The Roman Catholic Diocese of Willemstad (Latin: Dioecesis Gulielmopolitana; Dutch: Bisdom Willemstad; Papiamento: Diosesano (di Obispado) di Willemstad) is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The diocese encompasses the territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean: the countries (Dutch: landen) Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten (the southern half of St. Martin) and the islands Bonaire, St. Eustatius, Saba (which are part of the Netherlands). The cathedra is in the city of Curaçao. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, and a member of the Antilles Episcopal Conference.
Diocese of Willemstad Dioecesis Gulielmopolitana Bisdom Willemstad | |
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| Location | |
| Country | Aruba (NL) Curaçao (NL) Sint Maarten (NL) Caribbean Netherlands |
| Ecclesiastical province | Port of Spain |
| Metropolitan | Port of Spain |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 993 km2 (383 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 2008) 295,264 217,851 (73.8%) |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Rite | Latin Rite |
| Established | 1758 (as Apostolic Prefecture of Curaçao) 1842 Apostolic Vicariate of Curaçao 1958 Diocese of Willemstad |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Willemstad |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Luigi Antonio Secco |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Joseph Everard Harris |
| Map | |
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| Website | |
| Website of the Diocese | |
The Diocese of Willemstad was erected in 1752 as the Prefecture Apostolic of Curaçao. It was elevated to an apostolic vicariate on 20 September 1842 and to the Diocese of Willemstad on 28 April 1958. The language spoken in many of the Catholic churches here is Papiamento and English. The diocese has maintained a website in this language and in English. Some priests are members of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), Order of Preachers (OP), Michaelites (CSMA), and Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB).
Bishops
editOrdinaries
edit- Martinus Johannes Niewindt (1823-1860)
- Johannes Fredericus Antonius Kistemaker O.P. (1860-1869)
- Petrus Hendricus Josephus van Ewyk, O.P. (1869–1886)
- Ceslaus H. J. Heynen (1886–1887)
- Alphonsus M. H. Joosten (1888–1896)
- Ambrosius Jacobus J. van Baars, O.P. (1897–1910)
- Michael Antonio Maria Vuylsteke, O.P. (1910–1930)
- Pietro Giovanni Umberto Verriet, O.P. (1931–1948)
- Antonio Ludovico van der Veen Zeppenfeldt, O.P. (1948–1956)
- Joannes Maria Michael Holterman, O.P. (1956–1973)
- Wilhelm Michel Ellis (1973–2001)
- Luis Antonio Secco, S.D.B. (Salesians of Don Bosco) (2001– )
Coadjutor bishops
edit- Johannes Fredericus Antonius Kistemaker O.P. (1852-1860) as Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic
- Luis Antonio Secco, S.D.B. (Salesians of Don Bosco) (2000-2001)
Catholic churches and parishes
editListed by island (alphabetically), neighborhood (alphabetically), and church name and full address:
- Brasil: Cristo Rey, Brasil 39, Brasil, Aruba
- Dakota: La Birgen di Fatima, Milonstraat 9, Dakota, Oranjestad, Aruba
- Madiki: Cristo Sufriente Chapel (Madiki Chapel), Belgiestraat Madiki 29, Madiki, Oranjestad, Aruba
- Noord: Santa Ana, Caya Frans Figaroa Noord 16, Noord, Aruba; La Birgen di Alto Vista Chapel (Pilgrims Chapel), Alto Vista, Noord, Aruba
- Oranjestad: San Francisco di Asis, J. Irausquinplein 3, Oranjestad, Aruba
- Paradera: Santa Filomena, Paradera 51, Paradera, Aruba
- Pos Chikito: Santa Familia Chapel, Pos Chikito, Savaneta, Aruba
- San Nicolaas: Santa Teresita di Niño Hesus, Theresiaplein 8, Bernhardstraat, San Nicolaas, Aruba; Emanuel Chapel, Rooi Hondu, San Nicolaas, Aruba
- Santa Cruz: Inmaculada Concepcion, Santa Cruz 41, Santa Cruz, Aruba
- Savaneta: Sagrado Curazon di Hesus, Savaneta 338-D, Savaneta, Aruba
- Tanki Leendert: San Papa Juan Pablo II, Rte. 4, Tanki Leendert, Oranjestad, Aruba; Monte Calvario Chapel, Rte. 4, Tanki Leendert, Oranjestad, Aruba
- Antriol: La Birgen di Coromoto, Pastorie Antriol, Kaya Korona 126, Bonaire
- Bonaire: St. Louis Bertrand Church
- Kralendijk: San Bernardo, Pastorie Kralendijk, Plaza Reina Juliana 2, Bonaire
- Rincon: San Ludovico Beltran, Pastorie Rincon, Bonaire NA
- Barber: San José
- Brievengat: La Birgen di Lourdes, Willemstad
- Buena Vista: La Birgen Milagrosa
- Groot Kwartier: La Birgen del Carmen
- Jandoret: Mama di Bon Conseho, Station: Boca San Michiel: San Miguel Archangel; Souax: La Birgen di Guadalupe
- Janwe: Sagrado Curazon di Hesus
- Koraal Specht: Bon Wardador
- Montagne: San Dominico. Station: Fuik: San Francisco
- Otrabanda: Santa Ana Minor Basilica, Willemstad
- Pietermaai Cathedral: Reina di Santisimo Rosario (Queen of the Most Holy Rosary) Cathedral, Willemstad
- San Mateo: Santa Familia, Willemstad
- Sint Willibrordus: San Willibrordo
- Santa Maria: Maria Auxiliadora, Willemstad
- Santa Rosa: Santa Rosa de Lima
- Seru Fortuna: San Martin de Porres
- Soto: San Antonio de Padua, Soto
- Steenrijk: La Birgen di Altagracia, Willemstad
- Suffisant: La Birgen di Fatima
- Tera Korà: Spiritu Santo, Kaya Andesit 66, Tera Korà,
- Westpunt: San Pedro. Lagoen: Station: San Juan Apostle, Pastorie Westpunt,
- Wishi: Hesús Misericordioso y Santa Teresita, Schottegatweg West. 33, Wishi
- Zuid-Bonam: San Hudas Tadeo, Ronde Klipweg 61, P.O. Box 3909, Zuid-Bona
- The Bottom: Sacred Heart Church
- Windwardside: St Paul's Conversion
- Zion's Hill: Queen of the Holy Rosary Church
Island of Sint Eustatius
edit- Oranjestad: St Eustatius Catholic Church
Island of Sint Maarten (the southern half of St. Martin)
edit- Philipsburg: St Martin of Tours
- Simpson Bay: Mary Star of the Sea
- South Reward: The Risen Christ
References
edit- Antilles Episcopal Conference,=Roman Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Antilles
- "Diocese of Willemstad". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved 2007-02-27.
- List of Roman Catholic Dioceses in the Caribbean
- Roman Catholicism in the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Willemstad official site in English