMalabar Forane Catholic Church, Philadelphia is a Syro-Malabar Catholic Parish located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is one of the 9 Forane Churches for the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Chicago.

## History

When the United States passed, the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. Many Indians moved from Kerala, India to the city of Philadelphia. In 1977, Around 100 families in the Philadelphia area established The Indian Catholic Association that celebrated Syro Malabar rite Qurbana or Mass to the people of Philadelphia.
In 1983, after consultation with the Syro Malabar Synod, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia established the Indian Catholic Mission to serve the Syro Malabar Community.
In 2001, Pope John Paul II established the Syro Malabar Eparchy of Chicago to serve Syro Malabar Catholics all over the United States with Rev Fr. Jacob Angadiath of Dallas selected as its first Eparch which then the Indian Catholic Mission then belonged to. Mar Jacob selected Rev. Fr. Jacob Christy Parambukattil to serve as the first mission director of the newly Syro Malabar Eparchy of Chicago led Mission.
On January 19, 2005, The Mission led by Fr. Jacob Christy bought a Synagogue facility from Temple Beth Torah. The Church was dedicated on January 31 of that year but after renovations was it officially became a Parish of the Syro Malabar Church Eparchy on March 19, 2005, for St. Joseph's Feast.

## Forane Church

In April 2014, Mar Jacob Angadiath announced that the Philadelphia Parish would be elevated to a Forane Church, one of the 9 due to the eparchy's geographical vastness and for better co-ordination.
There are 9 Syro Malabar Churches and Missions under the St. Thomas, Philadelphia Forane.
| No. | Church/Mission Name | City |
| 1 | St. Jude Syro Malabar Church | Hammonton, New Jersey |
| 2 | Syro Malabar Mission (Delaware) | New Castle, Delaware |
| 3 | St. Alphonsa Syro Malabar Church | Baltimore, Maryland |
| 4 | Our Lady of Perpetual Help Syro Malabar Church | Washington, D.C. |
| 5 | St. Jude Syro Malabar Church | Chantilly, Virginia |
| 6 | St. Alphonsa Syro Malabar Church | Richmond, Virginia |
| 7 | St. Joseph Syro Malabar Mission | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |
| 8 | St. Mary Syro Malabar Mission | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| 9 | St. Sebastian Syro Malabar Mission | Exton, Pennsylvania |

## Vicars

The Church's Forane Vicar is currently held by Rev. Dr. George Danavelil. Fr. Danavelil was ordained on December 30, 1998, and served as the Secretary for the Syro Malabar Church Commission for Catechesis at Mount St. Thomas. He then went on to serve as Vicar in Churches in Ottawa, Charlotte, and San Francisco before being appointed by Jacob Angadiath as The Diocesan Director of Catechesis and then as Chancellor. He was appointed as Vicar of the Philadelphia Church in November 2023.
| No. | Name | Years | Post After |
| 1 | Rev. Fr. Jacob Christy Parambukattil | March 2005 – January 2009 | St. Joseph's, Houston |
| 2 | Rev. Fr. John Melepuram | January 2009 – January 2013 | South Jersey Mission |
| 3 | Rev. Dr. Augustine Palackaparambil | January 2013 – September 2014 | Vicar General,Chicago |
| 4 | Rev. Fr. Johnykutty George Puleessery | September 2014 – April 2017 | Chancellor,Chicago |
| 5 | Rev. Fr. Vinod Madathiparambil | April 2017 – June 2021 | St. Alphonsa's, Atlanta |
| 6 | Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Kumbakeel | June 2021 – October 2023 | Health Issues |
| 7 | Rev. Dr. George Danavelil | November 2023 – ongoing | Incumbent |