Diocese. Pope Pius X recognizing how necessary it is for the Church to develop in proportion to the opening up of new regions through greater facilities for communication, and the consequent wave of emigration, has continued the policy of Leo XIII, and erected each year a number of new sees or vicariates. As a result many dioceses have come into being since this encyclopedia was begun. The following list gives a brief account of the dioceses not described above, and in a few instances notes changes of boundaries of sees already described (see Prefecture Apostolic and Vicariate Apostolic. infra).
AIMER, Diocese of (AIMERENSIS). On May 22, 1913, the Prefecture Apostolic of Rajpootana (q.v.) was erected into a diocese, suffragan to Agra. The see was fixed at the town of Aimer, which gives its name to the new diocese; the ecclesiastical boundaries are unchanged. Msgr. Henri Caumont, Capuchin, in religion R. P. Fortunatus a Turone was appointed first bishop, May 22, 1913.
AKERA, Diocese of (AKERENSIS), in Kurdistan, a Chaldean see united to that of Amadia on April 23, 1895, from which it was separated on February 24, 1910. It has been entrusted temporarily to the government of Msgr. Joseph Emmanuel Thomas, Patriarch of Babylon, who is empowered to appoint a vicar removable ad nutum to rule the diocese, which has 8 priests, 7 stations, 2 schools, and a catholic population of 1500.
ALEXANDRIA, Diocese of (ALEXANDRINENSIS), in T.T. S. A., see Diocese of Natchitoches.
ALEXANDRIA, Diocese of (ALEXANDRINENSIS IN AMERICA), Canada.—To prevent ambiguity owing to the existence of the Diocese of Alexandria in the U.S.A., the official name of the Canadian see was changed on November 15, 1910, to Alexandria in Ontario.
ANDROS, Diocese of (ANDRENSIS), is administered by the Bishop of Tinos and Mykonos(q.v.).
ARACAYU, Diocese of (ARACAYUENSIS), in Brazil, suffragan of Sao Salvador de Bahia, erected on December 15, 1909. It comprises the State of Sergipe (area 15,000 sq. miles), with 550,000 inhabitants in 28 parishes. It was previously part of the Archdiocese of Sao Salvador de Bahia, Msgr. Josh Thom Gomel da Silva, b. at Martino, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, August 4, 1873, ordained, November 15, 1896, appointed to the see May 12 1911 is the first bishop..
BARQUISIMETO, Diocese of, also called Carabobo (q. v. infra).
BISMARCK, Diocese of (BISMARKIENSIS), see this volume supra, s.v.
BOTUCATU, Diocese of (BOTUCATUENSIS), in Brazil, suffragan of Sao Paolo, erected June 7, 1908; it comprises 52 parishes in the southwestern part of the State of Sao Paolo, previously part of the Archdiocese of Sao Paolo. Its cathedral is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows. Msgr. Lucio Antunes da Souza, b. at Sao Sebastiao de Rio Verde, Minas Geraes, April 13, 1863; ordained, December 21, 1891; appointed to the see, October 17, 1908, and consecrated at Rome, November 15, 1908, is the first bishop.
CAJAMARCA, Diocese of (CAJAMARCENSIS), in Peru, suffragan of Lima, erected in 1909; it comprises the Department of Cajamarca (area 12,400 sq. miles), with a population of 442,000, which was previously part of the Dioceses of Chachapoyas and Trujillo. The town of Cajamarca (population 12,000) is situated in the Andes, 8700 feet high. It was there Atahualpa was captured by Pizarro. The town contains 6 churches, that of Santa Catalina being the cathedral, and has 6 primary schools for boys with 900 pupils, and 4 for girls with 300 pupils; there are 150 students in the secondary school of San Ramon, an old Bethlehemite convent. Msgr. Francisco de Paula Grosso, b. at Cajamarca, March 8, 1852; ordained in 1875; nominated to the see, March 21, 1910; consecrated at Lima, July 10, 1910, is the first bishop.
CALBAYOG, Diocese of (CALBAYOGANJE), in the Philippine Islands, suffragan of Manila, erected on April 10, 1910; it comprises Capul, Leyte, Samar, Biliran, and some smaller islands, and was previously part of the Diocese of Cebu. It contains 49 secular priests, 35 religious (chiefly Franciscans in Samar), 75 parishes, 195 missions, and 812,148 Catholics. The diocesan seminary is under the care of the Lazarists; the Sisters of Charity have the College of the Miraculous Medal for girls; both these institutes are at Calbayog. Msgr. Pablo Singzon de la Anunciacion, b. in the Philippine Islands; appointed to the see on April 12, 1910; consecrated on June 12 following in the Church of San Francisco, Manila, is the first bishop. He resides at Calbayog in Samar.
CALI, Diocese of (CALIENSIS), in Colombia, see this volume supra, s.v.
CALGARY, Diocese of (CALGARIENSIS), in Canada, suffragan of Edmonton, erected on November 30, 1912; it was previously the southern portion of the Diocese of St. Albert. Its boundaries are: east, the Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan; south, the Canadian and United States frontier; west, British Columbia; north, the line separating the series of townships XXX and XXXI. On June 1, 1913, Right Rev. John Thomas MacNally, D.D., ordained on April 4, 1896, parish priest of Almonte, Lanark, On. ario, in the Diocese of Ottawa, was consecrated at Rome, first Bishop of Calgary.
CAMAGUEY, Diocese of (CAMAGUEYENSIS), in Cuba, suffragan of Santiago de Cuba, erected on December 10, 1912. It comprises the Province of Camaguey (area 10,400 sq. miles), with a population of 121,000, which was previously part of the Diocese of Santiago de Cuba. The town of Camaguey contains 35,000 inhabitants, a Piarist college, several convents, and an ancient Catholic hospital, San Lazaro.
CAMPANHA, Diocese of (CAMPANHENSIS), in Brazil, suffragan of Marianna, erected in 1907; it lies in the State of Minas Geraes, and is bounded on the north and east by the Rio Grande, on the west by the Rio Furvo and Rio Sapucalvy, and on the south by the former limits of the Dioceses of Sao Paolo and Pouso Alegre. It contains 30.parishes and was previously part of the Diocese of Pouso Alegre. Msgr. Joao d’Almeida Ferran, born at Campanha, August 14, 1853; ordained, June 25. 1876: appointed to the see April 29, 1909; and consecrated on September 12 following is the first bishop.
CAMPINAS, Diocese of (CAMPINENSIS), in Brazil, suffragan of Sao Paolo, erected on June 7, 1908. It has 35 parishes formerly part of the Archdiocese of Sao Paolo. The town of Campinas contains 16,000 inhabitants. Msgr. Joao Baptista Correa Nery is the first bishop. He was born at Campinas, October 6, 1863; ordained, April 11, 1886; appointed to the See of Spirito Santo, August 22, 1896; consecrated on November 1 following; transferred, May 18, 1901, to the See of Pouso Alegre, and to Campinas on August 9, 1908.
CARABOBO, Diocese of (DE CARABOBO), in Venezuela, suffragan of Caracas, erected on May 4, 1847. It was formerly called the Diocese of Barquisimeto (q.v.), but by a Decree of February 12, 1907, the episcopal residence was changed to Valencia, the capital of the State of Carabobo, and the name of the see was changed to Carabobo. The present bishop is Msgr. Aguedo Felipe Alvarado, b. at Bobara, February 5, 1845; appointed August 16, 1910. (See XV, 333.)
CATAMARCA, Diocese of (CATAMARCENSIS), in the Argentine Republic, erected on January 21, 1910; it comprises the Province of Catamarca (area, 47,530 sq. miles), with 107,000 inhabitants, and the Territory of the Andes (area, 35,100 sq. miles), with 2500 inhabitants (mostly Indians). See Diocese of Tucuman. x, XV, 85.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Diocese of (CORPORIS CHRISTI), in Texas, U.S.A., suffragan of New Orleans, erected on March 23, 1912, before which it had formed the Vicariate Apostolic of Brownsville (q.v.). At the beginning of the year 1913 there were in the diocese 73 churches and chapels, 35 priests, 19 of whom are Oblates of Mary Immaculate, 9 parochial schools and 5 academies with 1150 pupils, and a Catholic population of 82,400 out of 116,850 inhabitants. Rt. Rev. Paul J. Nussbaum C. P. (b. Philadelphia, 1870) was consecrated first bishop on May 20, 1913.
CORRIENTES, Diocese of (CORRIENTENSIS), in the Argentine Republic, suffragan of Buenos Aires, erected on January 21, 1910; it comprises the Provinces of Corrientes (area, 31,800 sq. miles), with 322,000 inhabitants, and Misiones (area, 8500 sq. miles), with 44,000 inhabitants, which were formerly part of the Diocese of Parana (q.v.). At the time of the separation Corrientes was a vicariate forane, with 20 parishes, while Misiones had 1 parish and 3 chaplaincies. Msgr. Luiz A. Niella, b. at Corrientes, April 24, 1854; ordained, February 2, 1879; appointed, February 3, 1911; consecrated, June 4, 1911, is the first bishop.
CORUMBA, Diocese of (CORUMBENSIS), in Brazil, suffragan of Cuyaba, erected on March 10, 1910. It was formerly part of the Diocese of Cuyaba. The town of Corumba, situated on the Rio Paraguay, in the southwest of the State of Matto Grosso, is strongly fortified and contains about 15,000 inhabitants. The principal churches are those of Nossa Senhora de la Candelaria and Nossa Senhora de los Remedios. The first bishop is Msgr. Cirillo de Paula Freitas, who was born at Capellinha, Matto Grosso March 15, 1860; ordained, May 30, 1885; appointed coadjutor Bishop of Cuyaba, and titular Bishop of Eucarpia, March 27, 1905; he was consecrated on January 7, 1906, and transferred to Corumba, on March 13, 1911.
CROOKSTON, Diocese of (CROOKSTONENSIS), in Minnesota, U.S.A., suffragan of St. Paul, erected on December 31, 1909. It was formerly part of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and comprises the following counties: Becker, Beltrami, Clay, Clearwater, Hubbard, Kittson, Marshall, Mahnomen, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, and Rosseau, having an area of 16,598 sq. miles. In the diocese there are 34 priests, of whom 19 are secular; 21,147 Catholics; 52 churches, 12 stations and 4 chapels; 7 parochial schools with 995 pupils; 2 orphan asylums; 2 Indian industrial schools with 260 pupils, and 2 hospitals. The Sisters of St. Benedict have charge of the industrial schools and the hospitals; the Sisters of St. Joseph have 2 academies for girls with 310 pupils; the Benedictine Fathers have 9 missions among the Chippewa Indians. Right Rev. Timothy Corbett, b. at Mendotta, Minnesota, in 1861; ordained, June 12, 1886; appointed to the see, April 9, 1910; and consecrated at St. Paul on May 19 following, is the first bishop.
CUYABA, Archdiocese of (CUYABENSIS), in Matto Grosso, Brazil, was raised to the archiepiscopal rank, March 10, 1910, when the Diocese of Sao Luiz de Caceres and Corumba were separated from it. The present occupant of the see, Msgr. Carlos Luiz d’Amour, was born at Sao Luiz de Maranhao, July 3, 1836; consecrated, April 28, 1878, and made archbishop on April 5, 1910.
DES MOINES, Diocese of (DES MOINENSIS), suffragan of Dubuque, erected on August 12, 1911. It comprises the 23 counties previously forming the western half of the Diocese of Davenport. The diocese contains 60 secular priests, 3 Benedictine Fathers, 4 communities of Sisters of St. Benedict, 3 of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 9 of the Sisters of Mercy, who have an hospital at Des Moines, and two at Council Bluffs, 3 of the School Sisters of St. Francis, 2 of the Sisters of the Holy Humility of Mary, 1 of Franciscan Tertiary Sisters, and 1 of Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. There are also 79 churches, 3 stations, 6 chapels, 17 parish and mission schools with 2437 pupils, 2 girls’ academies and about 25,000 Catholics. The first bishop is the Right Rev. Austin Dowling, ordained, June 24, 1891; appointed to the see, January 31, 1912; and consecrated on April 25, 1912.
EDMONTON, Archdiocese of (EDMONTONENSIS), in Canada. On November 30, 1912, when the southern half of the Diocese of St. Albert was erected into a new diocese, Calgary, the remaining portion, was erected into an archdiocese and the episcopal residence transferred from the town of St. Albert to Edmonton, which gives its name to the new metropolitan see. The suffragans of Edmonton are the Diocese of Calgary, and the Vicariates Apostolic of Athabaska and Mackenzie. Msgr. Emile Joseph Legal, O. M. I., born at St. Jean de Boiseau, France, on October 9, 1849, is the first archbishop.
FLORESTA, Diocese of (FLORESTENSIS), in Brazil, suffragan of Olinda, erected on December 5, 1910, comprises 18 parishes lying beyond the Rio Maxatb and previously part of the Diocese of Olinda. Msgr. Augusto Alvaro Alvares da Silva, b. at Recife, April 8, 1876; ordained in 1900; and appointed to the see on May 12, 1911, is the first bishop.
GIBRALTAR, Diocese of (GIBRALTARIENSIS), in Spain, was raised from being a Vicariate Apostolic to the rank of a diocese on November 19, 1910. It is immediately subject to the Holy See, and has been entrusted to the care of the Benedictines of the Monte Cassino Congregation. Right Rev. Henry Gregory Thompson, O.S.B., born at Mold, Wales, March 27, 1871; professed, August 15, 1896; appointed to the see, November 10, 1910, and consecrated at Ramsgate, England, on November 21, 1910, is the first bishop. Gibraltar contains about 16,000 Catholics; 46 priests, of whom 19 are secular; and 7 churches and chapels.
HAJDU-DOROGH, Diocese of (HAJDU-DOROGHEN-sis), Greek Rite, erected on June 8, 1912, for the Catholics of pure Greek Rite scattered through Hungary. The diocese has been endowed by the Hungarian Government, and is under the jurisdiction of the Propaganda. It comprises 8 parishes in Eperies, 70 in Munkacs, 35 in Fogaras, 1 in Gran, 44 in Grosswardein (Greek), and 4 in Szainos-Ujvar. After three years the sole liturgical language is to be ancient Greek. Hajdu-Dorogh is suffragan to the Latin See of Gran. See “Acta Apost. Sedis”, IV (1912), 429-35.
LIPA, Diocese of (LIPENSIS), suffragan of Manila, erected on April 10, 1910, comprises the Provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Mindoro, Tayabas, with the districts of Infanta and Principe having an area of 12,208 sq. miles. Tayabas was formerly part of the Diocese of Nueva Caceres. The diocese contains 75 priests, of whom several in Mindoro are Augustinians, and a few in Laguna, Minims; 72 churches and a number of mission chapels, and about 650,000 Catholics. The first bishop is Msgr. Giuseppe Petrelli, born in the Diocese of Fermo, Italy, 1871; appointed April 12, 1910; consecrated June 12, 1910.
LOURDES (LAPURDENSIS). As the sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is situated in the Diocese of Tarbes, the name of Lourdes, by a Decree of March 29, 1912, has been added, merely ad honorem, to that of Tarbes in the official title of the see.
MATANZAS, Diocese of (MATANZENSIS), in Cuba, suffragan of Santiago de Cuba; erected on December 10, 1912, comprises the Province of Matanzas formerly part of the Diocese of San Cristobal de la Habana. The town of Matanzas lies 54 miles east of Havana and has a population of 36,000. The first bishop is the Right Rev. Charles Warren Currier, born in St. Thomas, West Indies, March 22, 1857, ordained November 24, 1880, at Amsterdam, Holland, and consecrated at the Collegio Pio Latino Americano, Rome, on July 6, 1913.
MONTESCLAROS, Diocese of (MONTESCLARENSIS), in Brazil, suffragan of Marianna, erected on December 10, 1910. It was separated from the Diocese of Diamantina, and comprises the northern portion of the old diocese, lying beyond the rivers Jacquetahy, Jequitinbonha, Machubas, Sao Francisco, and Urucuja. The first bishop is Msgr. Joao Antonio Pimenta, b. at Capellinha, Minas Geraes, December 12, 1859; ordained, June 10, 1883; consecrated, May 20, 1906, as coadjutor Bishop of Sao Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul and titular Bishop of Pentacomia. He was transferred to Montesciaros on March 7, 1911.
MONT LAURIER, Diocese of, Canada, erected August 1, 1913, comprises the former northern part of the Diocese of Ottawa, with 30,000 inhabitants, 50 priests, and 36 churches. Msgr. F.—X. Brunet is the first bishop.
NATAL, Diocese of (NATALENSIS), in Brazil, suffragan of Olinda; erected on November 11, 1909. It comprises the State of Rio Grande do Norte, having an area of 22,196 sq. miles and a population of 407,000 inhabitants. This territory was formerly part of the Diocese of Parahyba. The town of Natal is a seaport, lying about 150 miles north of Pernambuco, and contains 13,700 inhabitants. The first bishop is Msgr. Joaquim Antonio de Almeida, b. at Goyaninha, Rio Grande do Norte, August 17, 1868; ordained, December 12, 1894; consecrated Bishop of Piauhy, February 4, 1906; and transferred to Natal on October 23, 1910.
OLINDA, Archdiocese of (OLINDENSIS), in Brazil. On December 5, 1910, the Diocese of Olinda (q.v.) was raised to the archiepiscopal rank. Its suffragan sees are Floresta, Fortaleza, Natal, and Parahyba. Msgr. Luiz Ramon da Silva Britto is the first archbishop.
SAN MIGUEL, Diocese of (SANCTI MICHAELIS), in Salvador, suffragan of San Salvador, erected on February 11, 1913. It is bounded on the north by Honduras, on the east by Honduras and the Bay of Fonseca, on the south by the Pacific Ocean, and on the west by the Rio Lempa; thus it comprises the Provinces of San Miguel, La Union, Morazan and Usulutan, formerly part of the Diocese of San Salvador. The town of San Miguel has a population of 25,000.
SAN SALYADOR, Archdiocese of (SANTISSMMI SALVATORIS).—By a Decree of February 11, 1913, the Diocese of San Salvador (q.v.), was withdrawn from the metropolitan jurisdiction of Guatemala and its territory divided into three parts; the western portion becoming the Diocese of Santa Ana, the eastern that of San Miguel, and the central retaining the name of San Salvador. Santa Ana and San Miguel were made suffragans to San Salvador. The archdiocese now comprises the Provinces of Cabanas, Chalatenanco, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, San Salvador, and San Vicente. The first archbishop is Msgr. Antonio Adolfo Perez, b. at San Salvador on March 20, 1839.
SANTA ANA, Diocese of (SANCTAE ANNAE), in Salvador, suffragan of San Salvador, erected on February 11, 1913; it comprises the western portion of the old territory of the Diocese of San Salvador, thus including the Provinces of Ahuachapan, Santa Ana, and Sonsonate. The town of Santa Ana has a population of 48,000, Sonsonate has 17,000.
SANTISSIMA CONCEICAO DO ARAGUAYA, Abbey nullius of (SANCTISSIMIE CONCEPTIONIS DE ARAGUAYANA), in Brazil, erected on July 11, 1911. On August 26, 1912, Msgr. Raymond—Dominique Carrerot, O.P., prior of the Convent of Conceicao from 1900, was appointed first prelate. He was born at Pamiers, France, on January 1, 1863, studied at Salamanca, was ordained in 1885; in 1887 he went to Brazil to evangelize the Indians. He was consecrated at Toulouse on October 10, 1912. The boundaries assigned to the new prelature are: on the S. the Rio Tapirape, on the E. the Araguaya from the mouth of the Tapirape to the town of Sao Joao, where the Araguaya meets the Tocatins; on the N. the Tocatins as far as Jaraba thence a right line drawn to Alta Mira on the Xingu; on the W. the Xingu as far as the mouth of the Fresco, thence to the source of the Fresco, and then a right line to the source of the Tapirape. This comprises the southeast corner of the State of Para and the northeast of the State of Matto Grosso, and roughly lies between 5° and 13. S. lat. and 49° and 53° W. long. The population consists mainly of Cayapos, Caraj a, Taraja, and Chavante Indians. This mission was begun in 1896 and the town of Conceicao founded by the Dominicans. There is a convent of Dominican Sisters at Conceicao.
SIMLA, Archdiocese of (SIMLENSIS), in India. When this see was raised to the archiepiscopal rank in 1910, the Holy See postponed the designation of its suffragan sees. On May 22, 1913, the new ecclesiastical province was completed and the Diocese of Lahore, and Prefecture Apostolic of Kafiristan and Kashmir were made suffragans of Simla.
A. A. MACERLEAN