Ecclesiastical Details

Diocese of Ajmer
Heirarchy of the Diocese
Rite:
Latin
Population:
33108165
 
Status:
Diocese
Catholics:
17108
 
Founded:
00:00.0
Diocesan Priests:
45
  Total area:
286742 sqkms
Religious Priests:
18
 
Province:
Agra
Religious Sisters:
478
 
Region:
Agra
Seminarians:
  Patron:
Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception
  Languages: Hindi English Marwari and?Bhili
  Civil States: Rajasthan: Ajmer Jodhpur Kota Barmer Bundi Jalore Jhalawar Pali Sirohi Tonk Jaisalmer and Baran
Contact Diocese Office :
Bishop's House POKaiserganj Ajmer - 305 001 RAJASTHAN
Telephone 1:
0145-24 60 074 / 0145-24 60 074
Fax:
24 60 074
 
E-Mail Office:
bishop@datainfosysnet
Website:
 
Most Rev Pius Thomas DSouza, Bishops of Ajmer
Name:
Most Rev Pius Thomas DSouza
Designation:
Bishops   Canonical Possession: 2012-
Telephone (P):
E-mail (P):
 
Other Present & Retired Ordinaries of the Diocese of Ajmer
 
Bishops NameDesignationPeriod
Retired 1978-2012
Pilgrim Centres in theDiocese of Ajmer
 
Ecclesiastical Institutions
 
Social / Charitable Institutions / Care Centres
Educational Institutions
Parishes:
38
 
Hospitals:
19
   
Degree Colleges:
1
Major Seminaries:
 
Orphanages:
2
   
Technical Training Centres:
8
Minor Seminaries:
 
Special Schools:
   
High Schools:
11
Monastries:
7
 
Crèches:
   
Lower Primary Schools:
5
Convents:
14
 
Counselling Centres:
   
Presses & Media Centres:
1
Formation Houses:
4
 
Social Centres:
6
   
Professional Colleges:
Retreat Centres:
 
Dispensaries / Clinics:
9
   
Parallel Colleges:
 
Physically Challenged:
   
Higher Secondary :
26
       
Boarding Houses:
   
Upper Primary Schools:
6
       
HIV / AIDS Centres:
   
Nurseries/Pre-Primary :
       
De-addiction Centres:
       
          Aged & Destitute: 4        
     
       
History of the Diocese of Ajmer
 
The diocese of Ajmer comprises of twelve districts namely Ajmer Jodhpur Kota Barmer Bundi Jalore Jhalwar Pali Sirohi Tonk Jaisalmer and Baran in the State of Rajasthan


In July 1890 the Holy See detached a very large portion of the Archdiocese of Agra to make a new unit the Rajasthan Mission entrusting it to the Capuchin Fathers of the Paris Province who were to work under the supervision of the Archbishop

In March 1892 the new mission became the Prefecture Apostolic of Rajputana and in 1913 the then Prefect Rt Rev Fortunatus Henry Caumont ofm cap was appointed the first Bishop of Ajmer On March 11 1935 parts of the Dioceses which were in the present state of Madhya Pradesh were detached to become part of the newly erected Prefecture Apostolic of Indore

The Diocese was handed over to the Diocesan clergy on May 9 1949 By the decree of the Holy See dated June 21 1951 Bandikui with its sub-station Alwar was transferred for geographical and administrative reasons from Agra Archdiocese to Ajmer Diocese However the Agra Archdiocese retained the jurisdiction over the districts of Bharatpur and Dholpur

By another decree of the Holy See dated May 13 1955 the name of the diocese was changed to Ajmer-Jaipur By decree of the Sacred Congregation for Evangelisation of People (Protno1332/81 dated March 11th 1981) the civil district of Mandasaur was transferred from the jurisdiction of the diocese of Ajmer-Jaipur to that of the Diocese of Indore

On December 29 1984 the Holy Father Pope John Paul II with a decree divided the Diocese of Ajmer-Jaipur forming a new diocese named the Catholic Diocese of Udaipur consisting of the districts of Bhilwara Chittaurgarh Udaipur Dungarpur Banswara and Thandla tehsil The Holy Father through the same decree appointed Rt Rev Joseph Pathalil as it's first Bishop

Through a mutual agreement between the diocesan bishop and the Superior General of the Little Flower Congregation Cochin dated April 25 1986 the districts of Sri Ganganagar Hanumangarh Churu Bikaner Jaisalmer Jhunjhunu Karoli and Sikar were entrusted to the Little Flower Congregation to carry out the work of Evangelisation pastoral ministry and development on a permanent basis

On July 20 2005 the Holy Father Benedict XVI with a decree bifurcated the Diocese of Ajmer-Jaipur forming a new Diocese - The Catholic Diocese of Jaipur consisting of the District of Jaipur Alwar Bikaner Churu Dausa Sikar and Sri Ganganagar and appointed Most Rev Oswald Lewis as the bishop of the New Diocese while the name of the mother Diocese was changed to the Diocese of Ajmer



 
Prelates of the Diocese of Ajmer
Bishops NamePrelate's StatusPeriodBishops NamePrelate's StatusPeriod
Bishop 1949 - 1979 Bishop 1939-1946
Bishop 1931 - 1938 Bishop 1913 - 1930