History
The history of Vasai is as old as Christianity itself. Tradition
has it that St. Bartholomeo, the apostle, came to Kalyan
which forms part of Thane district in which is situated the
Diocese of Vasai. In the 6th century, Kalyan had a Bishop elected
and sent from Persia. Jordenus worked as a Dominican priest
for a brief period in a church at Sopara in 1321 in this diocese
when he had come just as a Father before he was appointed as
the first Bishop of Quilon.
In 1534, the Portuguese moved to Vasai from Cochin and Goa.
In 1536, they put up a church in Vasai Fort dedicated to Our
Lady of Life. There was also a Parish church under the title
of St. Joseph. This Church was known as the 'Se' or 'Seat of
the Bishop.' Whenever the Bishop of Goa visited Vasai that was
the church from where he officiated.
With the arrival of the Portuguese Frs. the Franciscans, Dominicans,
Jesuits, Augustinians, they started sending their Fathers to
Vasai. (The Brothers of St. John of God were also among them).
They erected 3 big churches in North Vasai and about 5 churches
in South Vasai. There were churches built by them in Palghar
and Dahanu Talukas. Today, they do not exist. The Catholics
of the former 8 churches are being served today by the 33 ecclesiastical
units which form the major part of this diocese.
The Church in this diocese had its ups and downs during the
18 - 20 centuries i.e. during the Maratha and the British rule,
but the priests that came from Goa kept up the faith when the
European Fathers were driven away. The local priests coming
from the East Indian Community were among the first ones to
help the Goan priest in preserving the faith of the people of
this area which they had received from the Portuguese from the
16th Century.
The 1,13,817 (One lakh thirteen thousand eight hundred seventeen)
Catholic population of the diocese today gives good number of
vocations. The diocese today has 33 Churches, 56 Convents, 4
Hospitals, 3 Senior and 2 Junior Colleges, 23 High Schools and
57 Primary Schools, not to speak of the Orphanages, Homes for
the Aged, Dispensaries, Leprosy Homes, etc.
The new Diocese of Vasai was created on May 22, 1998 by His
Holiness Pope John Paul II. The good tidings of the creation
of the new diocese were joyfully announced by His Eminence Cardinal
Ivan Dias, on Sunday, June 28, 1998, the eve of the feast of
the Apostles, Sts. Peter and Paul, at the Shrine dedicated to
Our Lady of Remedy, in the august presence of Simon Cardinal
Pimenta. The Installation ceremony of Most Reverend Bp Thomas
Dabre as the First Bishop of the new Diocese took place at the
new Cathedral of Our Lady of Grace, Papdy, on August 15, 1998.
Abp. FELIX
ANTHONY MACHADO
Born: June 06, 1948
Priestly Ordn: Oct. 30, 1976
Appointed Bishop of Nashik: Jan. 16, 2008
Episcopal Ordn: Mar. 08, 2008
Appointed Bishop of Vasai: Nov. 10, 2009
Address:
Bishop of Vasai
Bishop's House
Vasai (West), Dist. Thane - 401 202
Maharashtra.
Tel: (0250) 23 80 220, 23 81 521, 23 80 898
Fax: (0250) 23 83 333
Mobile: 93 26 47 15 61
E-mail: vasaidiocese@vsnl.net
Website: dioceseofvasai.org
Area: 6,693.8 sq. kms.
Total population: 29,13,243
Catholics: 1,13,817
Languages spoken: Marathi, English, Hindi, Konkani, Kannada,
Tamil and Malayalam.
Statistics
Diocesan Clergy: 67
Religious Priests: 44
Religious Brothers: 15
Religious Women: 312
No. of Parishes: 33
Houses of Women Religious: 56
Houses of Men Religious: 13
Formation Houses
Minor Seminary: 01
No. of Educational Institutions
P. G. Depts. / Colleges:
Senior: 03
Junior: 02
B. Ed. Colleges: 01
Students: 80
Colleges: 01
Students: 2,635
Technical Institutions: 01
Students: 22
Sr. Secondary Schools (10+2): 04
Students: 2,838
High Schools (10th std.): 23
Students: 19,037
Primary Schools: 57
Students: 23,431
Hospitals: 04
Beds: 270
Dispensaries: 32
Other Institutions: 09
