Roman Catholic Diocese of Villarrica del Espíritu Santo
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (March 2025) |
Diocese of Villarrica del Espíritu Santo Dioecesis Villaricensis Spiritus Sancti | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | Paraguay |
| Metropolitan | Asunción |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 3,946 km2 (1,524 sq mi) |
Population
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| Information | |
| Rite | Latin Rite |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Leo XIV |
| Bishop | Miguel Ángel Cabello |
| Map | |
 | |
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Villarrica del Espíritu Santo (Latin: Dioecesis Villaricensis Spiritus Sancti) is a Latin Rite suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Asunción, which covers all of and only Paraguay.[1][2][3]
Its cathedral episcopal see is Catedral Santa Clara, dedicated to Saint Clara, in the city of Villarrica, Guairá Department.
Statistics
[edit]As of 22 March 2025, it had 198,360 Catholics (88% of 225,410 total) on 3,946 km² in 25 parishes, 42 priests (35 diocesan, 7 religious), 43 deacons, and 12 seminarians.
History
[edit]On 1 May 1929, the Diocese of Villarrica was established on territory split off from the then Diocese of Paraguay.
It received a papal visit from Pope John Paul II in May 1988.
On 13 January 1990, the Diocese was renamed, or more precisely given an alternative name, as Diocese of Villarrica del Espíritu Santo to avoid being confused with its Chilean namesake.
Villarrica del Espíritu Santo has been split to create other dioceses:
- 19 January 1957, to establish the Diocese of San Juan Bautista.
- 21 January 1957, to establish the Territorial Prelature of Encarnación and Alto Paraná (now a diocese).
- 5 June 1978, to establish the Diocese of Carapeguá.
- 22 March 2025, to establish the Diocese of Caazapá.
Leadership
[edit]| No. | Name | Episcopacy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agustín Rodríguez Argüello (1900–1968) |
19 October 1931 – 4 December 1965 |
| 2 | Felipe Santiago Benítez[a] (1926–2009) |
4 December 1965 – 20 May 1989 |
| 3 | Sebelio Peralta[b] (1939–2014) |
19 April 1990 – 27 December 2008 |
| 4 | Ricardo Valenzuela (b. 1954) |
25 June 2010 – 29 June 2017 |
| 5 | Adalberto Martínez (b. 1951) |
23 June 2018 – 17 February 2022 |
| 6 | Miguel Ángel Cabello (b. 1965) |
5 December 2024 – Incumbent |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Rinunce e nomine, 17.02.2022" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
- ^ "Diocese of Villarrica, Paraguay 🇵🇾". GCatholic. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
- ^ "Villarrica del Espíritu Santo (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
Notes
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