Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Mananthavady
The Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Mananthavady is an Eastern Catholic eparchy in India, under the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. It was established in 1973 by Pope Paul VI. It is a suffragan diocese of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Tellicherry, the bishop of the diocese is Jose Porunnedom.
History
The eparchy of Mananthavady was erected by Pope Paul VI, by the Bull Quanta Gloria of 1 March 1973 bifurcating the vast diocese of Tellicherry. The diocese of Tellicherry and Mananthavady were erected for the migrated peoples from the central kerala. Population explosion and the shortage of food during the post-war period (1945-1960) induced them to migrate to the uninhabited fertile lands of northern Kerala and to some isolated pockets of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka States. These places were filled with thick forests and under the threat of malaria and other diseases. The migrated people, being agrarian, risking their own life cleared the forests and settled themselves cultivating paddy, rubber, coconut, coffee, cashew, pepper etc...
The eparchy of Mananthavady comprises the civil districts of Wayanad and parts of the civil districts of Malapuram and Kannur in Kerala, the Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu and the districts of Chickmangalore, Hassan, Mandya, Mysore, and Chamarajnagar in Karnataka. Of these, the district of Mandya is entrusted to the pastoral care of the Missionary Society of St. Thomas (MST), the district of Hassan to the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) and the district of Chickmangalore to the Norbertine Fathers (O.Pream). The Catholic population is mainly concentrated in Kerala, while Karnataka and Tamil Nadu regions are considered Diaspora. The Eparchy has an area of approximately 37, 697 km2 and a population of 1,65,100 Syrian Catholics. At present there are 143 parishes, 17 independent stations and 37 mission stations.
Mar Jacob Thoomkuzhy (Archbishop-emeritus of Trichur) was consecrated as the first Bishop of Mananthavady on 1 May 1973. After 22 years of able guidance, on 7 June 1995 he was transferred to the diocese of Thamarassery. The then Protosyncellus Msgr. Joseph Kaniamattam was appointed by the Major Archbishop as the Administrator of the eparchy on 27 July 1995. On 26 January 1997 Bishop Emmanuel Pothanamuzhy CMI was consecrated the second bishop of the eparchy. After the demise of Bishop Pothanamuzhy on 6 April 2003, Proto-syncellus Msgr. George Njaralakkatt was appointed the Administrator of the eparchy. The present bishop Mar Jose Porunnedom was appointed on 18 March 2004 and was consecrated the third bishop of Mananthavady on 15 May 2004 and took charge of the office on the same day.
The diocese of Mananthavady was bifurcated and new diocese namely Bhadravathi was erected on 21 August 2007. The Bishop of the diocese of Bhadravathi is Mar Joseph Arumachadath MCBS.
The diocese of Mananthavady was again bifurcated and a new diocese namely Mandya was erected on 18 January 2010. The first Bishop of the newly erected diocese, Mandya is Mar George Njaralakatt.
Diocese at a Glance
General Statistics
Area
13036 km2
Syrian Catholic families
33864
Syrian Catholic Population
1,71,200
Churches
Foranes
11
Regions
01
Parishes
145
Independent Stations
11
Dependent Stations
64
Priests
Incardinated
218
Religious priests working in the dioceses
25
Incardinated to other dioceses
56
Religious Priests from the Diocese
275
Religious Sisters
1298
Charitable Institutions
Hospitals
14
Dispensaries
11
Home for the Physically Handicapped
03
Home for mentally challenged
07
Rehabilitation Centres
03
Orphanages
23
Old Age Homes
13
Hostels
15
Tailoring Centres
10
School of Nursing
02
Social Work Centers
04
Other Institutions
03
Institutions of Secular Education
Regular College
01
Parallel College
01
Higher Secondary Schools
06
Technical Schools
04
H. S.
20
U. P.
25
L. P.
46
Nursery Schools
86
Other Institutions
Press
02
Book Stalls
03
Religious Houses - For Men
Congregations
No. of Houses
No. of Members
CMF 01 03
CMI 06 21
CMSF 03 06
CSsr 01 04
CST Brothers 01 09
CST Fathers 04 12
FSP 02 08
MCBS 02 04
MI 01 02
MMB 02 08
MS 01 03
MSSF 02 03
O. Carm 01 02
O.Praem 01 10
OCD 01 04
OFM Conv. 01 02
OFM Cap 04 09
PSDP 01 04
RCJ 02 05
SAC 02 02
SJ 02 06
TOR 02 06
VC 02 05
Total 106 224
Religious Houses - For Women
Congregations
No. of Houses
No. of Members
AC 01 04
ASMI 02 07
CFMSS 01 04
CHF 03 13
CMC 23 81
DPM 01 4
DSC 02 15
DST 01 03
EF 01 06
FCC 31 176
FMA 01 05
ISSM 01 04
JS 01 03
LSJ 01 03
MLF 01 04
MSI 01 04
MSJ 01 04
MSMI 14 66
OLP 02 08
OSA 02 06
PHJC 01 04
RA 01 03
SAB 01 03
SABS 25 236
SAS 01 04
SCJM 01 04
SCSC 01 04
SCV 04 64
SD 04 14
SDS 01 04
SH 31 298
SJL 02 13
SKD 23 106
SNDS 01 04
SPG 01 03
SR 01 05
SRA 01 05
Srs. Cluny 01 03
Srs. TARBES 01 03
Total 239 1486
Houses of Religious Formation - For men
No. of Houses
16
No. of Students
398
Houses of Religious Formation - For women
No. of Houses
28
No. of Students
183
Bishops
- Jacob Thoomkuzhy (1 March 1973–18 May 1995)
- Mar Emmanuel Giles Pothanamuzhi (11 November 1996–6 April 2003)
- Mar Jose Porunnedom (18 March 2004–present)
External links
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