Archdiocese of Ranchi

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Bishop(s) Telesphore Placidus Toppo, Cardinal, Archbishop Suffragan Dioceses Daltonganj Dumka Gumla Hazaribag Jamshedpur Khunti Port Blair Simdega

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese Elevated: 19 September 1953 Metropolitan See Rite: Latin (or Roman) Country: India Square Kilometers: 5,299 (2,046 Square Miles) Official Web Site: http://www.ranchiarchdiocese.org/ Mailing Address: P.O. Box 5, Purulia Road, Ranchi-834001, Jharkhand, India Telephone: (0651)20.47.28 Fax: 30.48.44

Historical Details

• Diocese of Ranchi
  • Latin Name: Ranchiensis
  • Erected: 25 May 1927
  • Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Calcutta
  • Country: India

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Ludovico Van Hoeck, S.J. † (15 Feb 1928 Appointed - 30 Apr 1933 Died)
• Oscar Sevrin, S.J. † (9 Apr 1934 Appointed - 13 Dec 1951 Appointed, Bishop of Raigarh-Ambikapur)
• Niclas Kujur, S.J. † (13 Dec 1951 Appointed - 24 Jul 1960 Died)
• Pius Kerketta, S.J. † (7 Mar 1961 Appointed - 7 Aug 1985 Retired)
• Telesphore Placidus Toppo (7 Aug 1985 Succeeded - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Ranchi
25 May 1927	Erected	Archdiocese of Calcutta	Diocese of Ranchi (erected)
14 June 1951	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Calcutta Diocese of Nagpur Diocese of Ranchi	Diocese of Sambalpur (erected)
13 December 1951	Territory Lost	Diocese of Nagpur Diocese of Ranchi	Diocese of Raigarh-Ambikapur (erected)
Archdiocese of Ranchi
19 September 1953	Elevated	Diocese of Ranchi	Archdiocese of Ranchi
5 June 1971	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Ranchi	Diocese of Daltonganj (erected)
22 June 1984	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Ranchi	Diocese of Port Blair (erected)
28 May 1993	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Ranchi	Diocese of Gumla (erected)
28 May 1993	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Ranchi	Diocese of Simdega (erected)
1 April 1995	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Ranchi	Diocese of Khunti (erected)

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Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Ranchi
1949	346,578	7,950,000	4.4%	48	124	172	2,014		124	234	50	ap1951
Archdiocese of Ranchi
1969	326,044	6,944,775	4.7%	81	179	260	1,254		385	628	62	ap1971
1980	344,904	3,215,000	10.7%	90	180	270	1,277		438	862	66	ap1981
1990	411,909	3,193,000	12.9%	166	218	384	1,072		369	834	93	ap1991
1999	107,852	1,872,324	5.8%	35	120	155	695		244	576	28	ap2000
2000	110,921	1,872,324	5.9%	35	143	178	623		306	565	28	ap2001
2001	113,645	2,454,044	4.6%	42	134	176	645		254	593	28	ap2002
2002	114,683	2,517,372	4.6%	42	128	170	674		219	714	30	ap2003
2003	115,201	2,796,892	4.1%	51	132	183	629		257	688	30	ap2004
2004	116,758	2,863,996	4.1%	45	129	174	671		254	724	31	ap2005

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

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Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Vincent Barwa (Auxiliary Bishop: 29 Sep 2004 to 11 Feb 2008)
• Paul Alois Lakra (Priest: 6 May 1988 to 28 May 1993)
• Telesphore Placidus Toppo (Coadjutor Archbishop: 8 Nov 1984; Archbishop: 7 Aug 1985 - )

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• Pius Kerketta, S.J. † (Archbishop: 7 Mar 1961 to 7 Aug 1985)
• Niclas Kujur, S.J. † (Bishop: 13 Dec 1951; Archbishop: 19 Sep 1953 to 24 Jul 1960)
• Oscar Sevrin, S.J. † (Bishop: 9 Apr 1934 to 13 Dec 1951)
• Ludovico Van Hoeck, S.J. † (Bishop: 15 Feb 1928 to 30 Apr 1933)