The Diocese of Shimoga in Karnataka, India, was erected on 14th November, 1988 by virtue of the Apostolic Bull of Pope John Paul II, entitled “Id Spectantes.” On the same day, the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Ignatius Pinto, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Bangalore was appointed its First Bishop by His Holiness Pope John Paul II through his Apostolic Letter “Bonevolentiam quidem Nostram.” The Episcopal Ordination of the first bishop of Shimoga took place on 31st January, 1989, at the Sacred Heart Cathedral grounds, Shimoga. He was promoted as Archbishop of Bangalore on 10th September 1998 and installed on 25th November, 1998.

The Second Bishop Most Rev. Gerald Isaac Lobo was ordained Bishop by Archbishop Most Rev. Ignatius Pinto, on the 20th March 2000 at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

On March 19, 2014 the Holy Father Francis appointed Msgr. Francis Serrao SJ as the Bishop of the Diocese of Shimoga. He was appointed as the third bishop of Diocese of Shimoga and was ordained as Bishop on 07 May, 2014 by Archbishop Most Rev. Salvatore Pennacchio, the Apostolic Nuncio of India, at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Shimoga. 

The Diocese of Shimoga comprises of the civil districts of Shimoga, separated from Chikmagalur Diocese, and Chitradurga dismembered from Bangalore Archdiocese. Diocese of Shimoga is the eighth Latin diocese in Karnataka and a suffragan of the Metropolitan See of Bangalore. On 15th August 1997 the State Government bifurcated the district of Chitradurga and created the district of Davanagere. Presently, therefore, Shimoga Diocese comprises of three civil districts: Shivamogga, Davanagere and Chithradurga.

The Total extent of the territory of the Diocese is 22,893 Sq. K.ms. The total population according to the 2011 Census is Census is 53, 57, 706 of whom 18,903 are Catholics.