HISTORY OF THE DIOCESE
Catholic Diocese of Jhabua was erected on 25th of March 2002 and came into existence on the 7th June 2002, bifurcating the catholic diocese of Indore and catholic diocese of Udaipur, with Bishop Chacko Thottumarickal SVD as its first Bishop. The diocese comprises of five civil districts namely Jhabua, Alirajpur, Ratlam, Mandsaur, Neemuch and Sardarpur Tehsil of Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, bordering of Gujarat and Rajasthan states. The first mission station was started in 1896 at Thandla by Fr. Charles OFM. Cap the first Bhil missionary in Jhabua district.
On 24th October 2008, Bishop Chacko T. J. SVD was transferred to the diocese of Indore. On the same day he was appointed as the Apostolic Administrator of the diocese. On the 11th May 2009, Holy Father Pope Benedict XVIth appointed Very Rev. Fr. Devprasad Ganawa SVD as the Second Bishop of Catholic diocese of Jhabua. On 16th June 2009, he was ordained as Bishop of Jhabua diocese.
On 21st December 2012 Bishop Devprasad Ganawa SVD was transferred to the Diocese of Udaipur as its Local Ordinary. On the same day he was appointed as the Apostolic Administrator of the Jhabua Diocese.
On 18th July 2015, Holy Father Pope Francis announced Very Rev. Fr. Basil Bhuriya SVD as the Third Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Jhabua.On 10thOctober2015. Fr Basil Bhuriya was Ordained as the bishop of Jhabua diocese. Since then Bishop Basil Bhuriya as a good shepherd he guided the diocese with great enthusiasm for six years. The COVID-19 pandemic struck the humanity very badly.In our diocese too many of the priests, Nuns and faithful were affected and some even lost their lives due to the pandemic. Bishop Basil Bhuriya was also tested positive on 5thMarch 2021 and was admitted in the hospital. His lungs were affected badly and were in ventilator for a month.
On 6thMay 2021, he breathed his last. His funereal was conducted on Friday 7th May 2021at 10:00 AM at Holy Spirit Church, Plada, Indore.
On 14thMay2021 the Consulters elected Rev. Fr. Peter Kharadi as the Diocesan Administrator of Catholic Diocese of Jhabua and the diocese is continuing its activities in his administrative care.