The Catholics of this district are Mangalorean Catholics. The Udupi diocese is the 9th in the province, 14th diocese in the state and 166th diocese in the country and is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Bangalore.[4]
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Mangalore (Latin: Diocesis Mangalorensis) is a diocese located in the city of Mangalore in the Ecclesiastical province of Bangalore in India. The diocese falls on the southwestern coast of India. At present, it comprises the whole civil districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi in Karnataka state. This region was collectively referred to as South Canara during the British Raj and the early post-independence era, prior to the States Reorganisation Act in 1956. It was established as a separate Apostolic Vicariate from the Apostolic Vicariate of Verapoly in 1853 and was promoted to a diocese on 1 September 1886.
On Monday, July 16, 2012, it lost territory when Pope Benedict XVI erected the new Roman Catholic Diocese of Udupi (made up of the three civil districts of Udupi, Karkala, and Kundapura), which will also become part of the Province of Bangalore.[1]
On 28 June 2021, Fr Charles Menezes assumed charge as the Secretary of the Youth Commission and the Director of the Indian Catholic Youth Movement for The Roman Catholic Diocese of Udupi[5]
