George Koovakad
George Jacob Koovakad (born 11 August 1973) is an Indian priest of the Catholic Church who since 2020 has worked in the offices of the Holy See's Secretariat of State where he has been responsible for organizing Pope Francis' overseas trips. From 2006 to 2020, he fulfilled assignments in several countries while working in the diplomatic service of the Holy See.
Pope Francis has announced that he plans to make Koovakad a cardinal on 8 December 2024.
Biography
[edit]George Koovakad was born in Chethipuzha, an urban district in the municipality of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, on 11 August 1973.[1][2]
He earned a bacherlor's degree in 2002 and a licentiate in 2004,[3] studying at St Thomas Minor Seminary, Kurichy, and St Joseph Pontifical Seminary, Aluva.[4] He was ordained a priest of the Syro-Malabar Archeparchy of Changanacherry on 24 July 2004 by Archbishop Joseph Powathil.[2] He served for a time as assistant vicar of St Mary's Church, Parel, Changanacherry.[4]
Moving to Rome, he obtained a doctorate in canon law in 2006 from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross with a thesis on "The Obligation of Poverty for Secular Clerics in the Codes of Canon Law".[3]
After completing the preparatory program at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, he joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 2006. He worked in the nunciature in Algeria and then served as secretary of the nunciaturea in South Korea from 2009 to 2012 and in Iran from 2012 to 2014 and as counsellor of the nunciatures in Costa Rica from 2014 to 2018 and in Venezuela from 2018 to 2020.[1][5] On 1 October 2014 he was given the title Chaplain of His Holiness,[6] and on 13 December 2019 that of Prelate of Honor of His Holiness.[7]
In July 2020 he joined the staff of the Secretariat of State[a] and since 2021 has organized several papal trips, including visits to Canada, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan, as well as a lengthy trip to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore.[5]
In 2024 he visited India to lead Holy Week services at his family's home parish, Lourde Matha Parish at Mammoodu in Changanacherry.[4]
On 6 October 2024, Pope Francis announced he intends to make Koovakad a cardinal on 8 December.[9] He will likely be given a new assignment more suitable to his rank, possibly succeeding as Archbishop of Bombay.[10]
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Kerala priest Monsignor George Koovakad elevated to Cardinal, oversees Pope Francis' global travels". Indian Express. 7 October 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ a b "CBCI congratulates Monsignor George Jacob Koovakad on his appointment as Cardinal". Asian News International. 7 October 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Alumnus George Koovakad (PhD in Canon Law, 2006) is among the new Cardinals announced by Pope Francis". Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. 7 October 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ a b c Kavi, Jose (6 October 2024). "Indian Priest Among 21 New Cardinal-Elects". Matters India. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ a b Tornielli, Andrea (7 October 2024). "Cardinal-elect Koovakad is first serving organizer of papal visits to be created Cardinal". Vatican News. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis, v. CVII (2015), p. 231
- ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis, v. CXII (2020), p. 114
- ^ "Viaggio Apostolico di Sua Santità Francesco a Budapest..." (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ "Annuncio di Concistoro l'8 dicembre per la creazione di nuovi Cardinali, 06.10.2024" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 6 October 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
- ^ White, Christopher (8 October 2024). "What Francis' newest cardinal picks mean for the next pope". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 8 October 2024.