WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Pope Francis has appointed the rector of the Syro-Malabar cathedral in Bellwood, Illinois, to be an auxiliary bishop for the Chicago-based Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of St. Thomas.

Father Joy Alappat, 58, has been rector of the diocese's Mar Thoma Sleeha Cathedral in suburban Chicago since 2011.

His appointment was announced in Washington July 24 by Msgr. Angelo Accattino, charge d'affaires at the apostolic nunciature to the United States.

The diocese, established in 2001, is headed by Bishop Jacob Angadiath. It covers all of the U.S. and Canada and includes about 87,000 Catholics.

Bishop-designate Alappat was born Sept. 27, 1956, in Parappukara, India, in the Diocese of Irinjalakuda, which is in the state of Kerala. He attended St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary in Vadavathoor and was ordained a priest Dec. 31, 1981.

After ordination, he continued his master's level studies at St. Joseph's Pontifical Institute in Aluva and Adheva University in Wattair.

Bishop-designate Alappat served in pastoral assignments in Chalakudy, Mala and at the diocese's cathedral. He also was chaplain of the Syro-Malabar community in Chennai before being transferred to the United States in 1993.

From 1999 to 2002, while chaplain at Georgetown University Medical Center, he completed the clinical pastoral education program. He also has held pastoral assignments in New Milford, Connecticut, and in Newark and Garfield, New Jersey.

The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is one of two Eastern Catholic churches that have their origins in India. The other is the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.

Last December, the Chicago-based Diocese of St. Thomas unveiled a bilingual app for its members, with text in both English and Malayalam, one of India's official languages. Features include a map of churches in the diocese and a year's worth of daily readings from the Syro-Malabar liturgy, called the Qurbana.