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Rajkot Diocese

The Diocese of Rajkot lies at the northwesternmost part of India, stretching over the whole peninsula of Saurashtra and Kutch, covering an area of 109,950 sq. kms. It comprises the civil districts of Amreli, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Porbandar, Rajkot and Surendranagar, together known popularly as Saurashtra, and the district of Kutch in Gujarat State.
   


Bishop Jonas Thaliath		 By the Papal Bull "De Recta Fidelium" of February 25, 1977, Pope Paul VI erected the new Diocese of Rajkot, separating it from the Diocese of Ahmedabad.

As the Jesuit Vice - Province of Ahmedabad, to whom the Ahmedabad Diocese had been entrusted from its erection in 1948, was unable to provide the personnel to manage this vast territory, and to meet the increasing demands on all fronts, an invitation was made to the Congregation of Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) of the Syro - Malabar Rite, to take up work in this Diocese.
   
An agreement was made between the former Bishop Edwin Pinto, sj, of Ahmedabad and the CMI Prior General that certain areas of Ahmedabad Diocese should be handed over to the CMI with full responsibility for their apostolate, with a view to erecting a new Exarchate or Eparchy when the Holy See so decided.

Since 1972, the CMI Fathers have been working in these areas, which have since been formed into the separate Diocese of Rajkot.

Mar Jonas Thaliath, cmi, was appointed the first Bishop of Rajkot. He was ordained Bishop on May 11, 1977 and was installed on June 19, 1977. Bishop Jonas was called to his eternal reward on November 7, 1981. Fr Victorian Kunneparampil, cmi, shouldered the administration of the Diocese until Mar Gregory Karotemprel, cmi, was ordained the second Bishop of Rajkot on April 24, 1983.
   


Bishop Gregory Karotemprel		 This entire mission territory was entrusted to the Sacred Heart Province of the CMI Congregation in 1978 and was called Rajkot Mission. It was raised to the status of a Region in 1981 and was named St. Xavier's Region. In 1985 the civil districts of Amreli and Bhavnagar, and in 1987 the district of Junagadh were entrusted to St. Joseph's Province (Kottayam) of the CMI and was called Chavara Sub-Region. In 1993 St. Xavier's Region was made a Vice-Province. In 1996 Chavara Sub - Region was raised to the status of a Region.
 
Bishop : Rt Rev. Bishop Jose Chitooparambil, CMI
Date of Birth : 10-12-1954
Priestly Ordination : 08-05-1985
Elected Bishop : 16-07-2010
Ordained Bishop : 11-09-2010
Address : Bishop’s House, P.B.No.1501, Kalawad Road, Rajkot Gujarat 360 005
Tel : (0281) 2563889/ 2563415/ 2563891/2563004/2563203
Fax : (0281) 2339480
Mobile : +91-9426732055
Email : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website : www.rajkotdiocese.org
Total Area : 40,365 sq.kms.
Total Population : 16 milion
Languages : Gujarati, Hindi, English, Malayalam and Tamil
 
Statistics  
Catholic Population 12,000
Parishes 64
Diocesan Priests 16
Religious Priests 108
Religious Sisters 390
Colleges 01
Schools 252
Professional Colleges 01
Orphanages 03
Hostels 02
Hospitals 23
Publications 05