Fr. Nirmal Raj Kambala Mariadass joins U.S. Province
Please join us in welcoming Fr. Nirmal Raj Kambala Mariadass as a member of the U.S. Province beginning Aug. 1. Fr. Nirmalraj was ordained in 2008 as a member of the C.PP.S. Indian Vicariate. He has been ministering in the Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas, since 2014. This month, he will join the community ministering at St. James the Less Church in Columbus, Ohio, as parochial vicar.
“My name is Fr. Nirmalraj, and I was born in the small village of Manampathy Kandigai in Tamil Nadu, India. I come from a large, faith-filled family of seven children — three brothers and three sisters. God has richly blessed our family with religious vocations. My older sister is a member of the Catechetical Sisters of Arockia Matha, and my younger sister is a Sister of St. Joseph of Tarbes. My own vocation to the priesthood was deeply nurtured by the faith and witness of my parents, especially my mother, who continues to be a woman of deep prayer and unwavering trust in God. This year has been a time of both gratitude and sorrow, as my beloved father passed away on January 3, 2026. Earlier in our family’s journey, we also experienced the heartbreaking loss of one of my brothers, who died in a tragic accident while preparing for the priesthood. These moments of joy and suffering have strengthened my faith and taught me to rely on God’s grace. As a priest from India, I feel blessed to share the richness of my culture, my faith, and my vocation with the people I serve. My hope is to be a faithful witness to Christ’s love and mercy, bringing hope, compassion, and the joy of the Gospel wherever God calls me.
“I came to the Diocese of Little Rock on December 23, 2014, in response to God’s call to serve His people through priestly ministry. From that day until June 29, 2026, I was blessed to serve the faithful in Arkansas, especially as Pastor of Our Lady of Good Hope in Hope, Arkansas. Ministering to both the English-speaking and Spanish-speaking communities has been one of the greatest blessings of my priesthood. The people welcomed me with warmth, kindness, and generosity, making me feel not like a visitor, but as a member of their own family. Sharing in their joys and sorrows, celebrating the sacraments, and accompanying them in their journey of faith enriched my own spiritual life and deepened my love for the universal Church. My years in the United States have been a time of tremendous pastoral, personal, and spiritual growth, and I will always cherish the friendships, memories, and faith-filled experiences that Arkansas has given me.
Welcome, Fr. Nirmalraj, and may the Lord bless you in your new assignment in ministry in Columbus!