Ecclesiastical Details

Diocese of Dharmapuri
Heirarchy of the Diocese
Rite:
Latin
Population:
2,999,731
 
Status:
Diocese
Catholics:
45801
 
Founded:
24-Jan-97
Diocesan Priests:
72
  Total area:
9.50000 Sq.km
Religious Priests:
92
 
Province:
Pondicherry-Cuddalore
Religious Sisters:
 
Region:
Tamil Nadu
Seminarians:
  Patron:
Sacred Heart of Jesus
  Languages: Tamil English Telugu and Kannada
  Civil States: Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri
Contact Diocese Office :
Bishop's House Nethaji By Pass Road Dharmapuri P.O. - 636 701. TAMIL NADU.
Telephone 1:
04342-26 44 03 / 04342-26 22 00
Fax:
26 22 00
 
E-Mail Office:
dharmapuridiocese@gmail.com
Website:
 
Most Rev. Lawrence Pius Dorairaj, Bishops of Dharmapuri
Name:
Most Rev. Lawrence Pius Dorairaj
Designation:
Bishops   Canonical Possession: 2012-
Telephone (P):
E-mail (P):
 
Other Present & Retired Ordinaries of the Diocese of Dharmapuri
 
Pilgrim Centres in theDiocese of Dharmapuri
 
Ecclesiastical Institutions
 
Social / Charitable Institutions / Care Centres
Educational Institutions
Parishes:
34
 
Hospitals:
5
   
Degree Colleges:
3
Major Seminaries:
 
Orphanages:
8
   
Technical Training Centres:
1
Minor Seminaries:
 
Special Schools:
   
High Schools:
14
Monastries:
 
Crèches:
   
Lower Primary Schools:
15
Convents:
 
Counselling Centres:
   
Presses & Media Centres:
Formation Houses:
2
 
Social Centres:
   
Professional Colleges:
Retreat Centres:
3
 
Dispensaries / Clinics:
11
   
Parallel Colleges:
 
Physically Challenged:
   
Higher Secondary :
12
       
Boarding Houses:
   
Upper Primary Schools:
3
       
HIV / AIDS Centres:
   
Nurseries/Pre-Primary :
2
       
De-addiction Centres:
3
       
          Aged & Destitute:        
     
       
History of the Diocese of Dharmapuri
 
The History of the new Dharmapuri diocese is closely connected with that of Salem from where the diocese was bifurcated in 1997. In the year 1623 Christianity came into existence in the Diocese of Salem through the famous Jesuit Fr Robert De Nobili his successors and later on through the Portugese Jesuits of Madurai Missions. In 1654 the Italian Jesuits of Mysore had their residence at Dharmapuri and began to preach the Gospel in the region as far as Tirupattur in North Arcot district. In 1674 St. John De Britto visited Dharmapuri on his way to Kolei. He stayed at Dharmapuri with his Confreres being accompanied by Fr Antony Ribero. In 1687 the Mysore Church work began to spread and preach the Gospel in the present districts of Salem and Dharmapuri. Inspite of the Pombal decree suppressing the Jesuits they carried on working under the jurisdiction of Cranganore. In 1711 Fr De. Cunha a Father was killed by the local people as he was on his horse back towards the Church work place near Hosur.

In 1776 the Holy Father handed the Madurai Missions and the Malabar Missions to the care of the M.E.P. Fathers. In 1785 Msgr Chapenois mep. Superior of Malabar Mission was given the responsibility by Rome to look after the entire Mysore Mission of which the old Diocese of Salem formed a part. In 1794 he was the first Bishop to visit the Diocese of Salem and left there Abbe Dubois mep who tried to bring up the Church work. This region continued to depend on Coramandal Missions and later on the Apostolic Vicariate of Pondicherry which became an Archdiocese in 1886. This set up continued till 1930 except for Hosur Taluk which had been entrusted from 1861 to the care of the Mysore Missions. On August 3 1930 the Diocese of Salem was erected.

Because of the vastness of the Diocese of Salem the district of Dharmapuri was separated and declared a diocese by the Holy Father Pope John Paul II on January 24 1997. Msgr Joseph Antony Irudayaraj sdb a Salesian was appointed as its First Bishop. This diocese is the 15th diocese of the Tamil Nadu region.
 
Prelates of the Diocese of Dharmapuri
Bishops NamePrelate's StatusPeriodBishops NamePrelate's StatusPeriod
Bishops 1997-2012