Roman Catholic Diocese of Poona

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Poona is a diocese located in the city of Pune in the ecclesiastical province of Archdiocese of Mumbai in India.

Diocese of Poona

Dioecesis Poonensis
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Poona
Location
CountryIndia
MetropolitanBombay
Statistics
Area49,687 km2 (19,184 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2005)
24,305,883
64,234 (0.3%)
Information
RiteLatin Rite
CathedralSt. Patrick’s Cathedral
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopJohn Rodrigues
Metropolitan ArchbishopOswald Gracias
Website
Website of the Diocese

The Poona Diocese consists of the civil districts of Pune, Satara, Solapur, Sangli & Kolhapur city. n 1850, St. Patrick's Church, the present cathedral, was built.

Poona became a Vicariate Apostolic by dismemberment from Bombay on March 8, 1854, and was turned over to the Jesuits. The Vicar Apostolic of Bombay remained Administrator till the Hierarchy was established in 1886. The Jesuit Bernard Bieder-Linden was appointed its first bishop.

On October 20, 1953, the Catholics of Ratnagiri District and those of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Pune, who formerly belonged to the Archdiocese of Goa, were placed under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Poona. On November 30, 1953, the districts of Dharwar and Bijapur, formerly in the Poona Diocese were attached to the newly constituted Diocese of Belgaum.

On June 9, 1987, the Diocese of Nashik was created, comprising four districts - Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon and Ahmednagar - of the Poona Diocese. Jesuit Thomas Bhalerao became its first bishop. St.Patrick's Cathedral was rededicated on October 22, 1987. The roof of the old Cathedral collapsed shortly before midnight on July 15, 1984. The outer walls and facade have been retained, and there is a vaulted roof of concrete.

The Eparchy of Kalyan, which is contiguous with the Archdiocese of Bombay and the Dioceses of Poona and Nashik, was created on May 19, 1988. On August 24, 1988, Paul Chittilapilly was ordained Eparch of Kalyan, and the new diocese was formally inaugurated. All Catholics of the Syro-Malabar rite in the diocese came under his jurisdiction.

The First Diocesan Synod was held at Ishvani Kendra, Pune, from 11 to 14 February 2003. 144 delegates from all the 7 districts attended.

History

edit
  • 1854: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Poona from the Apostolic Vicariate of Bombay
  • September 1, 1886: Promoted as Diocese of Poona

Roman Catholic Churches in Pune

edit
  • St Patrick's Cathedral
Catholics: 11,850
  • St. John Paul II Church - Wakad (Wakad Mass Centre)[1]
Catholics: 60 Families
C/o Prerna Bhavan, S. No. 93, Tathwade Village,
Near Indira College,
Wakad, Pune 411033.
Mobile: 99233 17352, 94232 17352
Clergy: Rev. Fr. Simon Almeida (Priest-in-charge)
Deacon Roy Dmonte'
Directions
  • Church Of Our Lady Of Perpetual Help
Catholics: 1,220
  • St. Anne's Church
Catholics: 1,220
Solapur Bazaar
Pune 411 001 Tel : 26362614
  • St. Joseph's Church
Catholics: 3, 800
  • Good Shepherd Church
Catholics: 3,030
  • St. Xavier's Church
Catholics: 1,300
  • Immaculate Conception Church (City Church)
Catholics: 3,214
  • St. Teresa's Church
Catholics: 1,450
  • St. Ignatius Church
Catholics: 6,964
  • Sacred Heart Church
Catholics: 7,625
  • Holy Cross Church
Catholics: 2,823
  • St. Francis de Sales Church
Catholics: 4,200
  • St. Anthony's Church
  • Our Lady Consoler of the Afflicted Church
  • St. Francis Xavier's Church
Catholics: 3,200
  • Infant Jesus Church
Catholics: 1,220
  • St. Sebastian's Church
Catholics: 940
  • St. Jude Church
Catholics: 1,035
  • St. Joseph's Church
Catholics: 1,000
  • Divine Mercy Church
  • Christ The King Church
  • Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
  • St. Sebastian Chapel
NDA, Khadakvasla,
Pune 411 023 c/o 25675681
  • Holy Family Chapel
  • Resurrection Chapel
  • Mother Teresa Centre
  • God The Holy Spirit Chapel - Sinhagad road, vitthalwadi

Bishops (Latin Rite)

edit

Bishops of Poona

edit
 
Crypt of William Zephyrine Gomes, located in the mausoleum of St. Francis Catholic Cemetery in Phoenix, Arizona
  • Bernhard Beiderlinden, S.J. (20 Dec 1886 - 1907 )
  • Heinrich Döring, S.J. (7 Sep 1907 - 16 Jun 1921), appointed titular archbishop; later returned here as Archbishop (personal title) (14 Jul 1927 - 15 Jan 1948)
  • Andrew Alexis D'Souza (12 May 1949 - 12 Jun 1967 )
  • William Zephyrine Gomes (12 Jun 1967 - 1 Dec 1976 )
  • Valerian D'Souza (7 Jul 1977 - 2009)
  • Thomas Dabre (4 Apr 2009 - 25 Mar 2023)
  • John Rodrigues (25 Mar 2023 – )

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Poona Diocese".
edit

18°30′32″N 73°53′52″E / 18.5088°N 73.8979°E / 18.5088; 73.8979