Puttur Diocese of Malankara Church to Open on April 15

Pics by Dayanand Kukkaje
DHNS
 
Mangalore, Apr 11: The inauguration of Puttur Diocese of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and the installation ceremony of the first bishop will be held at Malankara Catholic Church at Noojibalthila in Puttur Taluk on April 15. 
 
Speaking to media persons here on Saturday, Convenor of the organisation committee Fr Dr George Kalayil informed that Puttur is the first Diocese of Malnkara Catholic Church in Karnataka and that hitherto bishop of Sultan Battery Rev Dr Geevarghese Mar Divannasios will take charge as the new Bishop of Puttur.

The installation of the new bishop will take place at 11 am on April 15, and will be followed by a public meeting, which will be inaugurated by District-in-Charge Minister Krishna J Palemar. Arch Bishop Most Rev Dr Bernard Moras (Roman Catholic Church), Bishop of Belthangady Rev Lawrence Mukkuyi (Syro-Malabar Catholic Church), MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, former MP Vinay Kumar Sorake, former minister Ramanath Rai, Superior General of Bethany Ashram Rev Dr Jose Mariyadas, Mother General Rev Berthelomea and others will be present on the occasion.

Jurisdiction

The newly formed Puttur diocese will have 9 civil districts including Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Hassan, Chikmagalur, Kodagu, Mandya, Mysore, Shimoga and Chamarajanagar. The bishop house will be located at Parladka in Puttur taluk and will have 22 churches in these 9 districts under its jurisdiction.

As many as 800 families come under these 22 churches, most of whom were migrants from Kerala, generations ago.  The Malankara Catholic Church has 8 diocese in all, 6 in Kerala and 1 each in Tamilnadu and Karnataka.  Publicity Convenor Fr Samuel Puthuppady, Fr Cyprian and others were present at the press meet.