Roman Catholic Diocese of Talca
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Diocese
of Talca, (in Latin
: Dioecesis Talcensis), is a suffragan diocese
of the archdiocese of Santiago de Chile. Its current bishop is Mgr. Horacio del Carmen Valenzuela Abarca. The retired (emeritus
) bishop is Mgr. Carlos González Cruchaga.
, Chile
by Pope Pius XI
on October 18, 1925 by means of the Bulla
"Notabiliter Aucto".
of Chile and covers a territory of 17,000 km². It is comprised by the province of Curicó
and by eight municipalities
(comunas) of the province of Talca (the parishes of the municipalities of Empedrado and Constitución
are jurisdictionally attached to the neighboring diocese of Linares
, from an ecclesiastical point of view). The diocese is divided into 42 parish
es, grouped in 5 pastoral zones.
It is estimated that 78.9% of the diocesan population is Catholic . This figure represents about 463,000 Catholics out of a total population of about 587,000 (2002).
The diocesan cathedral
is in the city of Talca.
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 Talca, (in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
: Dioecesis Talcensis), is a suffragan 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 archdiocese of Santiago de Chile. Its current bishop is Mgr. Horacio del Carmen Valenzuela Abarca. The retired (emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
) bishop is Mgr. Carlos González Cruchaga.
History
The diocese was established in TalcaTalca
Talca is a city and commune in Chile located about south of Santiago, and is the capital of both Talca Province and Maule Region . As of the 2002 census, the city had a population of 193,755....
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
on October 18, 1925 by means of the Bulla
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
"Notabiliter Aucto".
Diocesan statistics
The diocese lies in the Maule RegionMaule Region
The VII Maule Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca. The region takes its name from the Maule River which, running westward from the Andes, bisects the region and spans a basin of about 20,600 km2...
of Chile and covers a territory of 17,000 km². It is comprised by the province of Curicó
Curicó Province
Curicó Province is one of four provinces of the central Chilean region of Maule . Its capital is the city of Curicó. It lies between the provinces of Colchagua and Talca and extends from the Pacific to the Argentine frontier, spanning an area of...
and by eight municipalities
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
(comunas) of the province of Talca (the parishes of the municipalities of Empedrado and Constitución
Constitución, Chile
Constitución is a seaside resort, industrial city, minor port and commune in Chile, located in the Maule Region, Talca Province.-History:-8.8 magnitude 2010 earthquake:...
are jurisdictionally attached to the neighboring diocese of Linares
Diocese of Linares, Chile
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Linares, or "Diócesis de San Ambrosio de Linares", was established in Linares, Chile by Pope Pius XI on October 18, 1925 by means of the Bulla Notabiliter Aucto....
, from an ecclesiastical point of view). The diocese is divided into 42 parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es, grouped in 5 pastoral zones.
It is estimated that 78.9% of the diocesan population is Catholic . This figure represents about 463,000 Catholics out of a total population of about 587,000 (2002).
The diocesan cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
is in the city of Talca.
Bishops
- Miguel León Prado (apostolic administratorApostolic AdministratorAn apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
) † (12 June 1913 - 18 October 1925 appointed, auxiliary bishopAuxiliary bishopAn auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Santiago de Chile) - Carlos Silva Cotapos † (14 December 1925 - 21 January 1939 resigned)
- Manuel Larraín Errázuriz † (21 January 1939 succeeded - 22 June 1966 died)
- Carlos González Cruchaga (4 January 1967 - 12 December 1996 retired)
- Horacio del Carmen Valenzuela Abarca (appointed 12 December 1996 - )