The disocese of Cuttack was part of the Diocese of Visakhapatnam(Andhra Pradesh) since 1845, then missionaries of St. Francis de Sales, (MSFS) established parishes and took care of the pastoral needs of the region. Due to First World War most of the French Missionaries went back to France. On 10 January 1922 a group of four Spanish Vincentian Priests (Congregation of Missions or CM) came to Orissa and they replaced the French MSFS missionaries. On 18 July 1928 Pope Pius XI declard the Mission of Cuttack “Missio Sui Juris”. Fr. Valerian Guemes, CM was appointed its Administrator and later on as the “Ecclesiastical Superior” of this Mission. In 1937, Cuttack Mission was elevated to a Diocese and made a suffragan of Ranchi Archdiocese and Rev. Msgr. Florencio Sanz Esperanza, CM, was appointed first Bishop of the Diocese of Cuttack in 1938. In 1948 he retired and Rt. Rev. MSgr. Paul Tobar Gonzalves, CMbecame his successor.
A Brief History Of The Archdiocese
A Brief History Of The Archdiocese
On 18April 1971 Bishop Tobar died and Fr.Vincent Urbaneja, CM was electedAdministrator of the Diocese. On 24 January 1974 CuttackMission was divided into the Metropolitan see of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar and the Diocese of Berhampur. Most Rev. Msgr. Henry D’Souza was appointed the first Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar. He was ordained on 5 May 1974 in Calcutta. In the same year the Bishop’s residence was shifted from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar, the state capital. In April, 1984Archbishop Henry D’Souza was called back to the Archdiocese of Calcutta. On August 11, 1985, Bishop Raphael Cheenath,SVDof the Diocese of Sambalpur succeeded him as the Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar. Archbishop Raphel Cheenath, SVD retired and Bishop John Barwa was announced Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar of February 11, 2001.Archbishop-elect John Barwa was installed Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar on April 2, 2011 at Our Lady of most Holy Rosary Cathedral, Cuttack.
We are Locate in
The Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar comprises nine civil districts, namely Boudh, Cuttack, Kandhamal, Kendrapara, Khuda, Jagatsingpur, Jajpur, Nayagarh and Puri in the state of Odisha, Eastern India covers an area of 32,440 sq km, is home to 13 million people, including some 70,300 Catholics.
The Catholics are spread over 37 parishes and are served by 88 diocesan and 65 Religious priests belong to five men Religious congregations and 20 women Religious congregations. Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Archdiocese is committed to transform the lives of poor and needy people of archdiocese to ensure the community have a healthy life and living with dignity in the society.
