Bishop Rt Rev Dr Franco Mulakkal, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Delhi Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Father Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar Diocese Auxiliary Bishop of Delhi Archdiocese and titular Bishop of Chullu. This was announced in Rome, on Saturday 17th January 2009. Most Rev. Franco Mulakkal, belonging to the clergy of Jalandhar Diocese, was born on 25th March, 1964, at Mattom, Trichur, Kerala. After his high school at his own native village, he joined the St. Mary’s Petit Seminary at Thope, Trichur. After completing his Philosophy and Theology at the St. Charles Inter-Diocesan Major Seminary at Nagpur, he was ordained priest for the Diocese of Jalandhar, Punjab, on 21st April, 1990, at St. Thomas Forane Church, Mattom. His Episcopal Ordination was on 21st February, 2009. He holds a B.A. from Nagpur University, M.A. in English Literature and another in Sociology from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab as well as a Doctorate in Moral Theology from Alphonsian Academy of Lateran University, Rome. He served the Diocese of Jalandhar in various capacities. Member of Staff of St. John Mary Vianney Minor Seminary, P.R.O., Secretary of the Priests’ Senate, Diocesan Coordinator of Small Christian Communities, Director of Diocesan Pastoral Centre, Parish Priest of Khanuwan (1990-1997), Financial Administrator of the Holy Trinity Regional Major Seminary, where he also was Professor of Moral Theology (2001-2007). From 2003-2006 he served as National President of Apostolic Union of Clergy. Besides being International Counsellor of the Apostolic Union of Clergy he was appointed Treasurer-cum-Animator of the Apostolic Union of Clergy (Rome), in June 2007, and Consultor of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue (2008), the posts he occupied at the time of his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Delhi Archdiocese