Archdiocese of Porto Alegre

Archidioecesis Portalegrensis in Brasilia

Bishop(s)

Dadeus Grings, Archbishop
Agenor Girardi, M.S.C., Auxiliary Bishop
Jaime Spengler, O.F.M., Auxiliary Bishop
Altamiro Rossato, C.SS.R., Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 15 August 1910
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Rio Grande do Sul
Country: Brazil
Square Kilometers: 18,068 (6,978 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Sul III
Mailing Address: Rua Espirito Santo 95, 90010-370 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Telephone: (051) 228-6199

Historical Details

Diocese of São Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul
- Latin Name: S. Petri Fluminis Grandis Australis
- Erected: 7 May 1848
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia
- Country: Brazil

Past and Present Ordinaries

Feliciano José Rodrigues de Araujo Prates (de Castilhos) † (27 Sep 1852 Confirmed - 27 May 1858 Died)
Sebastião Dias Laranjeira † (28 Sep 1860 Confirmed - 13 Aug 1888 Died)
Cláudio José Gonçalves Ponce de Leão, C.M. † (26 Jun 1890 Appointed - 9 Jan 1912 Resigned)
João Batista Becker † (1 Aug 1912 Appointed - 15 Jun 1946 Died)
Alfredo Vicente Scherer † (30 Dec 1946 Appointed - 29 Aug 1981 Retired)
João Cláudio Colling † (29 Aug 1981 Appointed - 17 Jul 1991 Retired)
Altamiro Rossato, C.SS.R. (17 Jul 1991 Succeeded - 7 Feb 2001 Retired)
Dadeus Grings (7 Feb 2001 Succeeded - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of São Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul
7 May 1848	Erected		Diocese of São Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul (erected)
15 August 1910	Territory Lost	Diocese of São Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul	Diocese of Pelotas (erected)
15 August 1910	Territory Lost	Diocese of São Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul	Diocese of Uruguaiana (erected)
15 August 1910	Territory Lost	Diocese of São Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul	Diocese of Santa Maria (erected)
Archdiocese of Porto Alegre
15 August 1910	Elevated	Diocese of São Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul	Archdiocese of Porto Alegre
8 September 1934	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Porto Alegre	Diocese of Caxias (erected)
8 September 1934	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Porto Alegre	Territorial Prelature of Vacaria (erected)
20 June 1959	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Porto Alegre	Diocese of Santa Cruz do Sul (erected)
2 February 1980	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Porto Alegre	Diocese of Novo Hamburgo (erected)
10 November 1999	Territory Lost	Diocese of Caxias do Sul Archdiocese of Porto Alegre	Diocese of Osório (erected)
2 July 2008	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Porto Alegre	Diocese of Montenegro (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Archdiocese of Porto Alegre

1950 950,000 1,210,000 78.5% 179 232 411 2,311 869 1,499 137 ap1951

1965 1,260,000 1,562,490 80.6% 233 251 484 2,603 874 2,539 157 ap1967

1970 1,850,000 2,309,730 80.1% 238 286 524 3,530 6 721 2,548 174 ap1971

1976 1,980,000 2,381,230 83.2% 216 266 482 4,107 11 796 2,700 182 ap1977

1980 2,202,000 2,648,000 83.2% 224 281 505 4,360 19 735 2,303 186 ap1981

1990 2,423,000 3,034,473 79.8% 196 170 366 6,620 30 589 1,870 167 ap1991

1999 2,608,707 3,265,577 79.9% 224 263 487 5,356 21 534 1,650 160 ap2000

2000 2,608,707 3,265,577 79.9% 219 263 482 5,412 24 687 1,650 160 ap2001

2001 2,972,749 3,304,054 90.0% 247 280 527 5,640 21 720 1,828 167 ap2002

2002 2,990,500 3,304,054 90.5% 236 212 448 6,675 16 662 1,900 176 ap2003

2003 2,475,398 3,306,657 74.9% 234 194 428 5,783 22 570 1,317 179 ap2004

2004 2,475,398 3,306,657 74.9% 226 174 400 6,188 33 514 1,521 177 ap2005

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Porto Alegre
1950	950,000	1,210,000	78.5%	179	232	411	2,311		869	1,499	137	ap1951
1965	1,260,000	1,562,490	80.6%	233	251	484	2,603		874	2,539	157	ap1967
1970	1,850,000	2,309,730	80.1%	238	286	524	3,530	6	721	2,548	174	ap1971
1976	1,980,000	2,381,230	83.2%	216	266	482	4,107	11	796	2,700	182	ap1977
1980	2,202,000	2,648,000	83.2%	224	281	505	4,360	19	735	2,303	186	ap1981
1990	2,423,000	3,034,473	79.8%	196	170	366	6,620	30	589	1,870	167	ap1991
1999	2,608,707	3,265,577	79.9%	224	263	487	5,356	21	534	1,650	160	ap2000
2000	2,608,707	3,265,577	79.9%	219	263	482	5,412	24	687	1,650	160	ap2001
2001	2,972,749	3,304,054	90.0%	247	280	527	5,640	21	720	1,828	167	ap2002
2002	2,990,500	3,304,054	90.5%	236	212	448	6,675	16	662	1,900	176	ap2003
2003	2,475,398	3,306,657	74.9%	234	194	428	5,783	22	570	1,317	179	ap2004
2004	2,475,398	3,306,657	74.9%	226	174	400	6,188	33	514	1,521	177	ap2005

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Urbano José Allgayer (Auxiliary Bishop: 5 Feb 1974 to 4 Feb 1982)
Jacinto Bergmann (Priest: 20 Oct 1976 to 8 May 2002)
Remídio José Bohn (Priest: 29 Nov 1975; Auxiliary Bishop: 18 Jan 2006 to 28 Dec 2011)
Osvino José Both (Auxiliary Bishop: 26 Jun 1990 to 22 Nov 1995)
Roberto Francisco Ferrería Paz (Priest: 16 Dec 1989 to 19 Dec 2007)
Jacinto Inácio Flach (Priest: 7 May 1988; Auxiliary Bishop: 12 Nov 2003 to 16 Sep 2009)
Agenor Girardi, M.S.C. (Auxiliary Bishop: 22 Dec 2010)
Thadeu Gomes Canellas (Priest: 25 Feb 1956; Auxiliary Bishop: 19 Nov 1983 to 10 Nov 1999)
Dadeus Grings (Priest: 23 Dec 1961 to 23 Jan 1991; Coadjutor Archbishop: 12 Apr 2000; Archbishop: 7 Feb 2001)
Zeno Hastenteufel (Priest: 8 Jul 1972 to 12 Dec 2001)
Liro Vendelino Meurer (Priest: 12 Dec 1981 to 14 Jan 2009)
Altamiro Rossato, C.SS.R. (Coadjutor Archbishop: 15 Mar 1989; Archbishop: 17 Jul 1991 to 7 Feb 2001)
Alessandro Carmelo Ruffinoni, C.S. (Auxiliary Bishop: 18 Jan 2006 to 16 Jun 2010)
Eduardo Benes de Sales Rodrigues (Auxiliary Bishop: 11 Mar 1998 to 10 Jan 2001)
Jaime Spengler, O.F.M. (Auxiliary Bishop: 10 Nov 2010)
José Mário Stroeher (Priest: 21 Dec 1963; Auxiliary Bishop: 25 Mar 1983 to 8 Aug 1986)
José Clemente Weber (Auxiliary Bishop: 23 Mar 1994 to 15 Jun 2004)
Rodolfo Luís Weber (Priest: 5 Jan 1991 to 25 Feb 2009)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

João Batista Becker † (Archbishop: 1 Aug 1912 to 15 Jun 1946)
Antônio do Carmo Cheuiche, O.C.D. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 5 May 1971 to 27 Jun 2001)
João Cláudio Colling † (Priest: 10 Aug 1937 to 12 Dec 1949; Archbishop: 29 Aug 1981 to 17 Jul 1991)
Sebastião Dias Laranjeira † (Bishop: 28 Sep 1860 to 13 Aug 1888)
Cláudio José Gonçalves Ponce de Leão, C.M. † (Bishop: 26 Jun 1890; Archbishop: 15 Aug 1910 to 9 Jan 1912)
Edmundo Luís Kunz † (Priest: 30 Nov 1944; Auxiliary Bishop: 1 Aug 1955 to 12 Sep 1988)
José Ivo Lorscheiter † (Auxiliary Bishop: 12 Nov 1965 to 5 Feb 1974)
Luiz Felipe de Nadal † (Priest: 22 Oct 1939 to 9 May 1955)
João Antônio Pimenta † (Coadjutor Bishop: 21 Feb 1906 to 7 Mar 1911)
Feliciano José Rodrigues de Araujo Prates (de Castilhos) † (Bishop: 27 Sep 1852 to 27 May 1858)
Alfredo Vicente Scherer † (Priest: 3 Apr 1926; Auxiliary Bishop: 13 Jun 1946; Archbishop: 30 Dec 1946 to 29 Aug 1981)