Roman Catholic Diocese of Mysore

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Mysore (Latin: Mysurien(sis)) is a suffragan Latin diocese, in the Ecclesiastical province of Bangalore in southern India, yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Its cathedral episcopal see is St. Philomena’s Cathedral in the city of Mysore in Karnataka.

Statistics

As per 2014, it pastorally served 105,113 Catholics (1.0% of 10,056,000 total) on 21,051 km² in 77 parishes with 157 priests (114 diocesan, 43 religious), 1,224 lay religious (309 brothers, 915 sisters) and 19 seminarians.^[1]

History

• Established on 3 April 1850 as the Apostolic Vicariate of Mysore (and Coromandel Coast), on territory split off (depending on the source) either from the Apostolic Vicariate of Pondicherry or from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Madura and Coromandel Coast (now Diocese of Tiruchirapalli)
• Promoted on 1 September 1886 as Diocese of Mysore
• Lost territories repeatedly : on 1923.06.12 to establish Diocese of Calicut, on 1930.05.26 to establish Diocese of Salem, on 1940.02.13 to establish Diocese of Bangalore, on 1955.07.03 to establish Diocese of Ootacamund and on 1963.11.16 to establish Diocese of Chikmagalur.

Episcopal Ordinaries

(all Latin Rite; until 1963 European members of a Latin missionary congregation) ^[2]

Apostolic Vicars of Mysore

• Étienne-Louis Charbonnaux, Paris Foreign Missions Society (M.E.P.) (born France) (April 3, 1850 – death June 23, 1873), Titular Bishop of Iassus (1844.07.08 – 1873.06.23), previously as Coadjutor Apostolic Vicar of Verapoly (India) (1844.07.08 – 1850.04.03)
• Joseph-Auguste Chevalier, M.E.P. (born France) (November 11, 1873 – death March 25, 1880), Titular Bishop of Germanicopolis (1873.11.11 – 1880.03.25)
• Jean-Yves-Marie Coadou, M.E.P. (born France) (August 20, 1880 – November 25, 1886 see below), Titular Bishop of Chrysopolis in Arabia (1880.08.20 – 1886.09.01)

Suffragan Bishops of Mysore

• Jean-Yves-Marie Coadou, M.E.P. (see above 25 November 1886 – death 14 September 1890)
• Eugène-Louis Kleiner, M.E.P. (born France) (14 September 1890 – retired 2 June 1910), succeeding as former Titular Bishop of Lyrba (1890.06.20 – 1890.09.14) as Coadjutor Bishop of Mysore (1890.06.20 – 1890.09.14); on emeritate Titular Bishop of Tlous (1910.06.17 – death 1915.08.19)
• Augustin-François Baslé, M.E.P. (born France) (2 June 1910 – death 13 September 1915), succeeding as former Titular Bishop of Calynda (1905.12.15 – 1910.06.02) as Coadjutor Bishop of Mysore (1905.12.15 – 1910.06.02)
• Hippolyte Teissier, M.E.P. (born France) (4 September 1916 – death 26 February 1922)
• Maurice-Bernard-Benoit-Joseph Despatures, M.E.P. (born France) (21 June 1922 – 13 February 1940); next Bishop of Bangalore (India) (1940.02.13 – 1942.09.06), emeritate as Titular Bishop of Benda (1942.09.06 – death 1963.08.26)
• René-Jean-Baptiste-Germain Feuga, M.E.P. (born France) (3 April 1941 – retired 20 November 1962), stayed on as Apostolic Administrator 20 November 1962 – 16 November 1963) while on emeritates as Titular Bishop of Fornos major (1962.11.20 – death 1964.01.27)
• Sebastião Francisco Mathias Fernandes (first native incumbent) (16 November 1963 – death 9 May 1985)
• Francis Michaelappa (22 December 1986 – death 17 March 1993)
• Joseph Roy (19 December 1994 – retired 12 February 2003), died 2014
• Thomas Vazhapilly (12 February 2003 – retired 25 January 2017)
• Bishop-elect Kannikadass William Antony (25 January 2017 – ...)

References

Sources and external links

• GCatholic.org, with Google map and satellite photo - data for all sections
• Catholic Hierarchy

Coordinates: 12°19′15″N 76°39′30″E / 12.3208°N 76.6582°E / 12.3208; 76.6582

{{it:Diocesi di Mysore}}