Birth . May 29, 1927, Parur, archieparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars, India. Son of Thresiamma and Justice Joseph Vithayathil. Education . Joined the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists); professed, August 2, 1947; Redemptorist houses of study, India (philosophy and theology); Pontifical University "S. Tommaso d'Aquino" (Angelicum Athenaeum), Rome (doctorate in canon law; thesis: Origin and development of the Syro-Malabar hierarchy); University of Karnataka, Karnataka (master's in philosophy). Priesthood . Ordained, June 12, 1954, by Thomas Pothacamury, archbishop of Bangalore. Further studies, Rome, 1955-1959. Professor of canon law and other subjects for almost 25 years at the Redemptorist Major Seminary of Bangalore. Further studies, Karnakata, 1971-1972. Provincial superior of his congregation in India and Sri Lanka, 1978-1984. National president of the Conference of Religious in India, 1984-1985. Apostolic adminis...