Roman Catholic Diocese of Balasore

Diocese of Balasore Dioecesis Balasorensis बालासोर के सूबा
Location
Country	India
Ecclesiastical province	Cuttack–Bhubaneswar
Metropolitan	Cuttack–Bhubaneswar
Statistics
Area	25,118 km2 (9,698 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2012) 8,974,200 23,643 (0.3%)
Parishes	39
Information
Rite	Latin Rite
Cathedral	Christ the King Cathedral in Balasore
Patron saint	Christ the King
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Simon Kaipuram, C.M.
Metropolitan Archbishop	John Barwa
Bishops emeritus	Thomas Thiruthalil Bishop Emeritus (1989-2013)
Website
Website of the Diocese

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Balasore (Latin: Balasoren(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Balasore in the Ecclesiastical province of Cuttack–Bhubaneswar in India.

On Monday, December 9, 2013, Pope Francis accepted the resignation from the pastoral governance of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Balasore, presented by Bishop Thomas Thiruthalil, CM, in accordance with Canon 401.1 of the Latin rite Code of Canon Law. Pope Francis appointed as Bishop-elect of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Balasore, the Reverend Father Simon Kaipuram, C.M., who until then had been serving as Dean and Professor of Aquinas College of Gopalpur, India, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Berhampur (based in Berhampur, India).

History

• June 8, 1968: Established as the Apostolic Prefecture of Balasore from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta
• December 18, 1989: Promoted as Diocese of Balasore

Leadership

• Bishops of Balasore (Latin Rite)
  • Bishop Simon Kaipuram, C.M. (December 9, 2013 – present)
  • Bishop Thomas Thiruthalil, C.M. (December 18, 1989 – December 9, 2013)
  • Father Jacob Vadakevetil, C.M. (Apostolic Administrator, June 14, 1968 – 1989)

References

• GCatholic.org
• Catholic Hierarchy