Ecclesiastical Details

Diocese of Faridabad
Heirarchy of the Diocese
Rite:
Syro-Malabar
Population:
88435887
 
Status:
Diocese
Catholics:
33032
 
Founded:
00:00.0
Diocesan Priests:
45
  Total area:
Syro-Malankara
Religious Priests:
45
 
Province:
Delhi
Religious Sisters:
202
 
Region:
North Eastern
Seminarians:
  Patron:
StThomas
  Languages: Hindi English & Malayalam
  Civil States: NCR Haryana Punjab Himachal Pradesh Jammu-Kashmir as well as the Districts of Gautambuddhanagar and Ghaziabad that belong to the State of Uttar Pradesh
Contact Diocese Office :
Bishop's House Diocese of Faridabad 8A / 13 WEA Karolbagh New Delhi-110005
Telephone 1:
011-25759160 25812346 /
Fax:
 
E-Mail Office:
faridabaddiocese@gmailcom
Website:
 
Most Rev Kuriakose Bharanikulangara, Bishops of Faridabad
Name:
Most Rev Kuriakose Bharanikulangara
Designation:
Bishops   Canonical Possession: 2012-
Telephone (P):
E-mail (P):
 
Other Present & Retired Ordinaries of the Diocese of Faridabad
 
Bishops NameDesignationPeriod
Aux.Bishop 2019-
Pilgrim Centres in theDiocese of Faridabad
 
Ecclesiastical Institutions
 
Social / Charitable Institutions / Care Centres
Educational Institutions
Parishes:
31
 
Hospitals:
2
   
Degree Colleges:
Major Seminaries:
 
Orphanages:
4
   
Technical Training Centres:
3
Minor Seminaries:
 
Special Schools:
   
High Schools:
Monastries:
7
 
Crèches:
   
Lower Primary Schools:
Convents:
48
 
Counselling Centres:
   
Presses & Media Centres:
Formation Houses:
 
Social Centres:
3
   
Professional Colleges:
Retreat Centres:
 
Dispensaries / Clinics:
   
Parallel Colleges:
 
Physically Challenged:
   
Higher Secondary :
3
       
Boarding Houses:
   
Upper Primary Schools:
       
HIV / AIDS Centres:
   
Nurseries/Pre-Primary :
10
       
De-addiction Centres:
       
          Aged & Destitute: 5        
     
       
History of the Diocese of Faridabad
 

The Diocese of Faridabad in the form of -Delhi Syro-Malabar Mission- has its 34 years long history It begins with the official visit by late Mar Antony Cardinal Padiyara to the Syro Malabar Catholics in Faridabad in 1978 the first Apostolic Visitator to study the status of Syro-Malabar Catholics

In the Year 1986 Santhome Bhavan was established in Sector 23 Faridabad and Fr Sebastian Kizhakkeyil MST first Syro Malabar Catholic priest from Kerala began to stay at Faridabad with the specific intention to organize Catholics from Kerala in the Industrial city of India In 1987 he was followed by Fr James Mandapathikunnel MST and later in 1994 he was replaced by Fr Jose Oliakattil

In 1988 St Thomas Catholics Welfare Association was formed in Faridabad to take up the cause of Syro-Malabar Catholics in the National Capital Region The Association sent appeals and requests to the Archbishop of Delhi Kerala Catholic Bishops- Conference and the Holy See

In 1990 Santhome Bhavan in Sec 23 was shifted to House No 889 Sector 19 It was blessed by late Archbishop Alan De Lastic and was declared a Mass Centre of Delhi Archdiocese

The Syro-Malabar Bishops-- Conference has entrusted the Delhi Mission to the Archdiocese of Ernakulam Pastoral care of the Syro-Malabar faithful in the Archdiocese of Delhi was formally begun in the year 1991 when Rev Dr Sebastian Vadakumpadan was designated by the Syro-Malabar Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of the Syro-Malabar Catholics outside Kerala and was appointed Chaplain of the Syro-Malabar Catholics in the Archdiocese of Delhi by His Grace Archbishop Alan de Lastic on June 01 1991

There were 3 Syro-Malabar Religious Congregations for Men having their own houses in Delhi that time ie CST at Mayur Vihar CMI at Harinagar and VC at New Krishna Park

A priest belonging to the MST congregation was staying in a house at Faridabad owned by the Syro-Malabar Bishop-s Conference

The SD Sisters had their convent at Jeevodaya Hospital at Ashok Vihar and an extension programme at Jahangirpuri

There were occasional Syro-Malabar mass at the Sacred Heart Cathedral St Thomas Church at RK Puram Punjabi Bagh at the three religious houses mentioned above and at the residence of MST priest at Faridabad

Fr Vadakumpadan began celebrating mass at the Sacred Heart Cathedral Delhi from 1991 onwards

In consultation with the parish priests and with due permission from the Archbishop Fr Sebastian began organizing holy masses in Syro-Malabar rite in different centres


The Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly was generous enough to supply with sufficient number of priests each time as per need The religious congregations also contributed their share in providing their personnel time and money to support the mission in Delhi So far there have been around 40 priests and 250 nuns served and serving in the mission in different periods and in different capacity from 1991

While there were only two religious houses for women in the beginning now there are 51 houses for the Syro-Malabar women religious

Pastoral committees have been organized in all the Mass Centres to see to the smooth functioning of the activities in each Centre

In order to have a uniform Syro-Malabar pastoral care in the whole Archdiocese a Syro-Malabar Central Committee was formed with three members each from all Mass Centres representatives from religious congregations and priests engaged in pastoral care

With the aim of Gospel witnessing Fr Vadakumpadan initiated humanitarian activities for the poor and needy in Delhi Under the leadership of the priests and nuns the community began undertaking various activities such as working men-s and women-s hostels nurseries dispensaries educational institutions and homes for the disabled street children and orphans The institutions for the disabled at Sanjopuram Chandpur is unique in its kind under the banner of St Joseph-s Service Society

The Archdiocesan Synod held in October 2002 was a turning point for the pastoral care of Orientals in the archdiocese Consequently the archdiocese was generous enough to establish 6 personal parishes - Faridabad Mayurvihar-Trilokpuri Palam-Janakpuri-Dwarka Pushpvihar-Hauz Khas Sanjoepuram and Vikaspuri-Harinagar - for the Syro-Malabar faithful in the archdiocese in 2003

Rev Fr George Manimala was appointed by His Grace as the Episcopal Vicar of the Archdiocese of Delhi to facilitate the administration of the Oriental Churches within the territory of the Archdiocese

Rev Dr Sebastian Vadakumpadan the first chaplain of Delhi Syro-Malabar Mission went back to Kerala after 13 years of pastoral service in Delhi in November 2004 as the director of Little Flower Hospital in Angamali Rev Fr Jose Edassery was appointed in place of Rev Fr Sebastian Vadakumpadan as the Chaplain and coordinator of the Delhi Syro-Malabar Mission on December 02 2004

On June 15 2005 His Grace Archbishop Vincent Concessao established 8 other personal parishes - Alaknanda Ashokvihar-Rohini Dilshad Garden Dwarka Gurgaon-Kanhai Harinagar Okhla and RK Puram - for the Syro-Malabar Catholics in the Archdiocese

Sacred Heart Syro-Malabar Personal Parish in Gurgaon was created in 23rd July 2006

On August 1st 2007 eight more personal parishes were established -- Karol Bagh Geetha Colony Tagore Garden Radio Colony Burari Lado Sarai Rohini Sector III Sagarpur

On 2008 April 27th new church in Dwarka was consecrarted by His Eminence Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil

In 2008 December two Mass Centers at Ayanagar and Shahbad in Rohini were created

On May 1st 2010 new church in Aya Nagar was blessed by Mar Sebastian Adayanthrath Auxilliary Bishop of Ernakulam

On September 25th 2011 New Church in Faridabad along with Presbytery was consecrated by His Beatitude Mar George Alencherry

Now there are 23 personal parishes and 14 Mass Centres in Delhi Syro-Malabar Mission

Diocese of Faridabad was erected by the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI for the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church Members (Syrian Catholics) of Delhi Haryana Punjab Himachal Pradesh Jammu & Kashmir and districts of Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida) of Uttar Pradesh on 6th March 2012 The new diocese has 950 lakh sq km of area

The Episcopal Ordination was on May 26 2012 at Delhi and Head of the Syro-Malabar Church - Mar George Cardinal Alencherry -was the main celebrant of the ceremony - -Papal Representatives Oswald Cardinal Gracias (CBCI President) -Vatican Nuncio Archbishop -Salvatore Pennacchio Telesphore Cardinal Toppo (President of CCBI) - -Vincent M Concessao Archbishops and Bishops from different Rites Central and States Ministers and - -socio-political religious leaders

On May 27th Sunday Archbishop Kuriakose Bharanikulangara -celebrated Holy Mass at Diocesan Cathedral Kristuraja Church Faridabad Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry -attended and thereafter there was Installation ceremony

 
Prelates of the Diocese of Faridabad