Diocese of Bhagalpur
Rite: Latin
Region : Bijhan
Patron: St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Louis of France
Founded: 11 January 1965
Province: Patna
Status: Diocese
Total area: 26,000 sq. km.
Total Population : 91,76,600
Catholics Total: 86,903
Diocesan Priests: 98
Religious Priests: 24
Religious Sisters: 345
Minor Seminarians: 0
Major Seminarians: 0
Diocese of Bhagalpur at a Glance
Ecclesiastical Institutions
| Parishes & Substations | : 65 | Retreat Centres | : 0 |
| Major Seminaries | : 0 | Diocesan Minor Seminaries | : 0 |
| Congregation Minor Seminaries | : 0 | Religious Formation Houses | : 08 |
| Men Religious Houses | : 0 | Women Religious Houses | : 0 |
| Hospitals | : 05 | Dispensaries / Clinics / Health Centres | : 34 |
| Orphanages | : 03 | Homes for Aged & Destitute | : 0 |
| Schools for Physically Challenged | : 05 | Homes for Physically Challenged | : 0 |
| Crèches | : 0 | Boarding Houses | : 03 |
| Counselling Centres | : 0 | De-addiction Centre | : 05 |
| Social Centres | : 03 | HIV / AIDS Centre | : 0 |
| Professional Colleges | : 01 | Degree Colleges | : 0 |
| Parallel Colleges | : 0 | Vocational / Technical Training Centres | : 01 |
| Higher Secondary / Junior Colleges | : 06 | High Schools | : 30 |
| Upper Primary Schools | : 44 | Lower Primary Schools | :04 |
| Nurseries / Pre-Primary Schools | :0 | Presses & Media Centres | : 01 |
The Third Order Regular (TOR) Franciscan Fathers of the province of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Loretto, Pennyslvania, USA came to the Diocese of Patna to assist the Jesuits in 1939. They were then assigned to the Church Station of Bhagalpur, Gokhla, Poreyahat and Godda.
In 1956 Bhagalpur was cut off from the Diocese of Patna and Prefecture Apostolic was established by the Holy See. Rt. Rev. Msgr. Urban McGarry, tor, was appointed its first Prefect Apostolic on August 7, 1956.
The Diocese of Bhagalpur was erected and its First Bishop, Rt. Rev. Urban McGarry, tor, was appointed on January 25, 1965. The present diocese is formed out the south-eastern portion of the Patna diocese and it comprises the district of Bhagalpur, Godda district of the Santhal Pargans Divisions, Deoghar and Sarawan thanas of the Santhal Parganas Division.
Within a short time of their arrival, the TOR Fathers recruited local vocations and a novitiate was started. A further step forward was taken when a Franciscan Monastery (clericate) at Ranchi was established to further the training of Religious Clerics. A Minor Seminary (now Regional Seminary) was opened in 1959 at Bhagalpur where the Franciscan and Diocesan candidates were being trained in the seminary.
Twenty religious congregations of Sisters share a great burden in the apostolic educational and medical activities of the diocese.
On October 8, 1970 the Revenue Thana of Chakai, Dt. Monghyr (now Jaumui District) embracing Mariampahari and Jhajha, formerly of Patna diocese was annexed to the Diocese by the Sacred Congregation for the Evangelization of the peoples, in virtue of the faculty granted by Pope Paul VI. Shortly after the part of the Giridih district, formerly of Ranchi Archdiocese, was likewise annexed to the Diocese of Bhagalpur. In 1984, the parishes of Sokho and Kharagpur, formerly of Patna diocese were handed over to the Bhagalpur diocese.
| Name | Designation | Period |
| Most Rev. Thomas Khozimala | Bishop | 1996-2005 |
|
| Most Rev. George Victor Saupin, S.J. | Bishop | 1987-1993 |
|
| Most Rev. Urban Eugene McGarry, T.O.R. | Bishop | 1965-1987 |
|