Ecclesiastical Details

Diocese of Belthangady
Heirarchy of the Diocese
Rite:
Syro-Malabar
Population:
3177352
 
Status:
Diocese
Catholics:
30000
 
Founded:
00:00.0
Diocesan Priests:
34
  Total area:
12543 sqKms
Religious Priests:
7
 
Province:
Tellicherry
Religious Sisters:
191
 
Region:
Karnataka
Seminarians:
23
  Patron:
St Thomas Apostle
  Languages: Kannada Tulu Konkani Malayalam Coorgi English
  Civil States: Karnataka: Dakshina Kannada Udupi Kodagu
Contact Diocese Office :
Bishop's House Court Road Udayanagar P B - 13Belthangady Post - 574 214 KARNATAKA
Telephone 1:
08256-233056 / 23 30 56
Fax:
23 30 56
 
E-Mail Office:
frjosephvf@gmailcom
Website:
 
Most Rev Lawrence Mukkuzhy, Bishops of Belthangady
Name:
Most Rev Lawrence Mukkuzhy
Designation:
Bishops   Canonical Possession: 1999-
Telephone (P):
E-mail (P):
 
Other Present & Retired Ordinaries of the Diocese of Belthangady
 
Pilgrim Centres in theDiocese of Belthangady
 
Ecclesiastical Institutions
 
Social / Charitable Institutions / Care Centres
Educational Institutions
Parishes:
52
 
Hospitals:
2
   
Degree Colleges:
1
Major Seminaries:
 
Orphanages:
2
   
Technical Training Centres:
Minor Seminaries:
1
 
Special Schools:
1
   
High Schools:
10
Monastries:
6
 
Crèches:
   
Lower Primary Schools:
11
Convents:
36
 
Counselling Centres:
   
Presses & Media Centres:
2
Formation Houses:
 
Social Centres:
   
Professional Colleges:
Retreat Centres:
 
Dispensaries / Clinics:
6
   
Parallel Colleges:
 
Physically Challenged:
   
Higher Secondary :
1
       
Boarding Houses:
7
   
Upper Primary Schools:
11
       
HIV / AIDS Centres:
1
   
Nurseries/Pre-Primary :
12
       
De-addiction Centres:
       
          Aged & Destitute: 2        
     
       
History of the Diocese of Belthangady
 

The Diocese of Belthangady was erected by the Papal Bull ƒ--CUM -AMPLAƒ- dated 24 th -April 1999 of His Holiness Pope John Paul II as a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Thalasserry This diocese has been established for the Syro-Malabar Catholics of the three civil districts of Karnataka State viz Kodagu Dakshina Kannada and Udupi -It took more than 50 years for the Syro-Malabar Catholics living in this area to become a Diocese It has a prehistory-

In the middle of the 20 th -century there were lot of migrations from Southern Kerala to Northern Kerala to the southern parts of Karnataka and South Western parts of Tamil Nadu -The migration of Syro-Malabar Catholics to various parts of Karnataka mainly Dakshina Kannada Kodagu Chickmagalur Shimoga districts took place in 1950s -The migration to these areas were encouraged by the availability of agriculture land and the encouragement from the then Madras Government -

The spiritual needs of these Syrian Catholics were -met by the Latin Dioceses of Mangalore Mysore -Chickmagaluru -


The Diocese of Tellicherry was erected by the Bull ƒ--Ad Christi Ecclesiam Regendaamƒ-- on 31st -December 1953 by His -Holiness Pope Pius XII of happy memory as a suffrogan of the Archdiocese of -Ernakulam for the Catholics of - Syro-Malabar Church migrated to Malabar from Travacore and Cochin states Mar Sebastian Vallopilly became the first Bishop of the Diocese-

As the Catholics of -of the Syro-Malabar community -migrated even to the states of Karnataka and Tamilnadu the boundaries of Tellicherry -Diocese were extended to the present Latin Dioceses of Mangalore Chickmagalur Mysore Shimoga and Ootacamund on April 29 1955


In order to overcome the hindrances of language the CMI Fathers came with helping hands and later priests from the Diocese of Tellicherry The cultural difference especially the language difference was a problem for the priests from Tellicherry for the fruitful pastoral activities here So the development of the parishes in Karnataka remained far behind comparing to the parishes in Kerala-

In March 1 1973 the Diocese of Mananthavady was formed by bifurcating the Diocese of Tellicherry

-

The territory of the new Diocese was extended to the districts of Shimoga Chickmagaluru Hassan Mandya Chamarajanagara and Mysore in Karnataka The districts of Dakshina Kannada (including present Udupi District) -and Kodagu remained under the Diocese of Tellicherry -

As Dakshina Kannada (including present Udupi District) is in Karnataka State with a different language and culture it was difficult to cater to the spiritual needs of the faithful directly from Thalassery Hence it was declared a Mission Province of the Archdiocese of Thalasserry on the 11 th November 1979 by Mar Sebastian Vallopilly and appointed Very Rev Fr KM Peter as the Episcopal Vicar of the Mission Very Rev Fr Peter Koottiany was the Episcopal Vicar of DKMission till May 16 1997 During the 18 years of his able and dedicated leadership the D K Mission grew to become a Diocese later-

- -

Very Rev Fr Lawrence Mukkuzhy succeeded Very Rev Fr KM Peter as the Second Episcopal Vicar on the same day The Mission grew up and finally in April 24 1999 the Diocese of Belthangady was erected by the Papal Bull ƒ--CUM AMPLAƒ- of His Holiness Pope John Paul II as a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Thalasserry and Msgr Lawrence Mukkuzhy was appointed as the first Bishop of the Diocese This Diocese has been established for the Syro-Malabar Catholics of the three civil districts of Karnataka State viz Kodagu Dakshina Kannada and Udupi The diocese was inaugurated on 4th -August 1999


 
Prelates of the Diocese of Belthangady