Archdiocese of Calcutta

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Bishop(s) Thomas D’Souza, Archbishop Suffragan Dioceses Asansol Bagdogra Baruipur Darjeeling Jalpaiguri Krishnagar Raiganj

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese Elevated: 1 September 1886 Metropolitan See Rite: Latin (or Roman) Country: India Square Kilometers: 29,858 (11,532 Square Miles) Official Web Site: http://archdioceseofcalcutta.in/ Mailing Address: Archbishop's House, 32 Mother Teresa Sarani, Kolkata-700016, West Bengal, India Telephone: (033)2287.19.60; 2287.93.38 Fax: 2280.50.99

Historical Details

• Vicariate Apostolic of Bengal
  • Erected: 18 April 1834
  • Country: India

• Vicariate Apostolic of Western Bengal
  • Name Changed: 15 February 1850
  • Country: India

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Jean-Louis Taberd, M.E.P. † ( 1838 Appointed - 31 Jul 1840 Died)
• Patrick Joseph Carew † (30 Nov 1840 Appointed - 2 Nov 1855 Died)
• Thomas Olliffe † (2 Nov 1855 Succeeded - 13 May 1859 Died)
• Auguste Van Heule, S.J. † (9 Sep 1864 Appointed - 4 Jun 1865 Died)
• Walter Herman Jacobus Steins, S.J. † (11 Jan 1867 Appointed - 3 Dec 1877 Resigned)
• Paul François Marie Goethals, S.J. † (3 Dec 1877 Appointed - 4 Jul 1901 Died)
• Brice Meuleman, S.J. † (21 Mar 1902 Appointed - 23 Jun 1924 Resigned)
• Ferdinand Périer, S.J. † (23 Jun 1924 Succeeded - 12 Aug 1960 Retired)
• Vivian Anthony Dyer † (12 Aug 1960 Succeeded - 8 Feb 1962 Died)
• Albert Vincent D’Souza † (8 Aug 1962 Appointed - 29 May 1969 Resigned)
• Lawrence Trevor Picachy, S.J. † (29 May 1969 Appointed - 5 Apr 1986 Resigned)
• Henry Sebastian D’Souza † (5 Apr 1986 Succeeded - 2 Apr 2002 Retired)
• Lucas Sirkar, S.D.B. † (2 Apr 2002 Succeeded - 23 Feb 2012 Retired)
• Thomas D’Souza (23 Feb 2012 Succeeded - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Bengal
18 April 1834	Erected	Diocese of São Tomé of Meliapore	Vicariate Apostolic of Bengal (erected)
15 February 1850	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Bengal	Vicariate Apostolic of Eastern Bengal (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Western Bengal
15 February 1850	Name Changed	Vicariate Apostolic of Bengal	Vicariate Apostolic of Western Bengal
19 July 1870	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Western Bengal	Prefecture Apostolic of Central Bengal (erected)
Archdiocese of Calcutta
1 September 1886	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Western Bengal	Archdiocese of Calcutta
25 May 1927	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Calcutta (Hazaribagh, Banchi, Palamau, and Singbhum, along with feudal states of Gangpur-Bamra-Donai in the region of Orissa, from Saraihela and Kharsawan in the territory of Chota Nagpur, and also from GhangJchakhar Korea, Sirguja, Jashpur, Udaipur, Sakti, ...)	Diocese of Ranchi (erected)
15 February 1929	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Calcutta (Remaining part of Sikkim) Vicariate Apostolic of Tatsienlu (English Bhutan (Kalimpong) and part of Sikkim)	Mission "Sui Iuris" of Sikkim (erected)
3 July 1929	Territory Added	Diocese of São Tomé of Meliapore (Boitakana, Bändel, and Ginsutah)	Archdiocese of Calcutta
4 January 1931	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Calcutta (Godda along with Deoghaz and Sarawan)	Diocese of Patna
8 February 1951	Territory Added	Archdiocese of Pondicherry (Chandernagore)	Archdiocese of Calcutta
14 June 1951	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Calcutta (Rairakhol, Athmalik, Angul, Pallahara, Talcher, Hindol, and Dhenkanal along with part of Sambalpur and Sonpur) Diocese of Nagpur (Patna and part of Sambalpur and Sonpur) Diocese of Ranchi (Gangpur, Bonai, and Bamra)	Diocese of Sambalpur (erected)
3 January 1952	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Calcutta (Area in Pakistan) Diocese of Krishnagar (Jessore, Kulna, Faridpur, Kustea, and Meherpur and Chuadanga (in Nadia))	Diocese of Jessore (erected)
2 July 1962	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Calcutta (Dhanbad, Purulia, and Eastern half of Singbhum) Archdiocese of Ranchi (Western half of Singbhum)	Diocese of Jamshedpur (erected)
8 August 1962	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Calcutta (Part of Darjeeling) Prefecture Apostolic of Sikkim	Diocese of Darjeeling
8 August 1962	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Calcutta (Parts of Purnea and Santal Parganas (Bihar)) Prefecture Apostolic of Malda	Diocese of Dumka
8 June 1968	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Calcutta (Balasore, Mayurbhanj, and Keonjhar)	Prefecture Apostolic of Balasore (erected)
8 June 1968	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Calcutta (Cuttack north of the river Mahanadi)	Diocese of Cuttack
22 November 1975	Territory Added	Diocese of Krishnagar (Bagdaha, Bangaon, and Gaighata of the 24 Parganas District)	Archdiocese of Calcutta
30 May 1977	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Calcutta (Southern and central part of 24 Paraganas)	Diocese of Baruipur (erected)
24 October 1997	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Calcutta (West Bengal: Burdwan along with Bankura viz., Saltora, Mejhia, Gangajalghat, Barjhor, Sonamukhi, Patrasari, Indua, Chhatna, and Bankura, and Birbhum District viz., Muhammadbazar, Rajnagar, Khoyrasole, Dubrajpur, Suri, Illambazar, Sainthia, Bolpur, Labpur,)	Diocese of Asansol (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
Archdiocese of Calcutta
1950	82,053	29,159,168	.3%	20	171	191	429		144	259	40	ap1951
1959	106,203	30,300,258	.4%	24	186	210	505		270	528	54	ap1960
1970	82,603	27,276,722	.3%	34	150	184	448		243	538	33	ap1971
1980	85,900	30,240,000	.3%	62	98	160	536		198	636	32	ap1981
1990	107,687	35,441,000	.3%	68	126	194	555		302	762	52	ap1991
1999	133,740	24,813,952	.5%	88	132	220	607		363	857	31	ap2000
2000	135,543	25,114,983	.5%	65	139	204	664		397	828	32	ap2001
2001	136,804	25,124,983	.5%	65	132	197	694		349	950	34	ap2002
2002	138,535	23,150,108	.6%	66	141	207	669		305	922	34	ap2003
2003	139,920	27,665,118	.5%	65	141	206	679	3	316	905	34	ap2004
2004	141,726	29,048,374	.5%	70	137	207	684		313	880	37	ap2005
2006	145,246	31,152,686	.5%	70	141	211	688		328	1,141	38	ap2007
2013	160,165	39,553,435	.4%	72	167	239	670		285	1,158	42	ap2014
2016	168,564	41,543,265	.4%	83	164	247	682		195	735	45	ap2017
2019	173,426	44,013,000	.4%	89	175	264	656		241	810	46	ap2020
2021	175,231	47,618,000	.4%	92	182	274	639		336	1,083	55	ap2022

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

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Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Shyamal Bose
• Thomas D’Souza (Coadjutor Archbishop: 12 Mar 2011; Archbishop: 23 Feb 2012)
• Elias Frank (Priest: 23 Apr 1993 to 24 Oct 1997)
• Salvadore Lobo (Priest: 19 Mar 1973 to 30 May 1977)
• Cyprian Monis (Auxiliary Bishop: 26 Mar 1994 to 24 Oct 1997)

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• Patrick Joseph Carew † (Vicar Apostolic: 30 Nov 1840 to 2 Nov 1855)
• Alan Basil de Lastic † (Priest: 21 Dec 1958; Auxiliary Bishop: 9 Apr 1979 to 2 Jul 1984)
• Albert Vincent D’Souza † (Archbishop: 8 Aug 1962 to 29 May 1969)
• Henry Sebastian D’Souza † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 29 Mar 1985; Archbishop: 5 Apr 1986 to 2 Apr 2002)
• Vivian Anthony Dyer † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 25 Apr 1959; Archbishop: 12 Aug 1960 to 8 Feb 1962)
• Joseph Alexander Fernandes † (Auxiliary Bishop: 24 Jan 1949 to 12 Apr 1951)
• Paul François Marie Goethals, S.J. † (Vicar Apostolic: 3 Dec 1877; Archbishop: 25 Nov 1886 to 4 Jul 1901)
• Brice Meuleman, S.J. † (Archbishop: 21 Mar 1902 to 23 Jun 1924)
• Thomas Olliffe † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 26 Aug 1843; Vicar Apostolic: 2 Nov 1855 to 13 May 1859)
• Ferdinand Périer, S.J. † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 10 Aug 1921; Archbishop: 23 Jun 1924 to 12 Aug 1960)
• Lawrence Trevor Picachy, S.J. † (Archbishop: 29 May 1969 to 5 Apr 1986)
• Lucas Sirkar, S.D.B. † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 14 Apr 2000; Archbishop: 2 Apr 2002 to 23 Feb 2012)
• Walter Herman Jacobus Steins, S.J. † (Vicar Apostolic: 11 Jan 1867 to 3 Dec 1877)
• Jean-Louis Taberd, M.E.P. † (Vicar Apostolic: 1838 to 31 Jul 1840)
• Auguste Van Heule, S.J. † (Vicar Apostolic: 9 Sep 1864 to 4 Jun 1865)

Source(s)

Vicariate Apostolic of Bengal Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 121 Vicariate Apostolic of Western Bengal Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 121 Archdiocese of Calcutta Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 22, Page 121, to Page 123 Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 43, Page 384, and Page 385 Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 67, Page 375

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