Metropolitan Shillong Pope Francis Country India | Rite Latin Rite Area 3,819 km² | |
Population
- Total
- Catholics (as of 2012)
406,227
81,242 (20%) Cathedral Cathedral of St. Theresa of Lisieux in Jowai Bishop Victor Lyngdoh; appointed by Pope Francis on October 15, 2016, and formerly Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nongstoin Ecclesiastical province Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Shillong | ||
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jowai (Latin: Iovaien(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Jowai in the Ecclesiastical province of Shillong in India. In a land area of 3,819 square kilometers, the diocesan territory covers the districts of East and West Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya.
Contents
History
The Diocese of Jowai was erected on January 28, 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI, and Father Vincent Kympat was appointed its first bishop. He was ordained on April 2, 2006 by the Apostolic Nuncio to India, Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana.
Statistics
As of December 31, 2008, Jowai diocese had 72,000 baptized Catholics, representing 26 percent of all 295,229 people in the territory. The diocese had 12 parishes and 20 mission stations. The diocese recorded 600 baptisms in 2008.
Leadership
Bishop Vincent Kympat was born December 17, 1946 in Moosutong in Shillong Diocese. He was ordained a priest on January 23, 1977 in the diocese of Shillong. He was appointed Bishop of Jowai on January 28, 2006 and was ordained on April 2, 2006. Before becoming a prelate Bishop Kympat was the chairman of Faith Formation Commission and Diocesan Coordinator for Small Christian Communities in the Archdiocese of Shillong.
He was the Chairman of Small Christian Communities Commission in North Eastern Regional Bishops' Council of India before he died on July 30, 2011. On February 3, 2014, Pope Francis named Archbishop Emeritus Thomas Menamparampil, SDB, Archbishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Guwahati in Guwahati, India, as Apostolic Administrator of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jowai until the appointment of a new Bishop.