Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Díli
Diocese of Díli Dioecesis Diliensis Diocese de Díli | |
|---|---|
 Cathedral of Díli | |
| Location | |
| Country | East Timor |
| Metropolitan | Immediately Subject to the Holy See |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 4,755 km2 (1,836 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 2013) 591,425 561,135 (94.9%) |
| Information | |
| Rite | Latin Rite |
| Established | 4 September 1940 |
| Cathedral | Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Dili |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Virgilio do Carmo da Silva, S.D.B. |
| Bishops emeritus | Alberto Ricardo da Silva (2004-2015) Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo Apostolic Administrator Emeritus (1988-2002) |
| Map | |
 Location of the Diocese of Díli | |
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Díli (Latin: Diliensis) 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]
In 1983 Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo S.D.B. took over the administration of Dili Diocese. Then the only diocese in the territory, the 700,000 Catholics were divided into 30 parishes administered by 71 priests.[2]
History
- 4 September 1940: Established as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Díli from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Macau.
- On 4 September 1990 the diocese celebrated its 50th anniversary.[3]
- 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.[4]
- 1 February 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 12 October 1989. In 2008 a chapel and statue were built and dedicated in his honour in the suburb of Tasi-Tolu, in the Diocese. These were blessed by the Apostolic Nuncio of East Timor, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli.[5]
Leadership
Bishops of Díli (Roman rite)
- Bishop Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, S.D.B. (30 January 2016 _ Present)
- Bishop Basilio do Nascimento (Apostolic Administrator; 9 February 2015 - 30 January 2016)
- Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva (27 February 2004 – 9 February 2015)
- Bishop Basilio do Nascimento (Apostolic Administrator 26 November 2002 – 27 February 2004)
- Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, S.D.B. (Apostolic Administrator 21 March 1988 – 26 November 2002)
- Fr. Martinho da Costa Lopes (later Msgr.) (Apostolic Administrator 1977 – 1983)
- Bishop José Joaquim Ribeiro (31 January 1967 – 22 October 1977)
- Bishop Jaime Garcia Goulart (12 October 1945 – 31 January 1967)