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The Third Order
Regular (TOR) Franciscan Missionaries of the Province of the Most
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Loreto, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. came to the
Diocese of Patna in 1939 to assist the Jesuits who were already
engaged in the evangelization work in the region. They were then
assigned to the Mission Stations of Bhagalpur, Gokhla, Poreyahat and
Godda.
In 1956
Bhagalpur was cut off from the Diocese of Patna and a Prefecture
Apostolic was established by the Holy See. Rt. Rev. Msgr. Urban
McGarry TOR was appointed as the first Prefect Apostolic on 7th
August 1956.
The Diocese of Bhagalpur was erected and its
first Bishop,
Rt. Rev. Urban McGarry
TOR
was appointed on 25th January
1965. It was carved out of the South Eastern portion of Patna
Diocese. At present it comprises the civil Districts of Bhagalpur,
Godda, Deoghar, Banka, Jamui, Giridih, and parts of Sahebganj and
Monghyr districts.
Within a short
time of their arrival, the TOR missionaries recruited local
vocations and a novitiate was started. A further step forward was
taken when a Franciscan Monastery a Ranchi was established to
further the training of Religious Clerics. A Minor Seminary (now
Regional Seminary) was opened in 1960 at Bhagalpur where the
Franciscan and diocesan candidates were being trained. At present,
candidates from the Regional Diocese are being trained in the
Seminary.
Twenty Three
Religious Congregations of Sisters having many houses share a great
burden in the educational, medical, social and pastoral activities
of the Diocese at present.
On
October 8,1970 the Revenue Thana Of Chakai, Dt. Monghyr, (now Jamui
District) embracing Mariampahari and Jhajha, formerly of Patna
Diocese was annexed to the Diocese by the S. Cong for the
Evangelization of the people, in virtue of Faculty granted by Pope
Paul VI. Shortly after the part of the Giridih District, formerly of
Ranchi Archdiocese was likewise annexed to the Diocese of Bhagalpur.
In 1984, the Parishes of Sokho and Kharagpur, formerly of
Patna Diocese were handed over to Bhagalpur Diocese.
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