Bishop Paul Perini S.J.(1923-1932)
When the Calicut diocese was erected on June 12,1923, Rt Rev. Dr Paul Perini, S.J. was appointedas the first Bishop of the diocese.Bishop PaulPerini gave importance to the development of thediocese. He invited the Congregation of the Sistersof Charity from Mangalore for works of charity andfor service to the destitute.The Congregation startedSt Vincent’s Home in Calicut on October 21, 1923.Also at the initiative of the Bishop they established orphanages forgirls and women. In 1925, with the co-operation of Bishop Perini,Br. Aloysius Spinally S.J., established St Vincent’s Industrials. To makethe diocese economically self sufficient, Bishop Paul Perini purchasedChelotte Estate and converted it into a tea and coffee plantation. DrPerini died on June 28, 1932 at Bangalore.
Bishop Leo ProserpioS.J.(1938-1945)
On November 2, 1937 Rt Rev. Dr Leo Proserpio,S.J. was appointed Bishop of Calicut. His first taskwas to learn the language of the people, and forthis purpose he went to St Joseph’s Monastery atPavaratty, remained there for three months learningMalayalam at the age of 63. He was consecrated onMarch 13, 1938 and he replied to the felicitationsin Malayalam. He appointed Fr PancratiusZanolinS.J. as Vicar General. Fr M.F. Barboza succeeded Fr Zanolin to thisoffice in 1940. Immediately after his consecration, Bishop Proserpioset to work for the expansion of the diocese. He often said thathe would leave it to his successors to organize it. He gave greatimpetus to all kinds of activities. Mission stations were startedafresh and existing ones were given resident priests and for thispur- pose he received priests from Travancore and Cochin regions.He himself visited them frequently baptizing catechu- mensand administering Confirmation personally. Syrian Catholics fromTravancore began to come to Malabar mostly at this time. He helpedthem in their spiritual needs, visiting them on foot, as there wereno roads, and during these visits he did not heed the hardshipsand fatigue. The great educationist that he was, he involved in theopening of many Elemen- tary Schools in the diocese. He alsopurchased the bungalow and land at Malaparamba and shiftedthe Bishop’s House to the present place in 1945. Bishop Proserpiodied after a short illness at St Martha’s Hospital, Bangalore, in 1945.Fr PancratiusZanolinS.J., was appointed Vicar Capitular of thediocese. With un- abated zeal he continued his predecessor’sworks. Died on Sept. 8th 1945.
Bishop Aldo Maria PatroniS.J.(1948-1980)
Rt Rev. Dr Aldo Maria PatroniS.J, the third Bishopof Calicut was appointed on March 28, 1948 andconsecrated on June 27, 1948. He had beenthe Superior Regular of the Mission before hisnomination and so, knew the people and the placevery well. Immediately after his consecration hebegan to organize the diocese. The period of 32years of his Episcopate is considered as the goldenera of the diocese. Bishop Patroni has contributeda lot to Malabar in the areas of education, culture and social service.He was always in the forefront to assimi- late the new perspectivesin the Church and to put them into practice. He attended the II VaticanCouncil. Bishop Patroni took the initiative to translate 18 Liturgicalbooks into Malayalam for the use of 11 Latin dioceses. It was HisLordship who arranged for the financial assistance to publish thecomplete Bible in Malayalam headed by B.L.M. His service to theSyrian immigrants in Malabar is never to be forgotten. Bishop Patroniappointed Fr C.K. Mattam as the Episcopal Vicar of the immigrants.In 1952 when Fr Joseph EdamaramS.J. was appointed the VicarGeneral of the diocese he was given the special charge of the Syrianimmigrants. When the number of the immigrants reached about alakh, Bishop Patroni requested to the Holy See for a separate diocesefor the Syro-Malabar Christians in Malabar and he discussed thematter with Cardinal Tisserant when he visited Calicut. Thus BishopPatroni prepared the way for the erection of a separate Ecclesiasticalunit for the Catholics who had migrated into the territory of theCalicut diocese. This was finally done when the new diocese ofTellicherry was erected on December 31, 1953. In the same yearBishop Patroni handed over 30 parish Churches along with theChapels, Lower Primary, Upper Primary and High Schools of thoseparishes, to the diocese of Tellicherry. After serving the diocese for32 long years, Bishop Patroni resigned from office in 1980. Then hemoved to Nirmala Bhavan, Marikunnu. During those days his mainwork was translating liturgical books into Malayalam. On his 85thbirthday on September 22,1988 Bishop Patroni left this world toreceive his eternal reward.
Bishop Maxwell Valentine Noronha(1980-2002)
The Jesuits, who had been in charge of thediocese from the time of its erection in 1923,handed over theadministration of the diocese tothe hands of the indigenous clergy in 1980. OnSeptember 7, 1980, Rt Rev. Dr Maxwell Noronhawas consecrated by Bishop PatroniS.J as the firstnative Bishop and as the fourth Bishop of thediocese. He was keen on the participation of thelaity in all the spheres of the ministry in the diocese. Commissionsand Boards were set up to help in the apostolic mission. Biblical,Catechetical and Liturgical Commissions were started in the diocese.The organization of the the Family Apostolate, Social ServiceCentre and Basic Christian Communities are worth mentioning. Thecelebration of Bible Convention on the day of the anniversary ofthe Episcopal Consecration of the Bishop was the first of its kind inChurch in India. In 2002 Bishop Maxwell retired from office after 22years of dedicated service in the diocese. He now spends his retiredlife at Marikkunnu, Calicut.
Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil (2002 – 2011)
Rt Rev. Dr Maxwell Noronha, Who retired from theDiocesan Bishop of Calicut , handed over the dioceseto Rt Rev. Dr Joseph Kalathiparambil in 2002. OnApril 4, 2002, Rt Rev. Dr Joseph Kalathipaambil wasnominated Bishop of Calicut and on May 05, 2002He was ordained by Archbishop Most Rev Dr DanielAcharuparambil. Bishop Joseph Kalathirparambiltook it as an urgent mission to renovate manychurches in the diocese and to built a few new churches. He alsorenoveted and build parochial houses and inistitutions. Building of ourMinor Semi- nary in Marikunnu and renovation of the Cahtedral weresome of the major projects he undertook. Bishop Kalathirparambilshard work paid off the financial liabilites of the Diocese. He wasan excellent Administrator. As a good Pastor he under took pastoralvisists of various parishes in the diocese and directly talked to thepeople. He summonned a Diocesan Synod but before concluding it,he was ap- pointed the secretary to the Pontifical Council for Migrantsand Itinerant Peoples, Rome by the Holy See. After nine fruitful years ofAdmiistration of the diocese he left for Rome on May 02, 2011.On March 5, he was also appointed as a Member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. On 30th October 2016, Bishop Dr. Joseph Kalathiparambil was nominated as the new Archbishop Designate of Verapoly and his Installation ceremony was taken place on 18th of December 2016 at Vallarpadam Basilica.