Our Vicars
Rev. Naveen Mathew Thomas is the Youth Chaplain of the East Canada Region appointed through the Canadian Mar Thoma Regional Committee, under the Mar Thoma Diocese of North America & Europe. Rev. Naveen is the first resident Vicar of the Mar Thoma Church Ottawa. Achen will be residing in Ottawa, Ontario while serving as the Vicar of the Mar Thoma Church Montreal and Mar Thoma Congregation in Halifax.
Rev. Naveen Mathew Thomas hails from Elanthoor, Pathanamthitta, Kerala and his parents are settled in Tiruvalla, Kerala where they now belong to the Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church, Kuttapuzha.
He has had his post-graduation in History from the M. G. University and afterwards completed his Theological education at Mar Thoma Theological Seminary, Kottayam, Kerala. Rev. Naveen Mathew Thomas was ordained as a Deacon in 2017 and as a Priest of the Mar Thoma Church in 2018.
He has served as the Assistant Vicar at Mallappally St. Andrew’s Mar Thoma Church and as Vicar at Anakkara St. Paul’s Mar Thoma Church and Chakkupallam Immanuel Mar Thoma Church.
Bini Rachel George is his wife and hails from Tiruvalla, Kerala and is a graduate in Technology.
They are blessed with a son, Punarudh George Thomas.
Rev. Sunil Chacko also served as a Member of North West India Zonal Council (NCCI, Northern Region), Council Member in Ranni Nilackal Diocese, a member Mar Thoma Ecological Commission and Secretary of Ranni Nilackal Diocese(Short Term) in Kerala.
Rev. Sunil Chacko’s wife is Lisa Elizabeth Mathew who is from Kottayam, Kerala and belongs to Managanam St. Peters Mar Thoma Church. They have two boy- Josh J Sunil and Steeve M Sunil.
Rev. Sunil Chacko is the Vicar of The Mar Thoma Church Ottawa from July 2021. Ottawa parish appreciates the tremendous efforts that Achen is making to meet the Pastoral needs of the members of the Parish.
Rev. Moncy Varghese, Vicar from May 2017 till June 2021, who was ordained as a priest in the Mar Thoma Church in 2006, and hails from Kuzhikala, Kozhenchery, Kerala. Achen’s home parish is Mar Thoma Church, Kuzhikala. Just prior to his posting as Vicar of our parish, Achen completed his Master’s in Theology (MTh) at the Mar Thoma Theological Seminary in Kottayam.
Before starting on his MTh studies in Kottayam, Achen served as Vicar of the Allahabad Mar Thoma Church, Arohanam Mar Thoma Church in Kannoor, and St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church, Kaithakuzhy, Kollam. Achen also served a term at the Snehatheeram HIV/AIDS Project of the Mar Thoma Church in Manjalummoodu, Marthandam.
Achen’s wife is Lovely Moncy. Kochamma hails from Ranni, and her home parish is Immanuel Mar Thoma Church, Keekozhoor, Ranni. They have one daughter, Nivedhya Elsa Moncy. Achen was transferred back to India after his tenure here, and has assumed the duties as Assistant Director, Christian Agency for Rural Development in Thiruvalla, Kerala.
Rev. Mathew Baby was the Vicar from May 2014 till April 2017, and hails from Mavelikara in Kerala, India. Achen (Rev) was ordained as a Priest on June 25th 2001. Achen obtained his Bachelor of Divinity (BD) degree from Lutheran Theological College in Chennai, after which he also obtained his Master of Theology (MTh) in History of Christianity from FFRC in Kottayam, Kerala. Achen served as Vicar of the Mar Thoma parishes in Jamshedpur, Durgapur and Asansol, after which he was Vicar of the Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church in Hebbal, Bangalore. Achen also served as the Secretary to Rt. Rev. Dr. Geevarghese Mar Theodosius Episcopa for three years and then served as the Diocesan Secretary of the Chennai – Bangalore Diocese. Achen was also Secretary to Rt. Rev. Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos Episcopa. Before being posted as Vicar of our parish, he was the Vicar of St. Paul & St. Andrews Mar Thoma Churches in Mavelikara, Kerala.
Achen’s wife Merlin Kochamma hails from Chathannoor, Kollam in Kerala. Kochamma is a graduate in Microbiology, and she holds a post-graduate degree in Social Work. She served as a Faculty Member at the Madras School of Social Work in Chennai. They have two children, Daniel and Hannah. Achen was transferred back to India after a three-year tenure, and has assumed the duties as Superintendent of the Kottarakara Jubilee Mandiram in Kottarakara, Kerala from 1st May 2017.
Rev. Varghese K Abraham was the Vicar of the parish from May 2011 till April 2014. Achen hails from Kadampanad near Adoor, Kerala and his home parish is Ebenezer Mar Thoma Church, Thuvayoor. Achen completed his Bachelor of Divinity (BD) degree and Theological education from the Mar Thoma Theological Seminary in Kottayam. Achen was consecrated as a priest of the Mar Thoma Church in 2001, and has held the position of Chaplain to the Metropolitan in Poolatheen, Tiruvalla. Prior to this position, he has served the following parishes — St. George Mar Thoma Church, Fort Kochi; Valakom Mar Thoma Church; Mamala Jerusalem; Kolencherry St. Thomas MTC; Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church, Elamkulam; Kallumkal St. Paul’s MTC; Thirumoolapuram Bethany MTC; St. Thomas MTC, Mundiapally; St. John’s MTC, Anjilithanam; and St. Stephens MTC, Mukkajiram. It was during Achen’s tenure in March 2014 that the Toronto church parsonage was built and dedicated in March 2014.
Achen’s wife Asha Kochamma hails from Kottayam, and they have two sons – Abel Abraham Varghese and Aiden John Varghese.
Rev. Manoj M. Zacharia served the Parish as the vicar while pursuing his studies in Toronto.
The late Rev. Mathew Thomas served Ottawa Parish as the Vicar for a short period. Achen was the son of Mr. & Mrs. M. Thomas, Kooppil House, Punnala, Pathanapuram, born on 5th Nov 1966. Achen obtained his B.Sc. degree from Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam, M.Sc. from Calicut University, and Bachelor of Divinity (BD) from Serampore University in Calcutta where he was the first-rank holder, and received the Senate prize from the University when he completed his B.D. program. Achen obtained his Master’s in Theology from the University of Toronto where he was also a Junior Fellow in the Faculty of Divinity at Trinity College, while in charge of the parish here. After this he pursued his theological studies starting on a Doctorate program for PhD.
Achen joined the ordained ministry of the Mar Thoma Church in 1993. After that, he served the Mar Thoma Church in various capacities including Vicar in the parishes of Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kattodu Bethel, and Thumpamon Bethel. He taught at the Episcopal Jubilee Institute of Evangelism for four years, where he was also the institute warden for two years.
After his tenure in Canada, Achen was transferred back to India where he served parishes in Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune. Tragically, on 19th April 2013 in Pune at age 46, Achen succumbed to a serious head injury he suffered in a road accident a few days before that, and was called to eternal glory.
Achen is survived by his two children and wife Maya Rachel Mathew, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Varghese, Edavaparampil House, Anjilithanam, Thiruvalla. She has obtained a B.Ed. degree and also has a Master’s Degree in Social Work. She served World Vision of India as a Programme Officer before coming to Canada, and now continues to work for World Vision in Toronto, Canada where she resides with her children — daughter Christeena Elizabeth Mathew and son Edwin Mathew Thomas.
Rev. George Jacob who is currently our Metropolitan, His Grace The Most Rev. Dr. Theodosius Mar Thoma served as the first Vicar of the Mar Thoma Church Ottawa after the Ottawa congregation was exalted to the status of a Parish