Keralite Priest Fr. Boya Johny Nominated as Chaplain to the Holy Father

BURKINA FASO, May 21, 2025 — Fr Boya Johny, a priest from the Diocese of Alleppey in Kerala, has been nominated as Chaplain to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, a recognition conferred by the Vatican through its diplomatic service. The appointment, which grants Fr Johny the honorary title of Monsignor, was communicated to him on the morning of May 21 by his bishop, Rev. James Anaparambil.

Speaking to Catholic Connect from his office in Burkina Faso, where he currently serves as Chargé d’Affaires a.i. at the Apostolic Nunciature, Monsignor Johny expressed both humility and gratitude upon receiving the news of his nomination. “This is not something that one earns through effort; it is a pure grace of God,” he said. “I am deeply grateful to God, to the Holy Father, and to my bishop for this honour.”

Though the title may imply a relocation, Monsignor Johny clarified that the designation “Chaplain to His Holiness” is an ecclesiastical honour rather than a new assignment. “I will continue to serve in Burkina Faso until I receive a formal transfer,” he said. The title entitles him to be addressed as Monsignor and to wear the distinctive fascia, but his current pastoral and diplomatic responsibilities remain unchanged.

Ordained a priest on September 18, 2014, Monsignor Johny has been in diplomatic service since January 2021. He has spent the past four years in Burkina Faso working as a secretary to the Apostolic Nunciature in Burkina Faso and in Niger. For the past seven months, he has led the mission in an interim capacity following the transfer of the former nuncio, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty, to Nigeria in July 2024.

Addressing the faithful of the Diocese of Alleppey, Monsignor Johny extended heartfelt thanks. “I am especially grateful to Bishop James Anaparambil for his magnanimity in offering me, a priest from his diocese, for the service of the Holy See. Through this, our small diocese in Kerala continues to serve the universal Church,” he said. “I carry with me the prayers and support of every priest, religious, and layperson of Alleppey.”

By Catholic Connect Reporter