Ecclesiastical Details

Diocese of Vasai
Heirarchy of the Diocese
Rite:
 Latin
Population:
 3100 000
 
Status:
 Diocese
Catholics:
136800
 
Founded:
 22-May-98
Diocesan Priests:
 103
  Total area:
Religious Priests:
 64
 
Province:
Bombay
Religious Sisters:
 431
 
Region:
Western
Seminarians:
 12
  Patron:
St. Gonsalo Gracia
  Languages: Marathi English Hindi Konkani Kannada Tamil and Malayalam.
  Civil States: Maharashtra: Thane
Contact Diocese Office :
 Bishop's House Barampur Vasai Road Dt Thane Vasai 401 202 MAHARASHTRA
Telephone 1:
 0250-23 80 220 23 81 521 / 23 83 333
Fax:
23 83 333
 
E-Mail Office:
 vasaidiocese@gmail.com
Website:
 
Most Rev. Felix Anthony Machado, Bishops of Vasai
Name:
 Most Rev. Felix Anthony Machado
Designation:
 Bishops   Canonical Possession: 2009-
Telephone (P):
E-mail (P):
 
Other Present & Retired Ordinaries of the Diocese of Vasai
 
Pilgrim Centres in theDiocese of Vasai
 
Pilgrim PlaceWebsite
Vasai, St. Gonsalo Garcia Church
Ecclesiastical Institutions
  
Social / Charitable Institutions / Care Centres
Educational Institutions
Parishes:
45
  
Hospitals:
4
    
Degree Colleges:
8
Major Seminaries:
 
Orphanages:
6
    
Technical Training Centres:
2
Minor Seminaries:
4
  
Special Schools:
   
High Schools:
82
Monastries:
 
Crèches:
   
Lower Primary Schools:
Convents:
80
  
Counselling Centres:
1
    
Presses & Media Centres:
1
Formation Houses:
 
Social Centres:
2
    
Professional Colleges:
Retreat Centres:
3
  
Dispensaries / Clinics:
31
    
Parallel Colleges:
1
 
Physically Challenged:
   
Higher Secondary :
6
       
Boarding Houses:
5
    
Upper Primary Schools:
       
HIV / AIDS Centres:
4
    
Nurseries/Pre-Primary :
5
       
De-addiction Centres:
2
        
          Aged & Destitute: 8        
     
       
History of the Diocese of Vasai
  

The history of Vasai is as old as Christianity itself. Tradition has it that St. Bartholomeo the apostle came to Kalyan which forms part of Thane district in which is situated the Diocese of Vasai. In the 6th century Kalyan had a Bishop elected and sent from Persia. Jordenus worked as a Dominican priest for a brief period in a church at Sopara in 1321 in this diocese when he had come just as a Father before he was appointed as the first Bishop of Quilon.

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In 1534 the Portuguese moved to Vasai from Cochin and Goa. In 1536 they put up a church in Vasai Fort dedicated to Our Lady of Life. There was also a Parish church under the title of St. Joseph. This Church was known as the 'Se' or 'Seat of the Bishop.' Whenever the Bishop of Goa visited Vasai that was the church from where he officiated.

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With the arrival of the Portuguese Frs. the Franciscans Dominicans Jesuits Augustinians they started sending their Fathers to Vasai. (The Brothers of St. John of God were also among them). They erected 3 big churches in North Vasai and about 5 churches in South Vasai. There were churches built by them in Palghar and Dahanu Talukas. Today they do not exist. The Catholics of the former 8 churches are being served today by the 33 ecclesiastical units which form the major part of this diocese.

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The Church in this diocese had its ups and downs during the 18 - 20 centuries i.e. during the Maratha and the British rule but the priests that came from Goa kept up the faith when the European Fathers were driven away. The local priests coming from the East Indian Community were among the first ones to help the Goan priest in preserving the faith of the people of this area which they had received from the Portuguese from the 16th Century.

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The 113817 (One lakh thirteen thousand eight hundred seventeen) Catholic population of the diocese today gives good number of vocations. The diocese today has 33 Churches 56 Convents 4 Hospitals 3 Senior and 2 Junior Colleges 23 High Schools and 57 Primary Schools not to speak of the Orphanages Homes for the Aged Dispensaries Leprosy Homes etc.

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The new Diocese of Vasai was created on May 22 1998 by His Holiness Pope John Paul II. The good tidings of the creation of the new diocese were joyfully announced by His Eminence Cardinal Ivan Dias on Sunday June 28 1998 the eve of the feast of the Apostles Sts. Peter and Paul at the Shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Remedy in the august presence of Simon Cardinal Pimenta. The Installation ceremony of Most Reverend Bp Thomas Dabre as the First Bishop of the new Diocese took place at the new Cathedral of Our Lady of Grace Papdy on August 15 1998.
 
Prelates of the Diocese of Vasai
Bishops NamePrelate's StatusPeriodBishops NamePrelate's StatusPeriod
Bishop 1998-2009