THE RT REV. JOS THARAKAN | XIV BISHOP OF IDAHO
Bishop Jos Tharakan was born and raised in a traditional and devout Roman Catholic Eastern Rite home in Kerala, India. His parents and four siblings grew up in a poor but religiously rich and diverse place, among Hindus and Muslims.
After completing High School, at 15, he joined the Religious Order of Friars Minor Capuchins, First Order Franciscans. He was ordained on December 30th in, 1994 and served in the North Indian Missions of the Capuchins. While in Delhi, he served as priest and chaplain to the Missionaries of Charity of St. Mother Theresa and was blessed to know and work with her. Besides being the Assistant Director of the Media House Publication Center, he was an itinerant preacher, music composer, spiritual director, Theology Professor, and interim High School Principal for St. Paul’s and Holy Angels in Uttar Pradesh, India.
At the invitation of Bishop Andrew J McDonald, +Jos came to the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock and served in the diocese until the day of Pentecost in 2001. Then he moved into Chester, AR, a small town of 98 people. He lived a simple life there and worked on a cow farm, caring for 900 cows. After completing eight units of Clinical Pastoral Education in San Antonio and Pine Bluff from 2001 to 2003, he returned to Chester and started a successful business – USLinx – providing internet access to poor and rural communities. In 2006, Bishop Jos was received into the Episcopal Church and served Christ Church, a small mission in Mena, and All Saints in Russellville, AR.
During these years, he presented popular teleconferences on Pastoral Care and Complementary Healing through the University of Texas and taught the same in hospitals and the CASA Retreat Center in Scottsdale, AZ. In 2004, he received a certificate of recognition for his innovative Healing Ministry presentation for Chaplains at the International Conference of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains in Kansas City, MO. His workshops were also approved for Continuing Education Credits for Chaplains and healthcare workers. His CAMPaM Network was officially approved through the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education.
In 2015, he founded the House Of Blessings Foundation, a non-profit renewal center for clergy and laity to grow spiritually. Being technology-savvy, Bishop Jos designed several websites and church apps, including the one for the Diocese of Idaho. Bishop Jos is also a nationally commissioned Centering Prayer Facilitator through Contemplative Outreach and a member of Spiritual Directors International. Before he was elected bishop of our diocese, he served as rector of St. James Episcopal Church, Springfield, MO. He is currently serving as the Bishop Visitor for the Anglican Dominican Order of Preachers
Bishop Jos is married to Kimby, a preschool teacher and a children’s minister. They have six children and four grandchildren. They also have a dog named Mia and a cat named Bunny FuFu. Bishop is a published author with books and music on Amazon. You can download his music on iTunes, Spotify, and other distribution sites.
After completing High School, at 15, he joined the Religious Order of Friars Minor Capuchins, First Order Franciscans. He was ordained on December 30th in, 1994 and served in the North Indian Missions of the Capuchins. While in Delhi, he served as priest and chaplain to the Missionaries of Charity of St. Mother Theresa and was blessed to know and work with her. Besides being the Assistant Director of the Media House Publication Center, he was an itinerant preacher, music composer, spiritual director, Theology Professor, and interim High School Principal for St. Paul’s and Holy Angels in Uttar Pradesh, India.
At the invitation of Bishop Andrew J McDonald, +Jos came to the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock and served in the diocese until the day of Pentecost in 2001. Then he moved into Chester, AR, a small town of 98 people. He lived a simple life there and worked on a cow farm, caring for 900 cows. After completing eight units of Clinical Pastoral Education in San Antonio and Pine Bluff from 2001 to 2003, he returned to Chester and started a successful business – USLinx – providing internet access to poor and rural communities. In 2006, Bishop Jos was received into the Episcopal Church and served Christ Church, a small mission in Mena, and All Saints in Russellville, AR.
During these years, he presented popular teleconferences on Pastoral Care and Complementary Healing through the University of Texas and taught the same in hospitals and the CASA Retreat Center in Scottsdale, AZ. In 2004, he received a certificate of recognition for his innovative Healing Ministry presentation for Chaplains at the International Conference of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains in Kansas City, MO. His workshops were also approved for Continuing Education Credits for Chaplains and healthcare workers. His CAMPaM Network was officially approved through the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education.
In 2015, he founded the House Of Blessings Foundation, a non-profit renewal center for clergy and laity to grow spiritually. Being technology-savvy, Bishop Jos designed several websites and church apps, including the one for the Diocese of Idaho. Bishop Jos is also a nationally commissioned Centering Prayer Facilitator through Contemplative Outreach and a member of Spiritual Directors International. Before he was elected bishop of our diocese, he served as rector of St. James Episcopal Church, Springfield, MO. He is currently serving as the Bishop Visitor for the Anglican Dominican Order of Preachers
Bishop Jos is married to Kimby, a preschool teacher and a children’s minister. They have six children and four grandchildren. They also have a dog named Mia and a cat named Bunny FuFu. Bishop is a published author with books and music on Amazon. You can download his music on iTunes, Spotify, and other distribution sites.
The Rt. Rev. Brian Thom | XIII Bishop of Idaho
Brian J. Thom is the thirteenth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho. (2008-2022)
The Rt. Rev. Harry Brown Bainbridge III | XII Bishop of Idaho
Harry Brown Bainbridge III (July 25, 1939 – May 27, 2010) was an American bishop. He was the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho from 1998 to 2008.
The Rt. Rev. John S. Thornton | XI Bishop of Idaho
John Stuart Thornton (born in 1932) was bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho, serving from 1990 to 1998. He was consecrated on September 1, 1990.
The Rt. Rev. David Bell Birney IV | X Bishop of Idaho
David Bell Birney IV (November 26, 1929 – February 13, 2004) was twelfth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho.
The Rt. Rev. Hanford L. King Jr. | IX Bishop of Idaho
Hanford Langdon King Jr. (September 18, 1921 – October 11, 1986) was bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho from 1972 to 1982.
The Rt. Rev. Norman Landon Foote | VIII Bishop of Idaho
Norman Landon Foote (November 30, 1915 – May 12, 1974) was the tenth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho from 1957 to 1972.
The Rt. Rev. Frank A. Rhea | VII Bishop of Idaho
Frank Archibald Rhea (September 26, 1887 – October 31, 1963) was bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho, serving from 1942 to 1968.
The Rt. Rev. Frederick B. Bartlett | VI Bishop of Idaho
Frederick Bethune Bartlett (August 23, 1882 – December 15, 1941) was an American prelate who served as the eighth Bishop of Idaho from 1935 till 1941.
The Rt. Rev. Middleton S. Barnwell | V Bishop of Idaho
Middleton Stuart Barnwell (September 9, 1882 – May 6, 1957) was the seventh Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho and the fifth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia. Barnwell was the 349th bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. He was also the first president of what is now Boise State University.[1]
The Rt. Rev. Frederick D. Reese | IV Bishop of Idaho
Frederick Douglas Reese (November 28, 1929 – April 5, 2018) was an American civil rights activist, educator and minister from Selma, Alabama. Known as a member of Selma's "Courageous Eight",[1] Reese was the president of the Dallas County Voters League (DCVL) when it invited the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Martin Luther King Jr. to Selma to amplify the city's local voting rights campaign.[2] This campaign eventually gave birth to the Selma to Montgomery marches, which later led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act.