Education
He did his education in Saint Joseph"s High School, Punnathura and Saint Berchmans" College, Changanassery. He completed his seminary studies at Saint Thomas Petit Seminary, Changanassery and Saint Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor, Kottayam.
On 18 December 1974 he was ordained priest by Archbishop March Joseph Powathil, then auxiliary Bishop of Changanacherry. After his ministry as assistant parish priest for a few years he was appointed in 1979 as Director of Sandesanilayam, the Catechetical Centre of the Archdiocese and Chaplain of Catholic Workers" Movement of the Archdiocese.
In the Catechetical field, he introduced many training programmes, including Catechetical Leaders" Training (CLT), which is being continued to this day by Sandesanilayam.
In 1983 he was sent for higher studies, at Gregorian University Rome where he took doctorate in Church History.
Back from Rome, in 1989 he was appointed professor of Saint Thomas Apostolic Seminary Vadavathoor and Missionary Orientation Centre, Manganam, Kottayam and vicar of Saint Sebastian"s Church, Kodinattumkunnu. During this period he was instrumental in starting Marthoma Vidyanikethan at Changanacherry, the higher institute of religious sciences for the laity at the initiative and active support of Archbishop March Joseph Powathil.
This institute is a unique venture affiliated to Paurastya Vidyapitam, Vadavthoor, conferring Postgraduate degree recognized by the Congregation for Catholic, Rome and Joseph Perumthottam has been at its helm for the last one decade.
Simultaneously he has been vicar of March Sleeba Church, Ponga. He was nominated auxiliary bishop on 24 April 2002 and was consecrated by Archbishop March Joseph Powathil at Saint Mary"s Metropolitan Church, Changanacherry, on 20 May 2002, the 116th anniversary of the Archdiocese.
Bishop Perumthottam was appointed Archbishop of Changanassery on 22 January 2007 and he assumed charge on 19 March 2007.