Roman Catholic Diocese of Belize City-Belmopan
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Belize City-Belmopan is a diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

 of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

. The diocese comprises the entirety of the former British dependency of Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...

. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Kingston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston in Jamaica
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston in Jamaica is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The Archdiocese encompasses the larger portion of the island of Jamaica, and the capital of Kingston...

, and a member of the Antilles Episcopal Conference
Antilles Episcopal Conference
The Antilles Episcopal Conference is a Roman Catholic episcopal conference. Its members are bishops and archbishops from current and former British, Dutch, and French colonies and dependencies in the Caribbean , Central America, and northern South America. The conference's membership includes five...

.

The diocese was erected as the Prefecture Apostolic of British Honduras
British Honduras
British Honduras was a British colony that is now the independent nation of Belize.First colonised by Spaniards in the 17th century, the territory on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico, became a British crown colony from 1862 until 1964, when it became self-governing. Belize became...

 in 1888, and elevated to an Apostolic Vicariate
Apostolic vicariate
An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries that do not have a diocese. It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more...

 in 1893. Its name was changed to the Apostolic Vicariate of Belize in 1925, and was elevated to a diocese in 1956. In 1983 the name of the diocese was changed to its current form.

The cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...

 of the diocese, also known as its motherchurch, is Holy Redeemer Cathedral
Holy Redeemer Cathedral
The Holy Redeemer Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Belize City, Belize. The building was completed in 1858. Its exterior is made of brick, while the interior is fitted out almost entirely in mahogany. The floor was initially wooden, but was replaced after a 1961 hurricane...

 in Belize City
Belize City
Belize City is the largest city in the Central American nation of Belize. Unofficial estimates place the population of Belize City at 70,000 or more. It is located at the mouth of the Belize River on the coast of the Caribbean. The city is the country's principal port and its financial and...

. Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral
Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral
Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in the city of Belmopan, Belize. It serves as a co-cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Belize City-Belmopan with the Holy Redeemer Cathedral in Belize City...

 in Belmopan
Belmopan
Belmopan , estimated population 20,000 is the capital city of Belize.Belmopan is located at , at an altitude of 76 metres above sea level. Belmopan was constructed just to the east of Belize River, inland from the former capital, the port of Belize City, after that city's near destruction by...

 is the co-cathedral of the diocese.

Ordinaries

  • Salvatore di Pietro S.J. (1888–1898)
  • Frederick Charles Hopkins S.J. (1899–1923)
  • Joseph Aloysius Murphy S.J. (1923–1938)
  • William A. Rice S.J. (1938–1946)
  • David Francis Hickey S.J. (1948–1957)
  • Robert Louis Hodapp S.J. (1958–1983)
  • Osmond Peter Martin (1983–2006)
  • Dorick McGowan Wright (2006 - )
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