Bishops Emeritus Profile

Born of good and pious Catholic parents, Thiru. Mariadoss and Thirumathi Ranjitham in the village of Ammapet on 6th October 1947, Rt. Rev. Devadoss Ambrose had good Catholic upbringing. Hailing from a rural agricultural community in Ammapet, a village near Thanjavur, he truly represents the population in the diocese of Thanjavur. He received his basic education at Ukkadai Appavu Thevar High School and Pre-University Course at Sri Pushpam College, Poondi located in gorgeous agricultural settings surrounded by green paddy fields and coconut trees on Thanjavur-Vailankanni Road.

At the age of seventeen he felt more deeply that God calls him for priesthood. He joined St.Mary’s Minor Seminary, Thanjavur in nineteen sixty four (1964). From nineteen sixty seven (1967) he received his priestly formation at St. Paul’s Seminary, Trichy which was then in the hands of the Jesuits. After seven long years of formation he was ordained as priest on fifth August nineteen seventy four (5th August 1974) by Rt. Rev. Bishop Arokiasamy Sundaram, the first Bishop of Thanjavur.

Soon after the ordination he was appointed as the assistant parish priest of Nagapattinam, an historical parish located on the shores of Bay of Bengal. He did his yeoman service at Nagapattinam for five good years and gained ample pastoral experience. His dedicated services to the people especially during the times of severe cyclone will be gratefully remembered even today. The call of God came to him in a more special way through the bishop that he dedicates his service for the formation of candidates to priesthood. In nineteen seventy nine (1979) he joined the staff at St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary, Bangalore, a prestigious seminary in South India started by the MEP Fathers (Missions Etrangers De Paris). He became the professor of Sacred Scripture at St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary. The Scripture department in St. Peter’s is a prestigious department having the world renowned scholars such as Fr. Lucian Legrand MEP and others in the team. It is no easy task to interpret Scripture in the modern times. But with firm will the Bishop Elect accepted this daunting task of teaching the Scripture to the best of his ability along with his illustrious co-professors. He received his higher education in Biblical Institute, Rome (1980-84) and Catholic University, Paris (1991-94). He received a Diploma in Biblical Studies at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

On eighteenth July nineteen ninety seven, the priests, religious and the laity of the Diocese of Thanjavur received the much expected news with jubilation that Rt.Rev.Msgr.M. Devadoss Ambrose will be the new bishop of Thanjavur.

He was consecrated as Bishop of Thanjavur on 24th September 1997. Through his able administration he is leading the Diocese of Thanjavur towards progress in every field.