Archdiocese of Natal

Archidioecesis Natalensis

Bishop(s)

João Santos Cardoso, Archbishop
Heitor de Araújo Sales, Archbishop Emeritus
Matias Patrício de Macêdo, Archbishop Emeritus
Jaime Vieira Rocha, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Erected: 16 February 1952
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Rio Grande do Norte
Country: Brazil
Square Kilometers: 25,153 (9,715 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Nordeste 2
Official Web Site: http://www.arquidiocesedenatal.org.br/
Mailing Address: Curia Metropolitana, Av. Floriano Peixoto 674, 59020-500 Natal, RN, Brazil
Telephone: (084)3615-2800
Fax: (same)

Historical Details

Diocese of Natal
- Latin Name: Natalensis
- Erected: 29 December 1909
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Paraíba
- Country: Brazil

Past and Present Ordinaries

Joaquim Antônio de Almeida † (23 Oct 1910 Appointed - 14 Jun 1915 Resigned)
Antônio dos Santos Cabral † (1 Sep 1917 Appointed - 21 Nov 1921 Appointed, Bishop of Belo Horizonte)
José Pereira Alves † (27 Oct 1922 Appointed - 27 Jan 1928 Appointed, Bishop of Niterói (Nictheroy))
Marcolino Esmeraldo de Souza Dantas † (1 Mar 1929 Appointed - 8 Apr 1967 Died)
Nivaldo Monte † (6 Sep 1967 Appointed - 6 Apr 1988 Retired)
Alair Vilar Fernandes de Melo † (6 Apr 1988 Appointed - 27 Oct 1993 Retired)
Heitor de Araújo Sales (27 Oct 1993 Appointed - 26 Nov 2003 Retired)
Matias Patrício de Macêdo (26 Nov 2003 Appointed - 21 Dec 2011 Retired)
Jaime Vieira Rocha (21 Dec 2011 Appointed - 5 Jul 2023 Retired)
João Santos Cardoso (5 Jul 2023 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Natal
29 December 1909	Erected	Diocese of Paraíba	Diocese of Natal (erected)
5 December 1910	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Natal (from São Salvador da Bahia)
6 February 1914	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Natal (from Olinda)
28 July 1934	Territory Lost	Diocese of Natal	Diocese of Mossoró (erected)
25 November 1939	Territory Lost	Diocese of Natal (Gurraes Novos, Acary, Jardin do Seridò, Parelhas, Serra Negra/Flores, and part of Caicó)	Diocese of Caicó (erected)
Archdiocese of Natal
16 February 1952	Erected	Diocese of Natal	Archdiocese of Natal (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 Natal

1965 700,000 43 22 65 10,769 34 9 ap1967

1968 45 17 62 0 27 199 26 ap1971

1976 906,321 946,221 95.8% 49 14 63 14,386 19 215 39 ap1977

1980 1,192,000 1,257,000 94.8% 39 13 52 22,923 22 245 40 ap1981

1990 1,280,000 1,440,000 88.9% 45 16 61 20,983 30 265 48 ap1991

1999 1,488,000 1,671,000 89.0% 73 14 87 17,103 3 22 245 55 ap2000

2000 1,200,000 1,539,608 77.9% 86 17 103 11,650 13 25 245 56 ap2001

2001 1,424,518 1,826,305 78.0% 81 18 99 14,389 13 31 248 57 ap2002

2002 1,965,834 2,520,300 78.0% 83 17 100 19,658 19 28 219 61 ap2003

2003 1,282,960 1,832,793 70.0% 98 21 119 10,781 20 32 392 64 ap2004

2004 1,627,542 1,923,667 84.6% 98 20 118 13,792 25 37 298 67 ap2005

2013 1,783,000 2,229,000 80.0% 137 26 163 10,938 68 60 194 87 ap2014

2016 1,829,000 2,284,000 80.1% 166 31 197 9,284 83 58 173 103 ap2017

2019 1,752,799 2,191,000 80.0% 175 33 208 8,426 89 60 170 106 ap2020

2021 1,780,660 2,225,745 80.0% 168 23 191 9,322 101 32 165 112 ap2022

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 Natal
1965	700,000			43	22	65	10,769			34	9	ap1967
1968				45	17	62	0		27	199	26	ap1971
1976	906,321	946,221	95.8%	49	14	63	14,386		19	215	39	ap1977
1980	1,192,000	1,257,000	94.8%	39	13	52	22,923		22	245	40	ap1981
1990	1,280,000	1,440,000	88.9%	45	16	61	20,983		30	265	48	ap1991
1999	1,488,000	1,671,000	89.0%	73	14	87	17,103	3	22	245	55	ap2000
2000	1,200,000	1,539,608	77.9%	86	17	103	11,650	13	25	245	56	ap2001
2001	1,424,518	1,826,305	78.0%	81	18	99	14,389	13	31	248	57	ap2002
2002	1,965,834	2,520,300	78.0%	83	17	100	19,658	19	28	219	61	ap2003
2003	1,282,960	1,832,793	70.0%	98	21	119	10,781	20	32	392	64	ap2004
2004	1,627,542	1,923,667	84.6%	98	20	118	13,792	25	37	298	67	ap2005
2013	1,783,000	2,229,000	80.0%	137	26	163	10,938	68	60	194	87	ap2014
2016	1,829,000	2,284,000	80.1%	166	31	197	9,284	83	58	173	103	ap2017
2019	1,752,799	2,191,000	80.0%	175	33	208	8,426	89	60	170	106	ap2020
2021	1,780,660	2,225,745	80.0%	168	23	191	9,322	101	32	165	112	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Heitor de Araújo Sales (Archbishop: 27 Oct 1993 to 26 Nov 2003)
Francisco Canindé Palhano (Deacon: 6 Jan 1974; Priest: 2 Feb 1975 to 26 Jul 2006)
Matias Patrício de Macêdo (Priest: 14 Jul 1963 to 12 Jul 1990; Archbishop: 26 Nov 2003 to 21 Dec 2011)
João Santos Cardoso (Archbishop: 5 Jul 2023 - )
Edilson Soares Nobre (Priest: 6 Apr 1991 to 11 Jan 2017)
Jaime Vieira Rocha (Priest: 1 Feb 1975 to 29 Nov 1995; Archbishop: 21 Dec 2011 to 5 Jul 2023)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Joaquim Antônio de Almeida † (Bishop: 23 Oct 1910 to 14 Jun 1915)
Eugênio de Araújo Sales † (Priest: 21 Nov 1943; Auxiliary Bishop: 1 Jun 1954; Apostolic Administrator: 9 Jan 1962 to 9 Jul 1964)
José Adelino Dantas †
Antônio dos Santos Cabral † (Bishop: 1 Sep 1917 to 21 Nov 1921)
Luís Gonzaga Fernandes †
Alair Vilar Fernandes de Melo † (Archbishop: 6 Apr 1988 to 27 Oct 1993)
José Tomas Gomes da Silva † (Priest: 15 Nov 1896 to 12 May 1911)
Nivaldo Monte † (Priest: 12 Jan 1942 to 25 Apr 1963; Apostolic Administrator: 8 May 1965; Archbishop: 6 Sep 1967 to 6 Apr 1988)
José Pereira Alves † (Bishop: 27 Oct 1922 to 27 Jan 1928)
Antônio Soares Costa † (Priest: 8 Dec 1955; Auxiliary Bishop: 25 Nov 1971 to 27 Oct 1993)
Marcolino Esmeraldo de Souza Dantas † (Bishop: 1 Mar 1929; Archbishop: 16 Feb 1952 to 8 Apr 1967)
Manuel Tavares de Araújo †

Source(s)

Diocese of Natal
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 2, Page 289, and Page 290
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 2, Page 945
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 6, Page 187, and Page 188
Archdiocese of Natal
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 44, Page 601, to Page 603

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