Valença (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Nelson Francelino Ferreira, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 27 March 1925
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Rio de Janeiro
Country: Brazil
Square Kilometers: 3,996 (1,543 Square Miles)
Description: Comendador Levy Gasparian, Miguel Pereira, Paraíba do Sul, Paty do Alferes, Rio das Flores, Sapucaia, Três Rios, Valença, and Vassouras
Conference Region: Leste 1
Official Web Site: https://diocesedevalenca.org
Mailing Address: Residencia Episcopal, Praca Visconde do Rio Preto 375, 27600-000 Valenca, RJ, Brazil
Telephone: (024)2452-0207

Past and Present Ordinaries

André Arcoverde de Albuquerque Cavalcanti † (1 May 1925 Appointed - 8 Aug 1936 Appointed, Bishop of Taubaté, Sao Paulo)
René de Pontes † (13 Oct 1938 Appointed - 2 Apr 1940 Died)
Rodolfo das Mercés de Oliveira Pena † (3 Jan 1942 Appointed - 9 Dec 1960 Resigned)
José Costa Campos † (9 Dec 1960 Appointed - 26 Mar 1979 Appointed, Bishop of Divinópolis, Minas Gerais)
Amaury Castanho † (30 Nov 1979 Appointed - 3 May 1989 Appointed, Coadjutor Bishop of Jundiaí, Sao Paulo)
Elias James John Manning, O.F.M. Conv. † (14 Mar 1990 Appointed - 12 Feb 2014 Retired)
Nelson Francelino Ferreira (12 Feb 2014 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
27 March 1925	Erected	Diocese of Barra do Piraí (Besengano, Conservatória, Encruzilhada, Ipiabas, Miguel Pereira, Paraíba do Sul, Paty do Alferes, Rio Bonito, Rio das Flores, Sapucaia, Três Rios, Valença, and Vassouras) Diocese of Niterói (Nictheroy) (Carmo and Sumidouro)	Diocese of Valença (erected)
26 March 1960	Territory Lost	Diocese of Campos (Casimiro de Abreu, Conceição de Macabu, Macaé, Santa Maria Madalena, São Sebastião do Alto, Trajano de Moráis, and parts of Cordeiro) Diocese of Niterói (Nictheroy) (Bom Jardim, Cachoeiras de Macacu, Cantagalo, Duas Barras, Itaocara, Nova Friburgo, and parts of Cordeiro) Diocese of Valença (Carmo and Sumidouro)	Diocese of Nova Friburgo (erected)
13 June 1960	Territory Lost	Diocese of Valença (Ipiabas)	Diocese of Barra do Piraí

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

1950 150,000 151,000 99.3% 10 12 22 6,818 20 110 17 ap1951

1965 40,000 180,000 22.2% 18 14 32 1,250 212 17 ap1967

1968 120,000 15 15 8,000 131 18 ap1971

1976 180,000 225,000 80.0% 13 12 25 7,200 12 126 18 ap1977

1980 208,000 235,000 88.5% 13 13 16,000 1 1 130 22 ap1981

1990 259,000 286,000 90.6% 12 11 23 11,260 11 78 24 ap1991

1999 232,300 333,500 69.7% 13 9 22 10,559 10 100 26 ap2000

2000 252,306 354,451 71.2% 15 10 25 10,092 11 80 26 ap2001

2001 243,080 353,547 68.8% 13 10 23 10,568 11 105 26 ap2002

2002 244,830 348,200 70.3% 12 10 22 11,128 11 110 26 ap2003

2003 222,435 296,580 75.0% 11 11 22 10,110 12 105 26 ap2004

2004 247,550 330,358 74.9% 12 10 22 11,252 14 103 26 ap2005

2010 267,500 369,000 72.5% 15 11 26 10,288 11 80 26 ap2011

2014 279,000 386,000 72.3% 18 11 29 9,620 16 71 26 ap2015

2017 248,539 389,240 63.9% 21 8 29 8,570 16 64 26 ap2018

2020 253,900 398,120 63.8% 19 9 28 9,067 11 79 26 ap2021

2022 258,000 404,000 63.9% 24 8 32 8,062 14 37 28 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	150,000	151,000	99.3%	10	12	22	6,818		20	110	17	ap1951
1965	40,000	180,000	22.2%	18	14	32	1,250			212	17	ap1967
1968	120,000			15		15	8,000			131	18	ap1971
1976	180,000	225,000	80.0%	13	12	25	7,200		12	126	18	ap1977
1980	208,000	235,000	88.5%	13		13	16,000	1	1	130	22	ap1981
1990	259,000	286,000	90.6%	12	11	23	11,260		11	78	24	ap1991
1999	232,300	333,500	69.7%	13	9	22	10,559		10	100	26	ap2000
2000	252,306	354,451	71.2%	15	10	25	10,092		11	80	26	ap2001
2001	243,080	353,547	68.8%	13	10	23	10,568		11	105	26	ap2002
2002	244,830	348,200	70.3%	12	10	22	11,128		11	110	26	ap2003
2003	222,435	296,580	75.0%	11	11	22	10,110		12	105	26	ap2004
2004	247,550	330,358	74.9%	12	10	22	11,252		14	103	26	ap2005
2010	267,500	369,000	72.5%	15	11	26	10,288		11	80	26	ap2011
2014	279,000	386,000	72.3%	18	11	29	9,620		16	71	26	ap2015
2017	248,539	389,240	63.9%	21	8	29	8,570		16	64	26	ap2018
2020	253,900	398,120	63.8%	19	9	28	9,067		11	79	26	ap2021
2022	258,000	404,000	63.9%	24	8	32	8,062		14	37	28	ap2023