Ecclesiastical Details - Catholics India

Diocese of Bongaigaon

Rite:

Latin

Population:

5300000

Status:

Diocese

Catholics:

62908

Founded:

10-May-00

Diocesan Priests:

Total area:

31496.5 sq. km.

Religious Priests:

Province:

Guwahati

Religious Sisters:

186

Region:

North Eastern

Seminarians:

Patron:

Christ the Light of the World

Languages:

Assamese Bodo Rabha Santhali Garo Oraon?Mundari Khadia Hindi and English.

Civil States:

Bongaigaon Barpeta Dhubri Kokrajhar and Nalbari.

Contact Diocese Office :

Bishop's House Post No. 10 Bongaigaon 783 380 ASSAM

Telephone 1:

03664-24 16 50 / 03664-24 21 84

Fax:

24 21 84

E-Mail Office:

bpbongai1@sancharnet.in

Website:

bongaigaondiocese.org

Most Rev. Thomas Pulloppillil, Bishops of Bongaigaon

Name:

Most Rev. Thomas Pulloppillil

Designation:

Bishops

Canonical Possession:

2000-

Telephone (P):

E-mail (P):

Other Present & Retired Ordinaries of the Diocese of Bongaigaon

Pilgrim Centres in theDiocese of Bongaigaon

Ecclesiastical Institutions

Social / Charitable Institutions / Care Centres

Educational Institutions

Parishes:

Hospitals:

Degree Colleges:

Major Seminaries:

Orphanages:

Technical Training Centres:

Minor Seminaries:

Special Schools:

High Schools:

Monastries:

Crèches:

Lower Primary Schools:

Convents:

Counselling Centres:

Presses & Media Centres:

Formation Houses:

Social Centres:

Professional Colleges:

Retreat Centres:

Dispensaries / Clinics:

Parallel Colleges:

Physically Challenged:

Higher Secondary :

Boarding Houses:

Upper Primary Schools:

HIV / AIDS Centres:

Nurseries/Pre-Primary :

De-addiction Centres:

Aged & Destitute:

History of the Diocese of Bongaigaon

Christianity in the new diocese can be traced back to the Augustinian Fathers from Dhaka. Rangamati Dhubri district had a very vibrant Christian community in the 16th century. In the last century the Salvatorian priests and later the Salesians while traveling through the Brahmaputra had stayed at Dhubri.

However the first to take up residence at Dhubri were the Salesian Fathers Archimede Piannazzi and L. Rocca who were appointed to work among Garos. In 1932 they took up residence at Dhubri and used it as a base for their apostolate in the Garo Hills as Catholics were denied permission to work in that area. In 1936 Barpeta Road Mission was established. The whole area of the present diocese and more was covered by this parish. The present progress can be attributed to Bishops Orestes Marengo Joseph Mittathany Robert Kerketta and to Fr Remo Morra sdb. Under the leadership of Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil the area had a further growth which led to the creation of the Bongaigaon diocese. Fr Joseph Zubizzaretta sdb's name will be always remembered among the most outstanding missionaries of the area.

The Diocese of Bongaigaon is carved out of the Archdiocese of Guwahati consisting of Nalbari Barpeta Bongaigaon Kokrajhar and Dhubri Districts of lower Assam that covers the surface area of 13630 sq km. with an over all population of 5.2 million of which 61024 (1.2%) are catholics. There are 22 parishes 19 Diocesan Priests 20 Religious Priests 7 Brothers and 114 Women religious. Catholic population is mainly tribals with the Bodos forming the single largest group. Santhals Adivasis Garos and Rabhas are the other major groups. General population comprises of Koch and Koch Rajbanshies the Assamese and Bengalis. Dhubri and Barpeta districts have Muslim majority.

Prelates of the Diocese of Bongaigaon