Roman Catholic Diocese of Belize City–Belmopan
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Belize City–Belmopan (Latin: Dioecesis Belizepolitanus-Belmopanus) is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Roman Catholic Church in continental Central America. The diocese comprises the entirety of Belize, the former British dependency British Honduras. It is a Latin suffragan of the Archdiocese of Kingston (on Jamaica) and a member of the Antilles Episcopal Conference,[1] yet still depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Diocese of Belize City–Belmopan Dioecesis Belizepolitanus-Belmopanus | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | Belize |
Ecclesiastical province | Province of Kingston in Jamaica |
Statistics | |
Area | 2,591 km2 (1,000 sq mi) |
Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 2014) 334,297 162,100 (48.5%%) |
Information | |
Denomination | Catholic |
Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
Rite | Roman Rite |
Cathedral | Holy Redeemer Cathedral (Belize City) |
Co-cathedral | Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral (Belmopan) |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Francis |
Bishop | Sede Vacante |
Metropolitan Archbishop | Kenneth David Oswin Richards |
Auxiliary Bishops | Christopher Glancy, C.S.V. |
Website | |
catholic |
The cathedral of the diocese, also known as its mother church, is Holy Redeemer Cathedral in Belize City.[2] Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral in Belmopan is the co-cathedral of the diocese.[3]
History
edit- The diocese was erected as the Apostolic Prefecture of British Honduras (the country's colonial name) on 10 June 1888, on territory split off from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Jamaica.
- It was elevated on 1 March 1893 as Apostolic Vicariate of British Honduras, hence entitled to a titular bishop. Its name was changed to the Apostolic Vicariate of Belize, after its see, on 15 December 1925.
- It was elevated to Diocese of Belize on 29 February 1956. On 31 December 1983 the name of the diocese was changed to Diocese of Belize City–Belmopan.[4]
Statistics
editAs per 2014, it pastorally served 162,100 Catholics (48.5% of 334,297 total) on 22,963 km² in 13 parishes and 5 missions with 46 priests (14 diocesan, 32 religious), 2 deacons, 95 lay religious (38 brothers, 57 sisters) and a seminarian.[4]
Bishops
edit(all Roman Rite)[4]
Ordinaries
edit- Apostolic Prefect of British Honduras
- Salvatore di Pietro, SJ (10 June 1888 – 3 January 1893)
- Apostolic Vicars of British Honduras
- Salvatore di Pietro, SJ (3 January 1893 – 23 August 1898)
- Frederick C. Hopkins, SJ (17 August 1899 – 19 April 1923)
- Joseph Anthony Murphy, SJ (11 December 1923 – 15 December 1925)
- Apostolic Vicars of Belize
- Joseph Anthony Murphy, SJ (15 December 1925 – 16 July 1938)
- William A. Rice, SJ (19 November 1938 – 28 February 1946)
- David Francis Hickey, SJ (10 June 1948 – 29 February 1956)
- Bishops of Belize City
- David Francis Hickey, SJ (29 February 1956 – 1 August 1957)
- Robert Louis Hodapp, SJ (2 March 1958 – 11 November 1983)
- Bishops of Belize City–Belmopan
- Osmond P. Martin (11 November 1983 – 18 November 2006)
- Dorick M. Wright (18 November 2006 – 26 January 2017)
- Lawrence Sydney Nicasio (26 January 2017 – 1 January 2024)
Auxiliary bishops
edit- Osmond P. Martin (8 June 1982 – 11 November 1983), appointed Bishop here
- Dorick M. Wright (12 December 2001 – 18 November 2006), appointed Bishop here
- Christopher Glancy, CSV (18 February 2012 – )
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Diocese of Belize City & Belmopan; Antilles Episcopal Conference; December 12, 2002; url accessed June 28, 2006
- ^ History; Holy Redeemer Cathedral; url accessed June 28, 2006
- ^ [1] Archived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine; The Belize Journal; December 3, 1996; url accessed June 28, 2006
- ^ a b c Diocese of Belize City–Belmopan, GCatholic.org, February, 2017
External links
edit17°29′51.7″N 88°11′20.2″W / 17.497694°N 88.188944°W