Articles
Recapitulating on the emergence of Dioceses in North East India
Opinion | Articles | Penny Rose Chinir | 07-Nov-2022
The Catholic dioceses of Northeast India have its roots from 1870 when Assam became part of the prefecture apostolic of Krishnagar. Fr Jacob Broy of the Foreign Missions of Milan was the first resident priest of Assam with headquarters at Gauhati. On 15 December 1889 the prefecture apostolic of Assam was created with headquarters in Shillong. With the outbreak of World War in 1914, the German Salvatorians were forced to return to their country and the Jesuits of Calcutta looked after Assam. In 1921, the prefecture of Assam was entrusted to the Salesians of Don Bosco with Fr Louis Mathias SDB (15 Dec. 1922 - 9 Jul. 1934) as Prefect Apostolic of Assam, Bhutan and Manipur. The following is a quick glance of the chronological birth of the fifteen dioceses of Northeast India beginning with Shillong.
The Archdiocese of Shillong: The diocese of Shillong was established on 9 July 1934 with Msgr Louis Mathias SDB (9 Jul. 1934 - 25 Mar. 1935) as its first bishop. The diocese was upgraded as metropolitan archdiocese of Gauhati - Shillong on 26 June 1969, renamed as metropolitan archdiocese of Shillong - Gauhati on 22 January 1970 and once again renamed metropolitan archdiocese of Shillong on 30 March 1992. The succeeding pastors were Bishop Stephen Ferrando SDB (26 Nov. 1935 - 26 Jun. 1969), Archbishop Hubert D Rosario SDB (26 Jun. 1969-30 Mar. 1994), Archbishop Tarcisius Resto Phanrang SDB (2 Aug. 1995 - 5 May 1999), Archbishop Dominic Jala SDB (22 Dec. 1999 - 10 Oct. 2019) and Archbishop Victor Lyngdoh (28 Dec. 2020 - present).
The Diocese of Dibrugarh: The diocese of Dibrugarh was carved out from the diocese of Shillong on 12 July 1951 with Mgr Orestes Marengo SDB (12 Jul. 1951- 6 Jul. 1964) as its first bishop. The succeeding bishops were Bishop Hubert D’Rosario SDB (6 Jul. 1964 - 26 Jun. 1969), Archbishop Hubert D’Rosario SDB (apostolic administrator 26 Jun. 1969 - 21 May 1970), Bishop Robert Kerketta SDB (21 May 1970 - 24 Oct. 1980), Bishop Thomas Menamparampil SDB (19 Jun. 1981 - 30 Mar. 1992), Bishop Joseph Aind SDB (11 Nov. 1994-15 Feb. 2021) and Bishop Albert Hemrom (15 Feb. 2021 - present).
The Diocese of Tezpur: The diocese of Tezpur was carved out from the diocese of Shillong on on 16 January 1964 with Mgr Orestes Marengo SDB (6 Jul 1964 - 26 Jun 1969) as its first bishop. The successors were Bishop Joseph Mittathany (26 Jun 1969-28 Mar 1980), Bishop Robert Kerketta SDB (24 Oct 1980 - 3 Dec 2007) and Bishop Michael Akasius Toppo (3 Dec 2007 - present).
The Diocese of Aizawl: The diocese of Aizawl was established as apostolic prefecture of Haflong from the metropolitan archdiocese of Dacca on 17 January 1952 with Fr George Daniel Breen CSC (21 Mar.1952 - 1969) as its prefect apostolic of Haflong. Promoted as diocese of Silchar on 26 June 1969 with Bishop Denzil Reginald D’Souza (26 Jun. 1969 - 11 Jan. 1996) as its first bishop. The diocese was rennamed as diocese of Aizawl on 11 January 1996 with Bishop Denzil Reginald D’Souza (11 Jan. 1996 - 18 Oct. 2000), Bishop Lumen Monteiro, apostolic administrator (2000 - 2001) and Bishop Stephen Rotluanga CSC (2 Oct. 2001- present).
The Diocese of Kohima: The diocese of Kohima-Imphal was carved out of the diocese of Dibrugarh on 29 January 1973 with Bishop Abraham Alangimattathil SDB (29 Jan. 1973 - 28 Mar. 1980) as its bishop. It was erected as diocese of Kohima on 28 March 1980 with Bishop Abraham Alangimattathil SDB (28 Mar. 1980 - 11 Jul. 1996), succeeded by Bishop Jose Mukala (24 Oct. 1997 - 30 Oct. 2009), Archbishop Dominic Lumon, apostolic administrator (2009-2011) and Bishop James Thoppil (16 Jun. 2011 - present).
The Diocese of Tura: The diocese of Tura was carved out from the metropolitan archdiocese of Shillong–Gauhati on 1 March 1973 with Bishop Oreste Marengo SDB as its first apostolic administrator (26 Jun. 1969 - 12 Jan. 1979). It was made the diocese of Tura by detaching territories from the archdiocese of Shillong-Guwahati on 12 January 1979 with Bishop George Mamalassery of the diocesan clergy as its first bishop (12 Jan.1979 - 21 Apr. 2007) succeeded by Bishop Andrew Raksam Marak (April 21, 2007 - present). Bishop Jose Chirackal is the auxiliary bishop (24 February 2020).
The Archdiocese of Imphal: The diocese of Kohima-Imphal was carved out of the diocese of Dibrugarh on 29 January 1973 with Bishop Abraham Alangimattathil SDB (29 Jan. 1973- 28 Mar. 1980) as its bishop. It was erected as diocese of Imphal on 28 March 1980 from the diocese of Kohima-Imphal with Bishop Joseph Mittathany (28 Mar. 1980 - 10 Jul. 1995) as its first bishop. It was promoted as metropolitan archdiocese of Imphal on 10 July 1995 with Archbishop Joseph Mittathany (10 Jul. 1995 - 12 Jul. 2006) then succeeded by Archbishop Dominic Lumon (12 Jul. 2006 – present).
The Diocese of Diphu: The diocese of Diphu was carved out from the metropolitan archdiocese of Shillong–Gauhati on 5 December 1983 with Bishop Mathai Kochuparampil SDB (5 Dec. 1983-4 Mar.1992) as its first bishop. The successors were Bishop John Thomas Kattrukudiyil (10 Jun. 1994-7 Dec. 2005), Bishop John Thomas Kattrukudiyil, Apostolic Administrator (12 Mar. 2006-14 Feb. 2007), Bishop John Moolachira (14 Feb. 2007-9 Apr. 2011) and Fr John Timung, diocesan administrator on 16 Jun. 2011 and Bishop Paul Mattekatt (26 Jul. 2013- present).
The Archdiocese of Guwahati: The diocese of Guwahati was established from the metropolitan archdiocese of Shillong-Gauhati on 30 March 1992 with Bishop Thomas Menamparampil SDB (30 Mar.1992-10 Jul. 1995) as its first bishop. It was promoted as metropolitan archdiocese of Guwahati on 10 July 1995 with Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil SDB (10 Jul. 1995 - 18 Jan. 2012) as its first metropolitan archbishop and succeeded by Archbishop John Moolachira (18 Jan. 2012 - present).
The Diocese of Agartala: The diocese of Agartala was erected on 11 January 1996, bifurcated from the diocese of Silchar with Bishop Lumen Monteiro (11 Jan. 1996 - present), from the Holy Cross order as its first bishop.
The Diocese of Bongaigaon: The diocese of Bongaigaon was established from the metropolitan archdiocese of Guwahati on 10 May 2000 with Bishop Thomas Pulloppillil as its first bishop (10 May 2000 -present).
The Diocese of Itanagar: The diocese of Itanagar was created on 7 December 2005 by splitting it from the diocese of Tezpur with Bishop John Thomas Kattrukudiyil (7 Dec. 2005 - present) as its first bishop.
The Diocese of Miao: The diocese of Miao was created on 7 December 2005, by splitting it from the diocese of Dibrugarh with Bishop George Palliparampil SDB (7 Dec. 2005 - present) as its first bishop. Bishop Dennis Panipitchai is the auxiliary bishop (8 June 2018).
The Diocese of Jowai: The diocese of Jowai was carved out from the metropolitan archdiocese of Shillong on 28 January 2006 with Bishop Vincent Kympat (28 Jan. 2006 - 30 Jul. 2011) as its first bishop, Archbishop Thomas Menamparambil SDB, apostolic administrator (3 Feb. 2014 - 15 Oct. 2016) and Bishop Victor Lyngdoh (15 Oct. 2016 - 28 Dec. 2020). Presently Fr Ferdinand Dkhar is the diocesan administrator of the diocese.
The Diocese of Nongstoin: The diocese of Nongstoin diocese was carved out from the metropolitan archdiocese of Shillong on 28 January 2006 with Bishop Victor (28 Jan. 2006 - 14 Oct. 2016) as its first bishop. Presently, Fr Anselm Nonglang is the diocesan administrator of the diocese.
Within these 88 years, the Church in Northeast India in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura has grown from one diocese in 1934 to fifteen dioceses in 2022. However, the percentage of Christianity as a whole, constitute a little over 16.5% of the population, that is, circa 7 million out of 47 million. It is hoped that by the centennial foundation of its first diocese i.e., 2034, the Church will also double the percentage of its Christian population and further expand its mission.
______________________________
The writer is a FMA Nun, and she could be reached on pchinir@gmail.com. The Article is her own research work, therefore personal
Leave a comment
