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| Diocese of Jammu - Srinagar : History |
| In the mind of the church of 1868, Kafiristan and Kashmir were the areas of possible missionary endeavors. On July 06, 1887, the prefecture apostolic of Kafiristan and Kashmir was erected from the diocese of Lahore, which was erected out of Agra. It was entrusted to the Mill Hill Missionaries with Msgr. I. Brouwer MHM as prefect Apostolic on July 13, 1888. |
| On January 17, 1952 the ecclesiastical territory was reorganized and named as prefecture apostolic of Kashmir and Jammu and Msgr. George shanks MHM was appointed prefect apostolic. On 14 May 1968, the territory was reconstituted and renamed as the prefecture apostolic of Jammu and Kashmir. In 1963 Msgr. Boerkamp became the prefect apostolic of the mission. |
| The prefecture comprised the districts of Kashmir and Ladakh till then part of the Rawalpindi diocese and the districts of Jammu and Poonch, which belonged to the diocese of Lahore. Now, there are 14 districts in the diocese. |
| Mill Hill Missionaries served the people zealously till 1978 when it was handed over to the capuchins of St. Joseph's province, Kerala, India. Msgr. Hisppolytus kunnunkal Ofm Cap was appointed the first Indian prefect apostolic on 28th December 1978. |
| On April 10, 1986 Msgr. Hippolytus was nominated as the Bishop of Jammu-Srinagar. He was ordained bishop in Rome. On September 7, 1986 the prefecture was raised to the rank of diocese and on the same day bishop Hippolytus was installed in the newly consecrated St. Mary's cathedral, Jammu. |
| The diocesan curia, which was in Srinagar since 1952, was shifted to Jammu in December 1986 and was later housed in the bishops House, which was blessed on 25th November 1989. After the retirement of Msgr. Hippolytus, Fr. Peter Celestine Ofm Cap was ordained bishop in Jammu and was installed the bishop of Jammu-Srinagar on 6th September 1998. |
| FORMER PRELATES |
| 1888 |
Msgr. Lgnatius Brouwer MHM, Prefect of Kafristan & Kashmir |
| 1894 |
Msgr. Reyndes MHM, Prefect Of Kafristan & Kashmir |
| 1899 |
Msgr. Wagener MHM, Prefect Of Kafristan & Kshmir |
| 1914 |
Msgr. Winkley MHM, Prefect Of Kafristan & Kashmir |
| 1933 |
Msgr. O’ Donhoe MHM, Prefect of Kafristan & Kashmir |
| 1943 |
Msgr. Mayer MHM, Pro-Prefect Of Kafristan & Kashmir |
| 1952 |
Msgr. George shanks MHM, Prefect Apostolic of Kashmir & Jammu |
| 1963 |
Msgr. J. Boerkamp MHM, Prefect Apostolic of Kashmir & Jammu | | |
| FORMER BISHOP |
| 1978 - 1998 |
Most Rev. Hippolytus, Kunnunkal OFM Cap. | | |
| STATISTICAL DIGEST |
| Patroness |
Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Area |
222,236 Sqm. Kms |
| Population |
90,00,000 |
| Catholics |
13,500 |
| Diocesan Priests |
34 |
| Religious Priests |
16 |
| Priests from other Dioceses |
2 |
| Religious Sisters |
180 |
| Men Congregations |
6 |
| Women congregations |
19 |
| Seminarians |
47 |
| Catechists |
40 |
| Parishes |
28 |
| Hospitals |
3 |
| Health Centers |
3 |
| Schools |
33 |
| Publications |
1 |
| Home for Handicapped |
2 |
| School for Mentally Retarded |
1 |
| Press |
1 |
| Boarding |
2 |
| Languages |
Urdu, Punjabi, Dogri, Kashmiri, Hindi & English | | |
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