UCAN Diocesan Profiles Series

Diocesan Officials

A.	Ordinary of Jalandhar Diocese

Bishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto was born on Sept. 22, 1954 in Goa archdiocese. He was ordained a priest for Delhi archdiocese on Feb. 8, 1981. Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Delhi on Jan. 17, 2001, he was ordained bishop on March 11, 2001. He was transferred as Bishop of Jalandhar on Feb. 24, 2007 and he took charge of it on April 15, 2007. Prior to his appointment as the Auxiliary Bishop, he served as the rector of the Delhi archdiocesan minor seminary. Presently, he serves as the chairman of the Conference of the Catholic Bishops' of India (CCBI - of the Latin Rite) for Ecumenism. He also serves as a member of the Commission for Inter Religious Dialogue of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI).

Address:

Bishop's House
Civil Lines P.O.
Jalandhar City
Punjab - 144001
India

Phone: +91-181-2223987 (o); +91-181-6577599 (p)
Mobile: 09915667891
Fax: +91-181-2243987; 2222634
Email: bishopanil@vsnl.net, diojal@vsnl.com

Previous Ordinaries
Bishop Symphorian Thomas Keeprath, O.F.M. Cap. (1971 - 2007)
Msgr. Alban of Blackburn, O.F.M. Cap. † (1952 - 1971)

B.	Other Diocesan Officials

Vicar General: Father Thomas Valiaparampil

Chancellor: Father Jose Thekkumcherikunnel

Bishop's Secretary: Father George Waraich

Statistics

Holy Trinity Seminary.
PHOTO ON TOP: St. Mary's cathedral

A.	Catholic Population

As of Dec. 31, 2008, Jalandhar diocese had 116,500 baptized Catholics, representing 0.43 percent of all 27,000,000 people in the territory. The diocese had 106 parishes. There were nearly 20,000 catechumens.

People in the Diocese

		Baptized Catholics: 116,500, or 0.43%
		Members of other Christian denominations: data not available
		Followers of other religions (mostly Sikhs; Hindus and Muslims): data not available

B.	Diocesan and Religious Priests

Diocesan Priests: 80 Indians
Religious Priests: 80 Indians

C.	Deacons

Transitional: data not available
Permanent: data not available

D.	Religious Brothers, Sisters

Religious Brothers: 7 Indians
Religious Sisters: 625 Indians

E.	Lay Missionaries, Catechists

Lay missionaries: 20
Catechists: 120 (salaried: 79, volunteers: 543)

F.	Seminaries, Houses of Formation (Click here for details)

Minor seminary: 1
Major seminary: 1
Houses of Formation: 8
Pastoral Center: 1

G.	There are 106 parishes in the diocese

Diocesan Activities and Organizations

A.	Major Diocesan Commissions and Organizations (Click here for details)

Instructing youth on religious vocation

	Orders, Ministries and Seminarians Executive Director: Father Kurien C. Muttathupadam
	Clergy & Religious Executive Director: Father Jose Edakunnath
	Apostolate of Prayer Executive Director: Father Simon Kalladayil
	Bible Executive Director: Father Mathew Palachuvattil
	Evangelization, Dialogue & Ecumenism Executive Director: Father Michael Anikuzhikattil
	Education & Culture Executive Director: Father Mathew Palachuvattil
	Family & Health Care Executive Director: Father Joseph Kokkatt
	Women Executive Director: Sr. Stella SCJM
	Justice, Peace & Political Affairs Executive Director: Father Roby Kolenchery
	ST/ SC/ OBC Executive Director: Father Thomas K.J.
	Laity Executive Director: Mr. Shamaun Yusaf Sandhu
	Liturgy Executive Director: Father Joy Kalarithara
	Children Executive Director: Father Joseph Illickal
	Social Welfare & Development Executive Director: Father Antony Madassery
	Youth Executive Director: Father Peter Kavumpuram

B.	Catholic Educational Institutions

Statistics:

Schools

Students

Primary Schools
    English Medium
    Punjabi Medium
    Hindi Medium

56
47
8
1

Not available

High Schools
    English Medium
    Punjabi Medium
    Hindi Medium

52
43
6
3

Not available

Higher Secondary Schools
English Medium
Punjabi Medium

11
9
2

Not available

Colleges

Not available

Nursing School

Not available

Technical Schools

Not available

Sacred Heart Hospital

C.	Catholic Social Welfare

	Hospitals: 5
	Dispensaries: 20
	Vocational Training Centres: 4
	Homes for the aged: 3
	Orphanages: 6
	Diocesan Social Service Centre: 1
	Hostels for school boys: 13
	Hostels for school girls: 12
	Hostels for college students: 2
	Homes for the Mentally & Physically Challenged: 4

D.	Social Communications

Communications Commission & Public Relations Centre
Director: Father George G.P.

Address:

Sat Sewa Sanchar
11 G.F. Guru Gobind Singh Avenue
Chogitty, Jalandhar - 144009
India

Phone: +91-181-584-9989
Email: geepy_gp@hotmail.com

	Diocesan bimonthly news letter in Punjabi language: Sadazamana
	Besides, the diocese has 7 publications for various groups
	Press: 2

E.	Social Communications

none


Diocesan Pastoral Centre		Trinity College, Chogitti, Jalandhar

Religious Congregations, Societies and Institutes

A.	Religious Institutes of Men

Priests

	Order of Discalced Carmelites *~ OCD*
	Little Flower Congregation *~ CST*
	Order of Friars Minor Capuchin *~ OFM Cap*

Brothers

Congregation of the Missionary Brothers of St. Francis of Assisi (Franciscan Missionary Brothers) ~ CMSF

B.	Religious Institutes of Women

	Clarist Franciscan Missionaries of the Most Blessed Sacrament *~ CFMSS*
	Congregation of Mother of Carmel *~ CMC*
	Congregation of Preshitharam Sisters *~ CPS*
	Congregation of Sisters of Charity *~ CSC*
	Congregation of the Sisters of Nazareth *~ CSN*
	Daughters of Mary *~ DM*
	Daughters of Presentation of Mary in the Temple *~ DPM*
	Franciscan Clarist Congregation *~ FCC*
	Little Sisters of St. Therese of Lisieux *~ LST*
	Missionaries of Charity *~ MC*
	Sacred Heart Congregation for Women (Kerala) *~ SH*
	Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary *~ SCJM*
	Sisters of Charity of Saints Bartholomea Capitanio and Vincent Gerosa *~ SCCG*
	Sisters of the Destitute *~ SD*
	The Congregation of Holy Family *~ CHF*
	The Sisters of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament *~ SABS*
	The Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany *~ BS*

General Characteristics of the Diocese

Besides covering the entire civil state of the northern India's Punjab, Jalandhar diocese comprises of the neighboring four districts of Himachal Pradesh state too. On its east, it borders Pakistan.

Important cities here are: Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala etc.

In the vast area of 51,120 square kilometers, there live about 27,000,000 people, out of whom nearly 116,500 are baptized Catholics. It is one of the few dioceses in northern India, which has got a big number of Catholics. And there are nearly 20,000 catechumens. Though most of the missioners hail from the southern Kerala state, there are many local vocations, who volunteer to serve out of the diocese too.

Population
The region is mostly populated with Sikhs. Hindus and Muslims take the second and third position.

Religion, Historic Sites
Sikhs dominate the region.
The Golden Temple of the Sikhs is situated here in Amritsar. "The Vatican of the Sikhs" serves as their religious and civil headquarter. It attracts daily a large number of Sikh pilgrims, besides Indian and foreign tourists. The infamous Jallianwala Bagh is close to the Golden Temple. It was here on April 13, 1919 British General Reginald Dwyer ordered his troops on civilians, who held peaceful protest against the British rule. The killing of hundreds and wounding thousands of Indians made a turning point in the national freedom.

Language
The languages spoken here are Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Pahari and English.

Bishop's House

Economy
The major rivers like Ravi, Beas, Sutlej and Ghaggar and their various tributaries make the land fertile. Agriculture is the most important source of income. Wheat, rice, sugarcane, maze and furies are the main cultivation. Most of the people are involved in farming and business. Punjab has the highest per capita income in the country. Having played an important role in the national freedom from the British, the Sikhs contribute to the progress of the country by their vast presence in the army, business and industries. Jalandhar is famous for its production of sports and leather articles and Amritsar for cloth. The traditional shoes, Juttis, worn by the Punjabis are made in Patiala and Muktsar. The main industries of the region are manufacture of engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, leather goods, food products, textiles, electronic goods, machine tools and paper.

Culture
The famous dances in the region are bhangra, gidda, jhumar etc.

Brief History
Until the partition of India, this part belonged to Lahore diocese, presently in Pakistan. It was looked after by the Capuchin missioners of Belgian province.

Creating the Apostolic Prefecture of Jullundur on Jan. 17, 1952, the Holy See entrusted it with the British province of the Capuchins. Msgr. Francis Alban Swarbrick OFM Cap was appointed its Prefect.

Raising it to be a diocese on Dec. 6, 1971, Capuchin Father Symphorian Keeprath, a missioner from Kerala, was appointed its first bishop. Auxiliary Bishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto of Delhi was appointed its second bishop on Feb. 24, 2007, following the retirement of Bishop Keeprath.

Besides the pastoral care of the Catholics, the missioners are involved in evangelization and education through its number of educational institutions.

The patrons saint of the diocese are: Blessed Virgin Mary (Nativity) and St. Francis of Assisi.

The diocese comes under Delhi ecclesiastical province. The former Prelates are Msgr. Francis Alban Swarbrick OFM Cap (1952-1971) and Bishop Symphorian Keeprath ofm Cap (1971-2007).

< Last updated on: January 25, 2010 >