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Diocese of

Poona

India

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Poona / Poonen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Bombay

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Patrick

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1854.03.08: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Poona / Poonen(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Bombay)
1886.09.01: Promoted as Diocese of Poona / Poonen(sis) (Latin)
1887.06.07: Became suffragan of Bombay
1953.09.19: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Belgaum
1953.10.20: Gained territory from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Goa and Daman
1987.05.15: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Nashik
1988.04.30: Lost territory to Diocese of Kalyan
2005.07.05: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Sindhudurg

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1986.02)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2025.11.01 – ...):

Bishop-elect Simon Almeida (65)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Poona (Roman Rite)

Bishop-elect Simon Almeida (65)
(2025.11.01 – ...)

Bishop of Poona (India)

Born:	1960.11.04 (Ghas, India)
Ordained Priest:	1990.04.01

Priest of Poona (India) (1990.04.01 – 2025.11.01)

Bishop of Poona (India) (2025.11.01 – ...)

Bishop John Rodrigues (58) (later Archbishop)
(2023.03.25 – 2024.11.30)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bombay (India)

Building up the body of Christ

Born:	1967.08.21 (Mumbai, India)
Ordained Priest:	1998.04.18
Consecrated Bishop:	2013.06.29

Priest of Bombay (India) (1998.04.18 – 2013.05.15)

Titular Bishop of Deultum (2013.05.15 – 2023.03.25)

Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay (India) (2013.05.15 – 2023.03.25)

Bishop of Poona (India) (2023.03.25 – 2024.11.30)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Bombay (India) (2024.11.30 – 2025.01.25)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bombay (India) (2025.01.25 – ...)

Bishop Thomas Dabre (80)
(2009.04.04 – 2023.03.25)

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)

Bishop Valerian D’Souza
(1977.07.07 – 2009.04.04)

Inspired by the word of God

Born:	1933.10.03 (Pune, India)
Ordained Priest:	1961.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.09.25
Died:	2020.02.25 (Pune, India † 86)

Bishop of Poona (India) (1977.07.07 – 2009.04.04)

Vice-President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (2002 – 2007)

Apostolic Administrator of Nashik (India) (2007.03.31 – 2008.01.16)

Bishop William Zephyrine Gomes
(1967.06.12 – 1976.12.01)

Born:	1916.08.26 (Karachi, India)
Ordained Priest:	1941.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1961.05.21
Died:	2004.03.05 (Scottsdale, AZ, USA † 87)

Titular Bishop of Parlais (1961.03.18 – 1967.06.12)

Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay (India) (1961.03.18 – 1967.06.12)

Bishop of Poona (India) (1967.06.12 – 1976.12.01)

Bishop Andrew Alexis D’Souza
(1949.05.12 – 1967.06.12)

Born:	1889.08.23 (Siolim, India)
Ordained Priest:	1919.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1949.08.24
Died:	1980.08.26 († 91)

Bishop of Poona (India) (1949.05.12 – 1967.06.12)

Titular Bishop of Elephantaria in Proconsulari (1967.06.12 – 1971.01.18)

Archbishop Heinrich Döring (ハインリヒ・デーリング), S.J.
(1927.07.14 – 1948.01.15)

Born:	1859.09.13 (Bocholt, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1882.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1907.12.08
Died:	1951.12.17 (Pune, India † 92)

Bishop of Poona (India) (1907.09.07 – 1921.06.16)

Titular Archbishop of Madytus (1921.06.16 – 1927.07.14)

Vicar Apostolic of Hiroshima 広島 (Japan) (1921.06.16 – 1927.07.14)

Archbishop-Bishop of Poona (India) (1927.07.14 – 1948.01.15)

Titular Archbishop of Anazarbus (1948.01.15 – 1951.12.17)

Archbishop Alban Goodier, S.J.
(Apostolic Administrator 1923 – 1926)

Bishop Heinrich Döring (ハインリヒ・デーリング), S.J. (later Archbishop)
(1907.09.07 – 1921.06.16)

(see above)

Bishop Bernhard Beiderlinden, S.J.
(1886.12.20 – 1907.05.07)

Born:	1842.08.18 (Münster, Germany)
Consecrated Bishop:	1887.02.27
Died:	1907.05.07 (Khandala, India † 64)

Bishop of Poona (India) (1886.12.20 – 1907.05.07)

Bishop Johann Gabriel Léon Louis Meurin, S.J. (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 1867.03.27 – 1886.09.01)

Bishop Waltar Steins Bisschop, S.J. (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 1860.10.10 – 1867.01.11)

Bishop Alexis Canoz, S.J.
(Apostolic Administrator 1858 – 1860.12.18)

Bishop Anastasius Hartmann, O.F.M. Cap.
(Apostolic Administrator 1854.03.08 – 1858.06)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Pune, Mahārāshtra

Bombay (↖), Nashik (↑), Aurangabad (↗), Gulbarga (↘), Sindhudurg (↓), Belgaum (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 49,687 km²

Population: 92,360 Catholics (0.3% of 27,403,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 42 parishes

Personnel: 194 priests (64 diocesan, 130 religious), 1 deacon, 1,511 religious (1,211 brothers, 300 sisters), 2 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.11.28

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