Roman Catholic Diocese of Calicut
| Diocese of Calicut Dioecesis Calicutensis | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | India |
| Ecclesiastical province | Verapoly |
| Metropolitan | Verapoly |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 12,505 km2 (4,828 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2006) 10,061,127 38,092 (0.4%) |
| Parishes | 41 |
| Information | |
| Rite | Latin Rite |
| Cathedral | Mother of God Cathedral in Kozhikode |
| Patron saint | St Francis Xavier |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Varghese Chakkalakal |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Francis Kallarakal |
| Vicar General | Thomas Panackal |
| Emeritus Bishops | Maxwell Valentine Noronha Bishop Emeritus (1980-2002) |
| Website | |
| Website of the Diocese | |
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Calicut (Latin: Calicuten(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Kozhikode in the Ecclesiastical province of Verapoly in India.
On Tuesday, May 15, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed as the sixth Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calicut, India (area 12,505; population: 10,453,000; Catholics: 50,201; priests: 125; religious: 833), Bishop Varghese Chakkalakal, who until then had been the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kannur (based in Kannur, India), and simultaneously appointed him as the Apostolic Administrator of the vacant see (sede vacante) of his previous Diocese, Kannur. Bishop Varghese Chakkalakal was born in Malapallipuram, India, located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kottapuram (based in Kottapuram, India), on February 7, 1953. He completed his philosophical and theological studies at St. Joseph's Seminary in Mangalore, India. Bishop Chakkalakal was ordained to the presbyterate for the Diocese of Calicut on April 2, 1981. After Ordination, he was: Assistant Pastor in the Parish of Lourdu Matha, Pallikunnu, India (1981-1982); Assistant Pastor in the Parish of San Antonio, in Pakkom, India (1982-1984); a student at St. Joseph's Pontifical Institute, in Alwaye, India (1984-1986); Assistant Pastor of three parishes: Chalil, West Hill, Ezhimala (1986-1987); a student at the Pontifical Urbaniana University at the Vatican in Rome, Italy, where he earned a degree in Canon Law (1987-1991); and as a Pastor in Perinthalmanna, India and Chali, India (1991-1992). Since 1992, he was a Professor of Canon Law and Moral Theology at St. Joseph's Seminary, Mangalore. On November 5, 1998, he was appointed the first Bishop of Kannur, India by Pope John Paul II, and received his episcopal consecration on February 7, 1999.[1][2]
History
- 12 June 1923: Established as Diocese of Calicut from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Coimbatore, Diocese of Mangalore and Diocese of Mysore
Leadership
- Bishops of Calicut (Latin Rite)
- Paolo Charles Perini, S.J. (June 12, 1923 – June 28, 1932)
- Leone Proserpio, S.J. (December 2, 1937 – September 8, 1945)
- Aldus Maria Patroni, S.J. (April 8, 1948 – June 7, 1980)
- Maxwell Valentine Noronha (June 7, 1980 – April 19, 2002)
- Joseph Kalathiparambil (April 19, 2002 – 22 February 2011); appointed the Secretary (second-in-command) of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants
- Varghese Chakkalakal (since 15 May 2012)