Fr John Kunnathumadappallil OCD was born on January 25, 1963 into a traditional catholic family in the state of Kerala in India. He is one of six children and has two brothers and three sisters, all married with children. He joined the Discalced Carmelite Order (OCD) at the age of 15 and was ordained a Carmelite religious priest on 4th February, 1991. He has a Masters Degree (MA) in English Language and Literature from the University of Kerala and a Post Graduate Diploma in English Language and Literature from King’s College, London. He served the Carmelite Order in Kerala as the Formator of seminarians and as Superior of various religious communities before coming to Townsville.
At the invitation of Bishop Michael Putney he arrived in the Diocese of Townsville on June 23, 2010. He lost both his parents while serving in the Diocese of Townsville. He was the parish priest of Holy Spirit Parish, Cranbrook from January 2011 till December 2013. He begins a new chapter in his pastoral ministry as the Parish Priest of Ingham Region Catholic Parish from January 2024.