Diocese of Tiruchirapalli

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Bishop(s) Antony Devotta, Bishop Gabriel Lawrence Sengol, Bishop Emeritus

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese Name Changed: 21 October 1950 Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Madurai Rite: Latin (or Roman) Country: India Square Kilometers: 10,448 (4,035 Square Miles) Mailing Address: P.O. Box 14, Tiruchchirappalli-620001, Tamilnadu, India Telephone: (0431)415.635 Fax: 462.992

Historical Details

• Vicariate Apostolic of Madurai
  • Erected: 19 May 1846
  • Vicariate
  • Country: India

• Diocese of Madurai
  • Elevated: 1 September 1886
  • Country: India

• Diocese of Trichinopoly
  • Latin Name: Trichinopolitanus
  • Name Changed: 7 June 1887
  • Country: India

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Louis-Charles-Auguste Hébert, M.E.P. † (8 Jul 1836 Appointed - 3 Oct 1836 Died)
• Clément Bonnand, M.E.P. † (3 Oct 1836 Appointed - 3 Apr 1850 Appointed, Vicar Apostolic of Pondicherry)
• Alexis Canoz, S.J. † (25 Apr 1846 Appointed - 2 Dec 1888 Died)
• Jean-Marie Barthe, S.J. † (21 Mar 1890 Appointed - 19 Dec 1913 Resigned)
• Ange-Auguste Faisandier, S.J. † (19 Dec 1913 Succeeded - 24 Sep 1934 Retired)
• John Peter Leonard, S.J. † (2 Jan 1936 Appointed - 8 Jan 1938 Appointed, Bishop of Madurai)
• James Mendonça † (7 Mar 1938 Appointed - 19 Dec 1970 Retired)
• Thomas Fernando † (23 Nov 1970 Appointed - 6 Oct 1990 Retired)
• Gabriel Lawrence Sengol (6 Oct 1990 Appointed - 14 Oct 1997 Resigned)
• Antony Devotta (16 Nov 2000 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Madurai
19 May 1846	Erected		Vicariate Apostolic of Madurai (erected)
Diocese of Madurai
1 September 1886	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Madurai	Diocese of Madurai
Diocese of Trichinopoly
7 June 1887	Name Changed	Diocese of Madurai	Diocese of Trichinopoly
12 June 1923	Territory Lost	Diocese of Trichinopoly	Diocese of Tuticorin (erected)
8 January 1938	Territory Lost	Diocese of Trichinopoly	Diocese of Madura (erected)
Diocese of Tiruchirapalli
21 October 1950	Name Changed	Diocese of Trichinopoly	Diocese of Tiruchirapalli
10 November 2003	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Madurai Diocese of Tiruchirapalli	Diocese of Dindigul (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 Tiruchirapalli
1950	116,557	1,632,040	7.1%	56	41	97	1,201		55	393	32	ap1951
1970	170,650	1,943,537	8.8%	72	63	135	1,264		159	855	41	ap1971
1980	210,977	2,632,000	8.0%	69	76	145	1,455		163	888	50	ap1981
1990	273,481	3,124,716	8.8%	97	80	177	1,545		212	928	61	ap1991
1999	387,130	3,662,230	10.6%	111	97	208	1,861		305	944	71	ap2000
2000	392,430	3,666,320	10.7%	133	116	249	1,576		356	1,043	75	ap2002
2002	393,640	3,789,320	10.4%	117	119	236	1,667		456	1,086	82	ap2003
2003	182,500	2,543,806	7.2%	78	100	178	1,025		405	784	55	ap2004
2004	399,740	3,872,430	10.3%	146	100	246	1,624		517	1,355	82	ap2005

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

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Affiliated Bishops

• George Antonysamy (Priest: 19 Nov 1980 to 4 Aug 2005)
• Jean-Marie Barthe, S.J. † (Bishop: 21 Mar 1890 to 19 Dec 1913)
• Clément Bonnand, M.E.P. † (Vicar Apostolic: 3 Oct 1836 to 3 Apr 1850)
• Alexis Canoz, S.J. † (Vicar Apostolic: 25 Apr 1846; Bishop: 1 Sep 1886 to 2 Dec 1888)
• Antony Devotta (Bishop: 16 Nov 2000 - )
• Ange-Auguste Faisandier, S.J. † (Coadjutor Bishop: 30 Mar 1909; Bishop: 19 Dec 1913 to 24 Sep 1934)
• Thomas Fernando † (Bishop: 23 Nov 1970 to 6 Oct 1990)
• Louis-Charles-Auguste Hébert, M.E.P. † (Vicar Apostolic: 8 Jul 1836 to 3 Oct 1836)
• John Peter Leonard, S.J. † (Bishop: 2 Jan 1936 to 8 Jan 1938)
• Jean-Félix-Onésime Luquet, M.E.P. † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 17 Feb 1845 to 1851)
• James Mendonça † (Bishop: 7 Mar 1938 to 19 Dec 1970)
• Gabriel Lawrence Sengol (Bishop: 6 Oct 1990 to 14 Oct 1997)