Diocese of Vasai, India 🇮🇳

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Vasai / Vasaien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Bombay

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Gonçalo Garcia

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1998.05.22: Established as Diocese of Vasai / Vasaien(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bombay and became suffragan of Bombay)

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1986.02)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2024.11.09 – ...):

Bishop Thomas Francis D’Souza (55)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Vasai (Roman Rite)

Bishop Thomas Francis D’Souza (55)
(2024.11.09 – ...)

Bishop of Vasai (India)

To fan the flames of faith

Born:	1970.03.23 (Chulne, India)
Ordained Priest:	1998.04.18
Consecrated Bishop:	2024.12.15

Priest of Vasai (India) (1998.04.18 – 2024.11.09)

Bishop of Vasai (India) (2024.11.09 – ...)

Archbishop Felix Anthony Machado (77)
(2009.11.10 – 2024.06.06)

Archbishop-Bishop emeritus of Vasai (India)

Peace and harmony

Born:	1948.06.06 (Remedy, India)
Ordained Priest:	1976.10.30
Consecrated Bishop:	2008.03.08

Priest of Vasai (India) (1976.10.30 – 2008.01.16)

Chaplain of His Holiness (1998.12.30 – 2008.01.16)

Undersecretary of Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue (1999.10.01 – 2008.01.16)

Archbishop-Bishop of Nashik (India) (2008.01.16 – 2009.11.10)

Archbishop-Bishop of Vasai (India) (2009.11.10 – 2024.06.06)

General Secretary of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (2020.02.18 – 2024.02.06)

Bishop Thomas Dabre (80)
(Apostolic Administrator 2009.04.04 – 2009.11.10)

Bishop Thomas Dabre (80)
(1998.05.22 – 2009.04.04)

Bishop emeritus of Poona (India)

Building the spiritual life of the people

Born:	1945.10.23 (Bhuigaon, India)
Ordained Priest:	1971.10.31
Consecrated Bishop:	1990.05.27

Priest of Bombay (India) (1971.10.31 – 1990.04.02)

Titular Bishop of Aræ in Numidia (1990.04.02 – 1998.05.22)

Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay (India) (1990.04.02 – 1998.05.22)

General Secretary of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1998 – 2005)

Bishop of Vasai (India) (1998.05.22 – 2009.04.04)

Apostolic Administrator of Vasai (India) (2009.04.04 – 2009.11.10)

Bishop of Poona (India) (2009.04.04 – 2023.03.25)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of Our Lady of Grace, Vasai, Mahārāshtra

Baroda (↑), Nashik (↗), Bombay (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 7,596 km²

Population: 117,026 Catholics (2.6% of 4,439,027 total)

Pastoral Centres: 49 parishes, 4 missions

Personnel: 185 priests (102 diocesan, 83 religious), 458 religious (103 brothers, 355 sisters), 4 seminarians