Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Sri Lankan Bishop Joseph Rayappu of Mannar and has appointed retired Bishop Joseph Kingsley Swampillai of Trincopmalee as the diocese’s apostolic administrator.
“The Holy Father has accepted the resignation presented by Msgr. Joseph Rayappu, from the pastoral care of the Diocese of Mannar, in Sri Lanka, in accordance with canon 401 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law and has appointed Msgr. Joseph Kingsley Swampillai retired bishop of Trincopmalee, as Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Mannar,” the Vatican Radio reported.
Bishop Swampillai was born Dec. 9, 1936, and ordained a priest on Dec. 20, 1961. On March 17, 1983 he was appointed Bishop of the Trincomalee-Batticaloa Diocese. He was appointed bishop of Trincomalee on July 3, 2012, when the new diocese of Batticaloa was formed.
He retired from Trincomalee on June 3 last year at the age of 78 after serving as a bishop for 32 years.
The Diocese of Mannar was erected in 1981 and covers an area of 3,998 sq. kilometers. It has 34 parishes.
-Agencies
