JABALPUR (JUBBULPORE), APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE.—Established on 18 July 1932 with territory detached from the dioceses of Nagpur and Allahabad, under the name of Jubbulpore. It is situated in central India and is suffragan to the archdiocese of Madras. It comprises the civil districts of J., Mandla, and Saugor; the subdivisions of Narsinghpur (part of the district of Hoshangabad) and Seoni (part of the district of Chindawara); and the former indigenous states of Bundelkhand and Baghelkand. The region, partly hilly and partly covered by jungle, has a continental climate.
It is entrusted to the Order of the Premonstratensians, who send there Fathers from the abbey of Berne in Holland. It borders on the north with the diocese of Allahabad, on the east with that of Ranchi, on the south with the diocese of Nagpur, and on the west with that of Indore. By decree of 27 Oct. 1950, the name was changed to J.
It has an area of 112,550 sq. km and a population of approximately 7,000,000 inhabitants, divided as follows: 6,500,000 pagans, 200,000 Muslims, 7,500 Protestants, and 6,000 Catholics. One-tenth of the entire population is aboriginal.
There work 26 Premonstratensian Fathers and 4 brothers, all foreigners; 3 Indian priests and about seventy sisters from various religious institutes; and 42 catechists. The primary stations with the priest in residence number 15, the secondary stations 62; there are 6 churches and 13 chapels. There are 36 elementary schools, with 3,000 boys and girls; 8 middle schools with almost 600 students; 3 secondary schools with 233 young people; and 1 vocational school with 20 girls. The teachers number 130 in all. The charitable works consist of 11 dispensaries, with approximately 40,000 consultations annually; 6 orphanages with 305 orphans; and 1 medical shelter. In recent years, associations of Catholic Action and pious confraternities have arisen. There is no seminary: some young men prepare for the priesthood at the Seminary of Ranchi.