Ajmer (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Vacant
Oswald Joseph Lewis, Apostolic Administrator
Pius Thomas D’Souza, Bishop Emeritus
Ignatius Menezes, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 20 July 2005
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Agra
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: India
Square Kilometers: 146,680 (56,655 Square Miles)
Description: Ajmer, Jodhpur, Kota, Barmer, Bundi, Jalore, Jhalwar, Pali, Sirohi, Tonk, Jaisalmer, and Baran
Official Web Site: https://www.ajmerdiocese.com
Mailing Address: Bishop's House, Kaiserganj, Ajmer-305001, Rajasthan, India
Telephone: (0145) 2460.074
Fax: (same)

Historical Details

Mission "Sui Iuris" of Rajputana
- Erected: 1890
- Country: India
Prefecture Apostolic of Rajputana
- Latin Name: Rajputanensis
- Elevated: 1891
- Country: India
Diocese of Ajmer
- Latin Name: Aimerensis
- Elevated: 22 May 1913
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Agra
- Country: India
Diocese of Ajmer and Jaipur
- Latin Name: Aimerensis et Iaipurensis
- Name Changed: 13 May 1955
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Agra
- Country: India
- Square Kilometers: 286,742 (110,754 Square Miles)

Past and Present Ordinaries

Bertrand Radigue, O.F.M. Cap. † ( 1891 Appointed - 1903 Resigned)
Fortunat-Henri Caumont, O.F.M. Cap. † (27 Jan 1903 Appointed - 4 Apr 1930 Died)
Mathurin-Pie Le Ruyet, O.F.M. Cap. † (9 Jun 1931 Appointed - 16 Jul 1938 Resigned)
Guy-Léandre Le Floch, O.F.M. Cap. † (13 Jun 1939 Appointed - 9 Aug 1946 Died)
Leo D’Mello † (21 Apr 1949 Appointed - 15 Nov 1978 Retired)
Ignatius Menezes (15 Nov 1978 Appointed - 3 Nov 2012 Retired)
Pius Thomas D’Souza (3 Nov 2012 Appointed - 1 Jun 2024 Resigned)

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Mission "Sui Iuris" of Rajputana
1890	Erected	Archdiocese of Agra	Mission "Sui Iuris" of Rajputana (erected)
Prefecture Apostolic of Rajputana
1891	Elevated	Mission "Sui Iuris" of Rajputana	Prefecture Apostolic of Rajputana
Diocese of Ajmer
22 May 1913	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Rajputana	Diocese of Ajmer
11 March 1935	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ajmer (Part of the Administration of Central India, which is south of the Administration of Rajputana, the Prefecture (tahsil) of Thandla, the districts of Isaghar and Mandasor, and the State of Sitaman) Diocese of Allahabad (State of Bhopal and the district of Bhilsa) Diocese of Nagpur (District of Eoshangabad (except Pachmari), district of Nimar, State of Barwani, and that part of the States of Indore and Dhar, which lies to the south of the river Narbada)	Prefecture Apostolic of Indore (erected)
21 June 1951	Territory Added	Archdiocese of Agra (Bandikui and Alwar)	Diocese of Ajmer
8 May 1955	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ajmer (Multan)	Diocese of Rawalpindi
Diocese of Ajmer and Jaipur
13 May 1955	Name Changed	Diocese of Ajmer	Diocese of Ajmer and Jaipur
13 September 1963	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ajmer and Jaipur (Raisen) Diocese of Indore (Bhopal, Sehore, Vishisha, and Hoshangabad) Diocese of Jabalpur (Sagar)	Archdiocese of Bhopal (erected)
2 April 1973	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ajmer and Jaipur (Guna)	Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Sagar (Syro-Malabar)
11 March 1981	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ajmer and Jaipur (Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh)	Diocese of Indore
3 December 1984	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ajmer and Jaipur (Bhilwara, Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Dungarpur, and Manswara (in Rajasthan) along with tehsil of Thandla in Madhya Pradesh)	Diocese of Udaipur (erected)
20 July 2005	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ajmer and Jaipur (Jaipur, Dausa, Alwar, Sawai Madhopur, Karoli, Nagaur, Sikar, Hanumangarh, Jhunjhumu, Churu, Ganganagar, and Bikaner)	Diocese of Jaipur (erected)
Diocese of Ajmer
20 July 2005	Name Changed	Diocese of Ajmer and Jaipur	Diocese of Ajmer

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Ajmer

1950 7,225 10,893,212 .1% 27 25 52 138 66 4 ap1951

Diocese of Ajmer and Jaipur

1959 10,202 16,600,000 .1% 39 21 60 170 10 345 28 ap1960

1970 17,875 20,500,000 .1% 57 15 72 248 30 471 14 ap1971

1980 25,273 33,660,000 .1% 64 15 79 319 43 578 11 ap1981

1990 9,846 31,500,000 .0% 37 21 58 169 32 473 8 ap1991

1999 12,459 40,323,500 .0% 49 23 72 173 33 555 8 ap2000

2000 12,746 41,031,600 .0% 52 25 77 165 32 563 8 ap2001

2001 12,869 46,435,014 .0% 53 27 80 160 33 551 11 ap2002

2002 13,119 46,899,364 .0% 54 28 82 159 34 558 11 ap2003

2003 13,206 46,888,150 .0% 52 30 82 161 38 604 12 ap2004

2004 13,286 43,550,000 .0% 49 30 79 168 38 593 12 ap2005

Diocese of Ajmer

2006 9,190 17,606,347 .1% 33 10 43 213 15 376 8 ap2007

2012 9,320 19,827,000 .0% 38 14 52 179 21 418 10 ap2013

2015 9,980 22,360,000 .0% 38 21 59 169 28 470 14 ap2016

2018 7,521 23,208,860 .0% 48 23 71 105 26 458 12 ap2019

2020 7,680 23,697,200 .0% 50 21 71 108 24 471 12 ap2021

2022 7,630 23,533,000 .0% 52 23 75 101 26 485 12 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Ajmer
1950	7,225	10,893,212	.1%	27	25	52	138		66	4	ap1951
Diocese of Ajmer and Jaipur
1959	10,202	16,600,000	.1%	39	21	60	170	10	345	28	ap1960
1970	17,875	20,500,000	.1%	57	15	72	248	30	471	14	ap1971
1980	25,273	33,660,000	.1%	64	15	79	319	43	578	11	ap1981
1990	9,846	31,500,000	.0%	37	21	58	169	32	473	8	ap1991
1999	12,459	40,323,500	.0%	49	23	72	173	33	555	8	ap2000
2000	12,746	41,031,600	.0%	52	25	77	165	32	563	8	ap2001
2001	12,869	46,435,014	.0%	53	27	80	160	33	551	11	ap2002
2002	13,119	46,899,364	.0%	54	28	82	159	34	558	11	ap2003
2003	13,206	46,888,150	.0%	52	30	82	161	38	604	12	ap2004
2004	13,286	43,550,000	.0%	49	30	79	168	38	593	12	ap2005
Diocese of Ajmer
2006	9,190	17,606,347	.1%	33	10	43	213	15	376	8	ap2007
2012	9,320	19,827,000	.0%	38	14	52	179	21	418	10	ap2013
2015	9,980	22,360,000	.0%	38	21	59	169	28	470	14	ap2016
2018	7,521	23,208,860	.0%	48	23	71	105	26	458	12	ap2019
2020	7,680	23,697,200	.0%	50	21	71	108	24	471	12	ap2021
2022	7,630	23,533,000	.0%	52	23	75	101	26	485	12	ap2023