Archbishop Udumala Bala Showreddy

Early Life & Education
Udumala Bala Showreddy was born on 18 June 1954 in Ghanpur (Gudur), Telangana, India. He completed his early schooling in his village, earned a Diploma in Telugu and a Bachelor of Arts from Osmania University, and studied at St. Pius X Minor Seminary and St. John’s Regional Seminary in Hyderabad.

Priestly Formation & Service
He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Warangal on 20 February 1979. He served in various parish roles—Dornakal (1979–1980), Proddutur (1980–1984), Ravi Nuthala (1984–1985), Cheruvumadaram (1985–1986)—before taking on diocesan administrative duties like Financial Administrator and Chancellor (1986–1987)

Academic & Seminary Leadership
Bala earned a Doctorate in Moral Theology from the Alphonsian Academy in Rome (1990–1994). He taught Moral Theology at St. John’s Seminary in Hyderabad from 1994–1997 and served as Rector from 1997–2006

National Church Roles
Between 2006 and 2013, he was the Deputy Secretary-General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CCBI), and later chaired its Commission for Vocations, Seminaries, Clergy, and Religious (2015–2023)

Episcopal Ministry
Appointed Bishop of Warangal by Pope Francis on 13 April 2013, he was consecrated on 23 May 2013 by Cardinal Oswald Gracias. He also served as Apostolic Administrator of Khammam from 2022 to 2024