Diocese of Cartago

Past and Present Ordinaries

• José Gabriel Calderón Contreras † (26 Apr 1962 Appointed - 19 Apr 1995 Retired)
• Luis Madrid Merlano (19 Apr 1995 Appointed - 30 Mar 2010 Appointed, Archbishop of Nueva Pamplona)
• José Alejandro Castaño Arbeláez, O.A.R. (21 Oct 2010 Appointed - 31 Oct 2020 Retired)

Historical Summary

Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1965	378,000	380,000	99.5%	55	9	64	5,906		9	165	30	ap1967
1970	380,000	400,000	95.0%	45	6	51	7,450		6		30	ap1971
1976	472,000	495,000	95.4%	40	5	45	10,488		5	165	34	ap1977
1980	524,000	565,000	92.7%	37	5	42	12,476		6	160	37	ap1981
1990	630,000	670,000	94.0%	48	2	50	12,600		3	171	42	ap1991
1999	585,500	590,000	99.2%	61	4	65	9,007		5	152	46	ap2000
2000	556,225	560,500	99.2%	60	7	67	8,301		9	152	46	ap2001
2001	551,000	555,000	99.3%	60	8	68	8,102		10	149	46	ap2002
2002	540,000	544,250	99.2%	62	11	73	7,397		14	143	46	ap2003
2003	538,000	543,000	99.1%	64	11	75	7,173		14	140	46	ap2004
2004	515,000	523,000	98.5%	69	10	79	6,518		17	167	46	ap2005
2006	518,000	521,000	99.4%	65	15	80	6,475		20	163	46	ap2007
2013	493,000	505,000	97.6%	80	17	97	5,082	10	24	182	54	ap2014
2016	407,640	414,186	98.4%	79	16	95	4,290	10	23	183	56	ap2017

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Edgar Aristizábal Quintero (Priest: 7 Dec 1990 to 4 May 2011)
• Juan Carlos Cárdenas Toro (Priest: 6 Sep 1997 to 26 Jun 2015)
• José Alejandro Castaño Arbeláez, O.A.R. (Bishop: 21 Oct 2010 to 31 Oct 2020)
• Edgar de Jesús Garcia Gil (Priest: 28 Aug 1971 to 8 Jul 1992)
• Luis Madrid Merlano (Bishop: 19 Apr 1995 to 30 Mar 2010)
• José Roberto Ospina Leongómez (Apostolic Administrator: 31 Oct 2020)

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• José Gabriel Calderón Contreras † (Bishop: 26 Apr 1962 to 19 Apr 1995)