Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Mississauga

The Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Mississauga is an ecclesiastical territory or eparchy of the Catholic Church for all Syro-Malabar Catholics in Canada. Its episcopal seat is the St. Alphonsa Cathedral in the episcopal see of Mississauga. The Eparchy is not part of any ecclesiastical province, but is immediately subject to the Holy See and depends on the Dicastery for the Oriental Churches. The Eparchy of Mississauga was first erected as an Apostolic Exarchate by Pope Francis in 2015, and was elevated to the rank of Eparchy in 2018.The first eparch of the Eparchy of Mississauga is Mar Jose Kalluvelil, appointed as its bishop at its creation in 2015.

Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Mississauga
St. Alphonsa Cathedral - Mississauga
Location
Country	Canada
Headquarters	Mississauga
Coordinates	43°35′51″N 79°44′32″W
Statistics
Population	(as of 2020) 50,000[1]
Parishes	Churches and missions: 72
Information
Sui iuris church	Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
Rite	Syro-Malabar rite
Established	August 6, 2015 (2015-08-06)
Cathedral	St. Alphonsa Cathedral
Patron saint	St. Thomas the Apostle
Secular priests	24
Current leadership
Major Archbishop	Mar Raphael Thattil
Bishop	Jose Kalluvelil
Website
syromalabarcanada.com

The eparchy comprises 72 parishes, which include both churches and missions, with churches or missions in all the provinces of Canada, and one territory.^[2]

History

The immigration of Syro-Malabars to Canada began in the 1960s. As the immigrant population grew, there began a need for pastoral care. The faithful then began to bring Syro-Malabar priests into Canada. The faithful attended Qurbana in various places such as churches, cafeterias, orgymnasiums.

From 2001-2014, the Canadian Syro-Malabar faithful had been pastorally served by the neighbouring, US-based Syro-Malabar Diocese of Saint Thomas the Apostle of Chicago, in whose bishop, since its creation in 2001, was vested the office of Apostolic Visitor in Canada of the Syro-Malabars.

With the growing immigrant population, the Eparchy grew significantly since its elevation in 2018.

Cathedral

The Cathedral for the Syro Malabars in Canada is the St Alphonsa Cathedral of Mississauga. The Cathedral was purchased in the 2010s; the Syro Malabars had previously been using a cafeteria as their gathering place. The first Church purchased was St Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Church Scarborough, the second-largest Syro Malabar Church in Canada. All of the parishes and Missions have significant and growing populations.