Montes Claros (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

José Carlos de Souza Campos, Archbishop
José Alberto Moura, C.S.S., Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 25 April 2001
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Minas Gerais
Country: Brazil
Square Kilometers: 45,521 (17,582 Square Miles)
Description: Northern region of Minas Gerais
Conference Region: Leste 2
Official Web Site: https://arquimoc.org
Mailing Address: Curia Metropolitana, Praca Dr. Chaves 52, 39400-005 Montes Claros, MG, Brazil
Telephone: (038)3221-8728

Historical Details

Diocese of Montes Claros
- Latin Name: Montisclarensis
- Erected: 10 December 1910
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Diamantina
- Country: Brazil

Past and Present Ordinaries

João Antônio Pimenta † (7 Mar 1911 Appointed - 20 Jul 1943 Died)
Aristides de Araújo Porto † (20 Jul 1943 Succeeded - 7 Apr 1947 Died)
Antônio de Almeida Moraes Junior † (29 Sep 1948 Appointed - 17 Nov 1951 Appointed, Archbishop of Olinda e Recife, Pernambuco)
Luís Victor Sartori † (4 Mar 1952 Appointed - 10 Jan 1956 Appointed, Coadjutor Bishop of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul)
José Alves de Sá Trindade † (27 May 1956 Appointed - 1 Jun 1988 Retired)
Geraldo Majela (João José) de Castro, O. Praem. † (1 Jun 1988 Succeeded - 7 Feb 2007 Retired)
José Alberto Moura, C.S.S. (7 Feb 2007 Appointed - 21 Nov 2018 Retired)
João Justino de Medeiros Silva (21 Nov 2018 Succeeded - 9 Dec 2021 Appointed, Archbishop of Goiânia, Goias)
José Carlos de Souza Campos (14 Dec 2022 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Montes Claros
10 December 1910	Erected	Diocese of Diamantina (North of rivers Jequiiinbonha, Macahubas, Jèquetahy, San Francisco, and Urucuya)	Diocese of Montes Claros (erected)
2 April 1914	Territory Added	Diocese of Uberaba (Part of Paracatu)	Diocese of Montes Claros
2 April 1914	Territory Lost	Diocese of Montes Claros (Fortaleza and Aqua Vermelha (in Salinas) along with Arassuahyensis and S. Michaelis de Jequitinhonha)	Diocese of Araçuaí (Arassuaí)
28 June 1917	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Montes Claros (from Mariana)
1 March 1929	Territory Lost	Diocese of Montes Claros Diocese of Uberaba	Territorial Prelature of Paracatu (erected) (Paracatu, João Pinheiro, and Sâo Româo (except Afonso Arinos))
15 June 1957	Territory Lost	Diocese of Montes Claros (Januária, Manga, São Francisco, Espinosa, Monte Azul, Mato Verde with Arinos in São Româo) Territorial Prelature of Paracatu (Sâo Româo, Capâo Redondo, and Formoso)	Diocese of Januária (erected)
5 July 2000	Territory Lost	Diocese of Januária (Espinosa, Mamonas, Monte Azul, Gameleira, Catuti, Mato Verde, Jaiba, and Matos Cardoso) Diocese of Montes Claros (Janauba, Porteirinha, Pai Pedro, Serranópolis, Nova Porteirinha, Riacho dos Machados, Varzelândia, Ibiracatu, Verdelândia, Rio Pardo de Minas, Montezuma, Indaiabira, Santo Antonio do Retiro, Vargem Grande, São João do Paraíso, and Ninheira)	Diocese of Janaúba (erected)
Archdiocese of Montes Claros
25 April 2001	Elevated	Diocese of Montes Claros	Archdiocese of Montes Claros

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

Diocese of Montes Claros

1950 700,000 701,000 99.9% 18 15 33 21,212 8 41 26 ap1951

1965 580,000 600,000 96.7% 19 18 37 15,675 18 72 21 ap1967

1968 625,000 650,000 96.2% 15 23 38 16,447 31 60 18 ap1971

1976 600,000 660,000 90.9% 17 18 35 17,142 28 52 23 ap1977

1980 647,000 704,000 91.9% 14 21 35 18,485 34 49 23 ap1981

1987 832,000 902,000 92.2% 20 24 44 18,909 33 92 27 ap1991

1999 993,000 1,078,000 92.1% 27 23 50 19,860 33 129 34 ap2000

2000 650,000 762,000 85.3% 23 23 46 14,130 1 42 114 29 ap2001

Archdiocese of Montes Claros

2001 609,604 762,005 80.0% 21 24 45 13,546 1 48 127 31 ap2002

2002 609,604 762,005 80.0% 24 26 50 12,192 1 53 100 31 ap2003

2003 586,143 732,679 80.0% 30 23 53 11,059 8 61 80 42 ap2004

2004 549,509 732,679 75.0% 31 30 61 9,008 9 49 80 37 ap2005

2013 659,000 811,000 81.3% 72 34 106 6,216 18 50 101 57 ap2014

2016 675,000 832,000 81.1% 78 40 118 5,720 19 50 99 63 ap2017

2019 678,806 860,299 78.9% 83 36 119 5,704 43 53 62 64 ap2020

2021 689,600 873,850 78.9% 88 34 122 5,652 42 46 79 65 ap2022

2023 698,000 885,000 78.9% 93 36 129 5,410 42 41 79 68 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Montes Claros
1950	700,000	701,000	99.9%	18	15	33	21,212		8	41	26	ap1951
1965	580,000	600,000	96.7%	19	18	37	15,675		18	72	21	ap1967
1968	625,000	650,000	96.2%	15	23	38	16,447		31	60	18	ap1971
1976	600,000	660,000	90.9%	17	18	35	17,142		28	52	23	ap1977
1980	647,000	704,000	91.9%	14	21	35	18,485		34	49	23	ap1981
1987	832,000	902,000	92.2%	20	24	44	18,909		33	92	27	ap1991
1999	993,000	1,078,000	92.1%	27	23	50	19,860		33	129	34	ap2000
2000	650,000	762,000	85.3%	23	23	46	14,130	1	42	114	29	ap2001
Archdiocese of Montes Claros
2001	609,604	762,005	80.0%	21	24	45	13,546	1	48	127	31	ap2002
2002	609,604	762,005	80.0%	24	26	50	12,192	1	53	100	31	ap2003
2003	586,143	732,679	80.0%	30	23	53	11,059	8	61	80	42	ap2004
2004	549,509	732,679	75.0%	31	30	61	9,008	9	49	80	37	ap2005
2013	659,000	811,000	81.3%	72	34	106	6,216	18	50	101	57	ap2014
2016	675,000	832,000	81.1%	78	40	118	5,720	19	50	99	63	ap2017
2019	678,806	860,299	78.9%	83	36	119	5,704	43	53	62	64	ap2020
2021	689,600	873,850	78.9%	88	34	122	5,652	42	46	79	65	ap2022
2023	698,000	885,000	78.9%	93	36	129	5,410	42	41	79	68	ap2024

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

João Justino de Medeiros Silva (Coadjutor Archbishop: 22 Feb 2017; Archbishop: 21 Nov 2018 to 9 Dec 2021)
Emanuel Messias de Oliveira
José Alberto Moura, C.S.S. (Archbishop: 7 Feb 2007 to 21 Nov 2018)
Giovane Pereira de Melo
Dorival Souza Barreto Júnior (Deacon: 19 Jul 1987; Priest: 10 Mar 1988 to 4 Nov 2020)
José Carlos de Souza Campos (Archbishop: 14 Dec 2022 - )

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Antônio de Almeida Moraes Junior † (Bishop: 29 Sep 1948 to 17 Nov 1951)
José Alves de Sá Trindade † (Bishop: 27 May 1956 to 1 Jun 1988)
Aristides de Araújo Porto † (Coadjutor Bishop: 8 May 1931; Bishop: 20 Jul 1943 to 7 Apr 1947)
Geraldo Majela (João José) de Castro, O. Praem. † (Coadjutor Bishop: 15 Jun 1982; Bishop: 1 Jun 1988; Archbishop: 25 Apr 2001 to 7 Feb 2007)
João Antônio Pimenta † (Bishop: 7 Mar 1911 to 20 Jul 1943)
Luís Victor Sartori † (Bishop: 4 Mar 1952 to 10 Jan 1956)

Source(s)

Diocese of Montes Claros
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 3, Page 26
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 6, Page 188
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 10, Page 49, to Page 51
Archdiocese of Montes Claros
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 93, Page 427, and Page 428

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Archdiocese of Montes Claros

Archidioecesis Montisclarensis