Ecclesiastical Details

Diocese of Sindhudurg
Heirarchy of the Diocese
Rite:
 Latin
Population:
 5365709
 
Status:
 Diocese
Catholics:
21999
 
Founded:
 00:00.0
Diocesan Priests:
 26
  Total area:
179394 sq kms
Religious Priests:
 26
 
Province:
Goa & Daman
Religious Sisters:
 
Region:
Western
Seminarians:
  Patron:
Our Lady of Milagris
  Languages: Konkani Marathi English
  Civil States: Maharashtra: Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts and Kolhapur district (except the city of Kolhapur)
Contact Diocese Office :
 Bishops House Near Unchle Building Kankavli 416 602 Dt Sindhudurg MAHARASTRA
Telephone 1:
 02367-22 07 34 /
Fax:
 
E-Mail Office:
 sindhudioc@rediffmailcom
Website:
 
Most Rev Anthony Alwyn Fernandes Barreto, Bishops of Sindhudurg
Name:
 Most Rev Anthony Alwyn Fernandes Barreto
Designation:
 Bishops   Canonical Possession: 2005-
Telephone (P):
E-mail (P):
 
Other Present & Retired Ordinaries of the Diocese of Sindhudurg
 
Pilgrim Centres in theDiocese of Sindhudurg
 
Ecclesiastical Institutions
  
Social / Charitable Institutions / Care Centres
Educational Institutions
Parishes:
24
  
Hospitals:
   
Degree Colleges:
Major Seminaries:
 
Orphanages:
2
    
Technical Training Centres:
3
Minor Seminaries:
 
Special Schools:
   
High Schools:
10
Monastries:
 
Crèches:
   
Lower Primary Schools:
6
Convents:
 
Counselling Centres:
   
Presses & Media Centres:
Formation Houses:
2
  
Social Centres:
4
    
Professional Colleges:
Retreat Centres:
 
Dispensaries / Clinics:
   
Parallel Colleges:
 
Physically Challenged:
   
Higher Secondary :
1
       
Boarding Houses:
   
Upper Primary Schools:
1
       
HIV / AIDS Centres:
   
Nurseries/Pre-Primary :
4
       
De-addiction Centres:
       
          Aged & Destitute:        
     
       
History of the Diocese of Sindhudurg
  

The area of the Sindhudurg diocese is 21000 sq kms -consisting of Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts and Kolhapur district (leaving out the city of Kolhapur) -which consists of the talukas of Ajra Gadhinglaj Panhala Budhargad Kagal Radhanagri and Shahuwadi The total population of the diocese is about 5365706 with 29794 Catholics The main language of the Catholics is Konkani at home and Marathi outside


Prior to 1953 Bijapur and Dharwar were under the diocese of Poona and Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg were under the Archdiocese of Goa -In 1953 Bijapur and Dharwar were cut off and added to the Diocese of Belgaum and -Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg were included in the Diocese of Poona


Already in 1953 there was a move by Bishop Andrew D--Souza to cut off the four northern districts -- East and West of Khandesh -Nashik and Ahmednagar due to great distance from one end of the diocese to the other; difficulty in travelling by both rail and road; different cultures of the faithful difficulty in gathering priests even for retreats and monthly conferences This materialized only in 1987 when due to the initiatives of Bishop Valerian D--Souza Bishop Emeritus of Poona the new Diocese of Nashik was created with the districts of Nashik Jalgaon Dhule and Ahmednagar on June 9 -1987 with -Rev Fr Thomas Bhalerao sj as its first Bishop

As mentioned above the Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg Districts were part of the Archdiocese of Goa till 1953 after which because of political reasons these districts were attached to the Diocese of -Poona Goa today is one - hour drive by car from the nearest parish while these parishes are eight hours drive from Pune (about 400 kms)


The people in the diocese have Goan culture because they migrated from Goa 200 years ago -The customs and traditions are Goan and entirely different from those of the people of Pune and urban cities The process to create a new diocese began in March 2001


The diocese which was erected on 5th July 2005 was a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Bombay -Now since 25th November 2006 it is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Goa
 
Prelates of the Diocese of Sindhudurg