Bishop Mar Jose Porunnedom was born at Vettimattam in the district of Iddukki on March13, 1956. He had his seminary studies at St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary Tellichery, St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Aluva and at the Pontifical Urbanian University, Rome. He was ordained priest on December 22, 1982 in his parish at Malom, in the Archdiocese of Tellichery. After ordination he served as assistant parish priest at Kottiyoor, as Vicar at Santhigiri, Secretary to Bishop Jacob Thoomkuzhy, and Chancellor of the Diocese. Meanwhile serving as secretary and Chancellor he served the parishes of Puthusserikadav and Thrissillery. In 1986 he was sent to Rome where he obtained a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Oriental Institute. After his return from Rome in 1991, he took charge of the offices of the Chancellor of the diocese and of the Eparchial Judge. In 1992 when the Syro-Malabar Church was raised to the status of a Major Archiepiscopal Church, Archbishop Abraham Kattumana, the special delegate of the Pope, appointed him as the Chancellor of the Major Archiepiscopal Curia of the Syro-Malabar Church. Major Archbishop Antony Cardinal Padiara and Varkay Cardinal Vithayathil extended his office of the Chancellor till he was appointed the third biship of the eparchy of Manathavady on March 19, 2004. He was consecrated Bishop and took charge of the eparchy of Manathavady on May 15, 2004, His Motto is “Not to be served but to serve”.