Diocese of Kurnool

The Diocese of Kurnool, carved out of the Diocese of Nellore and established on 12 June 1967, traces its Christian roots to the Jesuit missionaries of the early 1700s, whose early converts like Rangappa and Thumma Rayaappa Reddy became the first Telugu Catholics of Rayalaseema. After the suppression of the Jesuits, the Paris Foreign Missionary Society and the Mill Hill Fathers sustained the mission until the new diocese took shape two decades after India’s independence. Successive bishops strengthened the Church through the establishment of parishes, schools, healthcare centres, convents, and social-service initiatives, with notable contributions from Bishops Joseph Rajappa, Mathew Cherian Kunnel PIME, Aruliah, and Johannes Sr. Following periods of interim leadership by Msgr. Chowrappa and the episcopacy of Cardinal Anthony Poola, Pope Francis appointed Rev. Msgr. Gorantla Johannes OCD as the fifth Bishop in April 2024, bringing his deep scholarship, linguistic skill, and vast pastoral and administrative experience. Today the diocese, spread over 43,000 km² with more than 105,000 Catholics, comprises 69 parishes, 273 mission stations, extensive educational and social-service institutions, and a vibrant network of clergy, religious, catechists, and lay associations—continuing its mission of faith, service, and community upliftment in Andhra Pradesh.