The Roman Catholic Church in India is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome.
There are over 17 million Catholics in India, which represents 1.5% of the total population. There are 157 ecclesiastical units in India comprising 29 archdioceses and 128 dioceses. Of these, 127 are Latin Rite, 25 Syro-Malabar Rite and 5 Syro-Malankara Rite.
Inquisition
In the European enclave of Goa and other European holdings during the colonial period, inquisition was imposed and an unknown number of followers of Hinduism and other native religions were burnt at the stake or forcibly converted. A large number of restrictive religious laws were enacted, including the banning of Hindu musical instruments, dhoti, betel leaves and cholis. Many Hindu temples were converted or destroyed, and Christian churches built in their place, often from the materials of the temples they replaced. Throughout this period several important Hindu texts were burned in an effort to saturate the area with Christian religious texts. According to Rao, R.P. (1963) Portuguese Rule in Goa: 1510--1961. New York: Asia Publishing House. Page 43:
"St. Francis Xavier made it a point not only to convert the people but also destroy the idols and ancient places of worship."
People who were accused of heresy (not all of these were Hindus, though they were the majority) were subjected to gruesome punishment generally done in secret. "Pagans" were flogged, interrogated, and dismembered in front of relatives. Portuguese knowledge of anatomy enabled the forced amputation of limbs from people while they were still alive, even if all that was remaining was the torso attached to the head.[1]
Evangelisation
Today, nationalist Hindu groups are opposed to evangelisation by Christians in India, which they claim has been accomplished through objectionable means such as anti-Hindu miseducaton and social or economic bribery, as opposed to intellectual free choice.
Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Provinces
Roman Catholic Diocese of Ajmer-Jaipur
Roman Catholic Diocese of Allahabad
Roman Catholic Diocese of Bareilly
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jhansi
Roman Catholic Diocese of Lucknow
Roman Catholic Diocese of Meerut
Roman Catholic Diocese of Udaipur
Roman Catholic Diocese of Varanasi
Metropolitan: Agra is currently a vacant see; the Archbishop, Oswald Gracias, was transferred to Bombay to replace Cardinal Ivan Dias, who was named to head a department of the Roman Curia.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Bellary
Roman Catholic Diocese of Belgaum
Roman Catholic Diocese of Chikmagalur
Roman Catholic Diocese of Karwar
Roman Catholic Diocese of Mangalore
Roman Catholic Diocese of Mysore
Roman Catholic Diocese of Shimoga
Metropolitan: Archbishop Bernard Moras
Roman Catholic Diocese of Gwalior
Roman Catholic Diocese of Indore
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jabalpur
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jhabua
Roman Catholic Diocese of Khandwa
Metropolitan: Archbishop Pascal Topno, SJ
Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashik
Roman Catholic Diocese of Pune
Roman Catholic Diocese of Vasa
Metropolitan: Archbishop Oswald Gracias
Roman Catholic Diocese of Baruipur
Roman Catholic Diocese of Darjeeling
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalpaiguri
Roman Catholic Diocese of Krishnagar
Roman Catholic Diocese of Raiganj
Roman Catholic Diocese of Bagdogra
Diocese of Asansol Metropolitan: Archbishop Lucas Sirkar, SDB
Metropolitan: Archbishop Raphael Cheenath, SVD
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jammu - Srinagar
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar
Roman Catholic Diocese of Simla - Chandigarh
Metropolitan: Archbishop Vincent M. Concessão
Metropolitan: Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes
Goa and Daman
Patriarch: Patriarch Filipe Neri Ferrao
Metropolitan: Archbishop Thomas Menaparampil, SDB
Metropolitan: Archbishop Marampudi Joji
Metropolitan: Archbishop Joseph Mittathany
Metropolitan: Archbishop Malayappan Cinnappa
Metropolitan: Bishop Peter Fernando
Metropolitan: Archbishop Abraham Viruthakulangara
Metropolitan: Archbishop Benedict J. Osta, sj
Metropolitan: Archbishop Anthony Anandarayor
Metropolitan: Archbishop Joseph Augustine Charanakunnel
Metropolitan: Cardinal Telesphore P. Toppo
Metropolitan: Archbishop Dominic Jala, SDB
(Ecclesiastical Province of Latin Rite) Trivandrum Archdiocese (Latin),
Metropolitan: Archbishop Calist Soosa Pakiam
Verapoly,
Metropolitan: Archbishop Daniel Acharuparambil, ocd
Metropolitan: Archbishop Kagithapu Mariadas, msfs
Syro-Malabar Ecclesiastical Provinces
Syro-Malabar Mission Dioceses
Official Syro-Malabar Missions outside India
Bl. Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Catholic Mission, Los Angeles
St.Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Boston
External link
Syro-Malankara Ecclesiastical Provinces
Metropolitan: Major Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios, oic
External link
Statistics
Statistics for 2003 Total number of diocesan priests: 14,000; Religious Priests: 13,500; Religious Brothers: 4,300; Religious Sisters: 90,000; Total no. of Religious Congregations: 300 (Men, 70; Women, 230)
Educational Institutions: Kindergartens/Nursery Schools: 3,785; Primary Schools: 7,319; Secondary Schools: 3,765; Colleges: 240; Medical/Nursing Schools/Colleges: 28; Engineering Colleges: 5
Social Welfare Activities: Technical Training Schools/Polytechnics: 1,524; Hostels/Boarding Houses: 1,765; Orphanages: 1,085; Creches: 228; Hospitals: 704; Dispensaries/Health Centres: 1,792; Leprosaria: 111; Rehabilitation Centres: 102; Homes for Aged, Destitutes & Physically challenged: 455
External links
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