Roman Catholic Diocese of Díli

Roman Catholic Diocese of Díli
Diocese of Díli
Dioecesis Diliensis
Location
Country Timor-Leste
Metropolitan Immediately Subject to the Holy See
Statistics
Area 7,767 km2 (2,999 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		 (as of 2006)
789,701
663,331 (84.0%)
Information
Rite Latin Rite
Cathedral Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Current leadership
Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva
Map

Location of the Diocese of Díli

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Díli (Latin: Dilien(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Díli in Timor-Leste.

The country’s only Major Seminary, the Seminary of SS Peter and Paul is located within the Diocese.[1]

History

  • September 4, 1940: Established as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Díli from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Macau.
  • On September 4, 1990 the diocese celebrated its 50th anniversary.[2]
  • In 2009 the government gave US$1.5 million to two dioceses in East Timor — Dili and Baucau, which they are to receive annually “to run social programs for people”. Poverty remains a massive problem since independence in 2002, with about half of the 1 million population unemployed and 45 per cent living on less than US$1 a day.[3]
  • February 1, 2010: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dili loses territory to form the newly-erected Roman Catholic Diocese of Maliana, the third Roman Catholic diocese in East Timor
  • Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass with crowds of young people of East Timor on October 12, 1989. In 2008 a chapel and statue were built and dedicated in his honor in the suburb of Tasi-Tolu, in the Diocese. These were blessed by the Apostolic Nuncio of East Timor, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli.[4]

Leadership

Bishops of Díli (Roman rite)

    • Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva (February 27, 2004 – present)
    • Bishop Basilio do Nascimento (Apostolic Administrator November 26, 2002 – February 27, 2004)
    • Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, S.D.B. (Apostolic Administrator 1983 – November 26, 2002)
    • Fr. Martinho da Costa Lopes (later Msgr.) (Apostolic Administrator 1977 – 1983)
    • Bishop José Joaquim Ribeiro (January 31, 1967 – October 22, 1977)
    • Bishop Jaime Garcia Goulart (October 12, 1945 – January 31, 1967)

References

  1. ^ Agenzia Fides 2/7/2008
  2. ^ UCANews August 10, 1990
  3. ^ UCANews September 22, 2009
  4. ^ Agenzia Fides 19/6/2008

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