Chattogram (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Lawrence Subrata Howlader, C.S.C., Archbishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Name Changed: 28 December 2018
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Bangladesh
Square Kilometers: 28,881 (11,155 Square Miles)
Description: Cox's Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachori, Noakhali, Feni, Laxmipur, Bhola, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Barisal, Jhalakathi, Borguna, Gopalganj, Madaripur, and Shariatpur
Official Web Site: https://ctgdiocese.com
Mailing Address: Archbishop's House, Bandel Road, Patharghata, P.O. Box 152, Chittagong 4000, Bangladesh
Telephone: (031)61.46.50

Historical Details

Diocese of Chittagong
- Latin Name: Chittagongensis
- Erected: 25 May 1927
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Dhaka
- Country: Bangladesh
Archdiocese of Chittagong
- Latin Name: Chittagongensis
- Elevated: 2 February 2017
- Metropolitan See
- Country: Bangladesh

Past and Present Ordinaries

Alfred-Arthur Le Pailleur, C.S.C. † (18 Jun 1927 Appointed - 8 Mar 1951 Resigned)
Raymond Larose, C.S.C. † (20 Mar 1952 Appointed - 3 Aug 1968 Resigned)
Joachim J. Rozario, C.S.C. † (3 Aug 1968 Appointed - 30 Jun 1994 Resigned)
Patrick D’Rozario, C.S.C. (3 Feb 1995 Appointed - 25 Nov 2010 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Dhaka)
Moses Montu Costa, C.S.C. † (6 Apr 2011 Appointed - 13 Jul 2020 Died)
Lawrence Subrata Howlader, C.S.C. (19 Feb 2021 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Chittagong
25 May 1927	Erected	Diocese of Dacca (Chittagong, Noakhali, Barisal, Gournadi, Narikelbari, Haflong, Badarpur, Akyab, Sandoway, Gyeithaw, and Chaugtha)	Diocese of Chittagong (erected)
18 July 1928	Territory Added		Diocese of Chittagong (Gopalganj and Kohualipara) Diocese of Krishnagar (Kasiani and Muksudpur)
18 July 1928	Territory Added	Prefecture Apostolic of Assam (Sylhet and Cachar)	Diocese of Chittagong
3 July 1929	Territory Added	Diocese of São Tomé of Meliapore (Shibpur)	Diocese of Chittagong
9 July 1940	Territory Lost	Diocese of Chittagong (Aralcan in Burma (Akyab, Paletto, Eyankpyu, and Sandoway))	Prefecture Apostolic of Akyab (erected)
15 July 1950	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Chittagong (from Calcutta)
17 January 1952	Territory Lost	Diocese of Chittagong (Sylhet and parts in India) Archdiocese of Dacca (Tripura)	Prefecture Apostolic of Haflong (erected)
29 December 2015	Territory Lost	Diocese of Chittagong (Barisal and Dhaka)	Diocese of Barisal (erected)
Archdiocese of Chittagong
2 February 2017	Elevated	Diocese of Chittagong	Archdiocese of Chittagong
Archdiocese of Chattogram
28 December 2018	Name Changed	Archdiocese of Chittagong	Archdiocese of Chattogram

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 Chittagong

1950 11,888 12,891,650 .1% 6 21 27 440 12 42 10 ap1951

1970 13,053 13,600,000 .1% 7 20 27 483 40 81 9 ap1971

1980 17,557 23,000,000 .1% 13 9 22 798 31 48 9 ap1981

1990 18,250 20,686,883 .1% 8 16 24 760 26 48 10 ap1991

1999 23,689 25,529,062 .1% 13 12 25 947 19 72 9 ap2000

2000 25,129 26,039,640 .1% 12 13 25 1,005 22 73 9 ap2001

2001 25,547 28,500,000 .1% 12 13 25 1,021 23 79 10 ap2002

2002 26,352 29,070,000 .1% 11 15 26 1,013 25 74 10 ap2003

2003 28,206 29,600,000 .1% 12 16 28 1,007 28 80 10 ap2004

2004 29,212 30,000,000 .1% 12 12 24 1,217 32 80 10 ap2005

2006 31,813 31,200,000 .1% 14 16 30 1,060 28 86 10 ap2007

2013 40,596 35,308,680 .1% 20 18 38 1,068 38 99 14 ap2014

2015 48,917 19,188,306 .3% 10 8 18 2,717 10 65 11 bul:29dec2015

2016 29,760 19,447,000 .2% 12 10 22 1,352 23 69 11 ap2017

Archdiocese of Chittagong

Archdiocese of Chattogram

2019 32,046 20,195,233 .2% 15 13 28 1,144 27 68 11 ap2020

2021 32,947 20,195,233 .2% 13 12 25 1,317 29 73 11 ap2022

2023 33,801 20,600,970 .2% 13 16 29 1,165 31 71 11 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Chittagong
1950	11,888	12,891,650	.1%	6	21	27	440	12	42	10	ap1951
1970	13,053	13,600,000	.1%	7	20	27	483	40	81	9	ap1971
1980	17,557	23,000,000	.1%	13	9	22	798	31	48	9	ap1981
1990	18,250	20,686,883	.1%	8	16	24	760	26	48	10	ap1991
1999	23,689	25,529,062	.1%	13	12	25	947	19	72	9	ap2000
2000	25,129	26,039,640	.1%	12	13	25	1,005	22	73	9	ap2001
2001	25,547	28,500,000	.1%	12	13	25	1,021	23	79	10	ap2002
2002	26,352	29,070,000	.1%	11	15	26	1,013	25	74	10	ap2003
2003	28,206	29,600,000	.1%	12	16	28	1,007	28	80	10	ap2004
2004	29,212	30,000,000	.1%	12	12	24	1,217	32	80	10	ap2005
2006	31,813	31,200,000	.1%	14	16	30	1,060	28	86	10	ap2007
2013	40,596	35,308,680	.1%	20	18	38	1,068	38	99	14	ap2014
2015	48,917	19,188,306	.3%	10	8	18	2,717	10	65	11	bul:29dec2015
2016	29,760	19,447,000	.2%	12	10	22	1,352	23	69	11	ap2017
Archdiocese of Chittagong
Archdiocese of Chattogram
2019	32,046	20,195,233	.2%	15	13	28	1,144	27	68	11	ap2020
2021	32,947	20,195,233	.2%	13	12	25	1,317	29	73	11	ap2022
2023	33,801	20,600,970	.2%	13	16	29	1,165	31	71	11	ap2024

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Moses Montu Costa, C.S.C. † (Bishop: 6 Apr 2011; Archbishop: 2 Feb 2017 to 13 Jul 2020)
Raymond Larose, C.S.C. † (Bishop: 20 Mar 1952 to 3 Aug 1968)
Alfred-Arthur Le Pailleur, C.S.C. † (Bishop: 18 Jun 1927 to 8 Mar 1951)
Joachim J. Rozario, C.S.C. † (Bishop: 3 Aug 1968 to 30 Jun 1994)

Source(s)

Diocese of Chittagong
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 19, Page 374, and Page 375
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 21, Page 178, and Page 179
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 21, Page 180
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 22, Page 121, to Page 123
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 43, Page 66, to Page 69

About Catholic-Hierarchy

Terminology/Site Help

✠

Archdiocese of Chattogram

Archidioecesis Chittagongensis