Roman Catholic Diocese of Mymensingh

Diocese of Mymensingh Dioecesis Mymensinghensis ময়মনসিংহ ধর্মপ্রদেশ
Location
Country	Bangladesh
Metropolitan	Dhaka
Statistics
Area	16,448 km2 (6,351 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2013) 14,011,991 76,047 (0.5%)
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Latin Rite
Established	15 May 1987
Cathedral	St Patrick’s Cathedral in Mymensingh
Patron saint	Saint Patrick
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Paul Ponen Kubi, C.S.C.
Metropolitan Archbishop	Patrick D'Rozario, C.S.C.
Map

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Mymensingh (Latin: Dioecesis Mymensinghensis) is a diocese located in the city of Mymensingh in the ecclesiastical province of Dhaka in Bangladesh. Bishop Ponen Paul Kubi, CSC, DD is head of the Diocese of Mymensingh. Most of the people in this Diocese are from Garo tribal community. Bishop is also a Garo tribal. A total of 76,047 Catholics and 6665 Protestant Christians live here. People live on farming, day laborer in rural area and many people live in cities as migrant workers. Female Garo are very skill in beauty parlor profession.

History

Mymensingh Diocese was part of Dhaka Archdiocese before in 1987. It was created by Pope John Paul II. Rev. Bishop Francis A Gomes was the first bishop in the Diocese of Mymensingh.

In 1909, five Garo leaders made a long trip down to Dhaka to ask the Catholic Bishops to send them a priest. A year later, Arch Bishop sent Fr. Fleury CSC and Brother Eugene CSC to study the situation.

In late 1910 and early 1911, Rev. Fr. Adolphe Francis CSC began the work in Tausalpara near Ranikhong. On 19 March 1911, Father Francis reaped the first fruits with 21 Catholic baptisms at Tausalpara. The first church among the Garos was built at Tausalpara in 1912, and in 1913 Rev. Fr. Francis began living there. In 1915, he moved to the Ranikhong hill where Ranikhong Parish is now.

Until 1918, Father Francis was practically always alone, tramping the Garo country from east to west, covering the 90 miles strip of territory, where in the following twenty-five years a total of six parishes were established.

On Christmas Day 2003, Rev. Fr. Ponen Paul Kubi CSC (at the time Director of the Pobitra Krush Sadhana Griha, Rampura, Dhaka) was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Mymensingh and consecrated in Mymensingh on 13 February 2004. On 15 July 2006, Bishop Ponen Paul Kubi CSC was appointed Second Bishop of Mymensingh by Pope Benedict XVI. The Installation ceremony was held on September 1, 2006.

Bishops

• Bishops of Mymensingh (Roman rite)
  • Bishop Francis Anthony Gomes (May 15, 1987 – July 15, 2006)
  • Bishop Paul Ponen Kubi, C.S.C. (July 15, 2006 – present)

Notable personalities

• Advocate Late Promode Mankin, MP, State Minister for Ministry of Social Welfare

References

• GCatholic.org
• Catholic Hierarchy
• [1] Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine
• Diocese of Mymensingh