Pope Francis appointed Father Alex Joseph Vadakumthala, vicar general of Verapoly archdiocese, as the new bishop of Kannur diocese in Kerala on Feb. 1, 2014.
Bishop Vadakumthala was born on June 14, 1959, in Maradu in Ernakulam district in the archdiocese of Verapoly.
He joined St. Joseph's Minor Seminary in Ernakulam and completed philosophy and theology at the seminary in Pune to get ordained on Dec. 19, 1984, as priest of archdiocese of Verapoly.
He was first appointed assistant priest in the Cathedral of Verapoly in 1984 and then at St. Philomina’s Church, Koonammavu from 1985 to 1988. He obtained a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Urban University in 1992 and was an official of the pontifical council for health from 1993 to 1999 and secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) commission for health from 1999 to 2009.
From 2009-2011, he held the position of assistant to the chancellor of the archdiocese of Verapoly.
He was also the president of the canon law society of India from 2009 till 2013.
On May 01, 2023, Bishop Vadakumthala was appointed as Apostolic Administrator of Kottapuram diocese.
