Diocese of Araçuaí (Arassuaí)

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Bishop(s) Severino Clasen, O.F.M., Bishop Crescênzio Rinaldini, Bishop Emeritus

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese Erected: 25 August 1913 Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Diamantina Rite: Latin (or Roman) State: Minas Gerais Country: Brazil Square Kilometers: 24,640 (9,517 Square Miles) Conference Region: Leste 2 Mailing Address: C.P. 34, Rua Goias 339, 39600-000 Aracuai, MG, Brazil Telephone: (033) 731-1498 Fax: 731-1498

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Serafim Gomes Jardim da Silva † (12 Mar 1914 Appointed - 26 May 1934 Appointed, Archbishop of Diamantina)
• José de Haas, O.F.M. † (20 Mar 1937 Appointed - 1 Aug 1956 Died)
• José Maria Pires (25 May 1957 Appointed - 2 Dec 1965 Appointed, Archbishop of Paraíba)
• Altivo Pacheco Ribeiro † (27 Jun 1966 Appointed - 10 Nov 1973 Resigned)
• Silvestre Luís Scandián, S.V.D. (4 Jan 1975 Appointed - 18 Aug 1981 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Vitória)
• Crescênzio Rinaldini (10 May 1982 Appointed - 8 Aug 2001 Retired)
• Dario Campos, O.F.M. (8 Aug 2001 Succeeded - 23 Jun 2004 Appointed, Bishop of Leopoldina)
• Severino Clasen, O.F.M. (11 May 2005 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
25 August 1913	Erected	Diocese of Diamantina	Diocese of Araçuaí (Arassuaí) (erected)
1 February 1956	Territory Lost	Diocese of Araçuaí (Arassuaí) Diocese of Caratinga Archdiocese of Diamantina	Diocese of Governador Valadares (erected)
27 November 1960	Territory Lost	Diocese of Araçuaí (Arassuaí)	Diocese of Teófilo Otoni (erected)
28 March 1981	Territory Lost	Diocese of Araçuaí (Arassuaí) Diocese of Teófilo Otoni	Diocese of Almenara (erected)

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Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	780,000	800,000	97.5%	19	34	53	14,716		34	60	29	ap1951
1959	1,000,000	1,030,000	97.1%	21	42	63	15,873		56	85	36	ap1960
1965	547,500	550,000	99.5%	16	8	24	22,812		4	21	23	ap1967
1970	610,000	670,000	91.0%	27	11	38	16,052		11	33	26	ap1971
1976	490,000	550,000	89.1%	15	11	26	18,846		15	27	26	ap1977
1980	540,605	603,810	89.5%	18	13	31	17,438		18	44	35	ap1981
1990	375,000	416,000	90.1%	15	6	21	17,857		7	33	21	ap1991
1999	457,000	483,000	94.6%	24	6	30	15,233		6	29	21	ap2000
2000	462,000	489,000	94.5%	18	7	25	18,480		7	32	22	ap2001
2001	375,000	400,000	93.8%	17	7	24	15,625		8	25	23	ap2002
2002	380,000	495,000	76.8%	17	8	25	15,200		10	29	24	ap2003
2003	251,121	383,840	65.4%	26	11	37	6,787		14	27	24	ap2004
2004	252,221	383,841	65.7%	17	8	25	10,088		11	22	24	ap2005

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

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Affiliated Bishops

• Dario Campos, O.F.M. (Coadjutor Bishop: 5 Jul 2000; Bishop: 8 Aug 2001 to 23 Jun 2004)
• Severino Clasen, O.F.M. (Bishop: 11 May 2005 - )
• Serafim Gomes Jardim da Silva † (Bishop: 12 Mar 1914 to 26 May 1934)
• José de Haas, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 20 Mar 1937 to 1 Aug 1956)
• Altivo Pacheco Ribeiro † (Bishop: 27 Jun 1966 to 10 Nov 1973)
• José Maria Pires (Bishop: 25 May 1957 to 2 Dec 1965)
• Crescênzio Rinaldini (Bishop: 10 May 1982 to 8 Aug 2001)
• Silvestre Luís Scandián, S.V.D. (Bishop: 4 Jan 1975 to 18 Aug 1981)