Diocese of Mandya
Rite: Syro-Malabar
Region : Karnataka
Patron: Holy Mother Of God
Founded: 18 January 2010
Province: Tellicherry
Status: Diocese
Total area: 24, 299 sq.kms
Total Population : 74,44,730
Catholics Total: 5,000
Diocesan Priests: 09
Religious Priests: 15
Religious Sisters: 164
Minor Seminarians: 09
Major Seminarians: 05
Diocese of Mandya at a Glance
Ecclesiastical Institutions
Parishes & Substations | : 19 | Retreat Centres | : 0 |
Major Seminaries | : 0 | Diocesan Minor Seminaries | : 01 |
Congregation Minor Seminaries | : 02 | Religious Formation Houses | : 0 |
Men Religious Houses | : 34 | Women Religious Houses | : 36 |
Hospitals | : 0 | Dispensaries / Clinics / Health Centres | : 13 |
Orphanages | : 02 | Homes for Aged & Destitute | : 0 |
Schools for Physically Challenged | : 03 | Homes for Physically Challenged | : 0 |
Crèches | : 0 | Boarding Houses | : 0 |
Counselling Centres | : 0 | De-addiction Centre | : 0 |
Social Centres | : 0 | HIV / AIDS Centre | : 0 |
Professional Colleges | : 03 | Degree Colleges | : 03 |
Parallel Colleges | : 0 | Vocational / Technical Training Centres | : 0 |
Higher Secondary / Junior Colleges | : 0 | High Schools | : 15 |
Upper Primary Schools | : 04 | Lower Primary Schools | :0 |
Nurseries / Pre-Primary Schools | :0 | Presses & Media Centres | : 0 |
On 18 January 2010, the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, Mar Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil, by his decree (Prot. No. 55/2010) dated 18 January 2010 erected a new eparchy by name Mandya, bifurcating the eparchy of Mananthavady. The new eparchy comprises the four civil districts of Karnataka, namely, Mandya, Hassan, Mysore and Chamarajnagar and has its See in the city of Mandya in the civil district of Mandya. Before the erection of the eparchy of Mandya, the District of Mandya was entrusted to the pastoral care of the Missionary Society of St. Thomas the Apostle (MST) and the District of Hassan, to the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI). The Districts of Mysore and Chamrajnagar were under the direct pastoral care of the eparchy of Mananthavady. Considering the great distance from the eparchial headquarters of Mananthavady, the geographical, linguistic and cultural differences and the differences in the nature of the apostolates undertaken, there were repeated request by the Local Ordinaries to form a separate eparchy in the region of Mandya.
The XVII Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church held in August 2008 consented to the proposal and having obtained the assent of the Holy Father in accordance with CCEO c. 85 §1, the new eparchy of Mandya was erected on 18 January 2010. By another decree of the Major Archbishop, Prot. No. 56/2010 with the same date, Mgr. George Njaralakatt, a priest of the eparchy of Mananthavady and who was at that time working as the Vicar General of the eparchy of Bhadravathi was appointed the first bishop of the new eparchy of Mandya. The new eparchy is a suffragan eparchy of the Archeparchy of Tellicherry. Infant Jesus Church, Henkel is the cathedral of the new eparchy and the Episcopal residence is at Kalenahalli, 6 kms away from the city of Mandya.
The Episcopal Ordination of the Bishop and the Enthronement took place on 7 April 2010 at Henkal along with the official inauguration of the Eparchy. The newly erected diocese of Mandya has an area of 17,460 sq. kms with a total population of 44,47,312 of which around 1300 are Catholics. There are 26 parishes and mission stations looked after by 38 priests belonging to the MST and CMI Congregation a few belonging to the eparchial clergy. There are 5 houses of men religious belonging to 4 religious congregations, 79 religious sisters belonging to 5 religious congregations in 20 convents doing ministry in various fields of the apostolate.