EXCLUSIVE

Tom Cruise said he wasn't able to see his daughter for months because he was shooting "Mission Impossible 5" in London, and he was counting the hours before he came home to little Suri. But we're told he was off work for 2 weeks after shooting wrapped, yet never saw her.

Sources connected to Katie Holmes tell TMZ ... it's worse than that. They say Tom has not seen the 8-year-old in almost a year. Tom's rep previously denied that and said the actor has seen his daughter plenty, but on the down low to shield her from cameras.

But our Katie sources say that's not true ... that he's just not been a part of her life.

There's been speculation Tom is distancing himself from Katie and Suri because they've been declared SPs in Scientology, but we've checked with the Church and we're told that is simply not true.

Tom is now back to business ... he just began a 90 day shoot in Atlanta.

He did take time Sunday to take his son Connor to the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament in Tampa.