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Diocese of Calapan

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Diocese of Calapan
Dioecesis Calapaniensis
Diyosesis ng Calapan
Diocesis de Calapan
Catholic
Calapan Cathedral
Calapan Cathedral
Location
Country Philippines
Territory Oriental Mindoro
Ecclesiastical province Lipa
Metropolitan Lipa
Deaneries 8
Coordinates 13°24′53″N 121°10′49″E / 13.41462°N 121.18027°E
Statistics
Area 4,364 km2 (1,685 sq mi)
Population
Total
Catholics
(as of 2021)
1,003,940
931,000[1] (92.7%)
Parishes 21
Churches 41
Schools 14
Information
Denomination Catholic Church
Sui iuris church Latin Church
Rite Roman Rite
Established July 2, 1936
Cathedral Cathedral-Parish of Santo Niño
Patron saint Santo Niño
Secular priests 45
Current leadership
Pope Leo XIV
Bishop Moises Magpantay Cuevas
Metropolitan Archbishop Gilbert Armea Garcera
Vicar General Carlos P. Paglicawan
Map
Jurisdiction of the Diocese of Calapan.

The Diocese of Calapan (Latin: Dioecesis Calapanensis) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. In 2010, 756,000 residents had been baptized out of about 814,000 inhabitants.[2][3]

It has six related parishes. The episcopal residence and seat of the diocese is the Santo Niño Cathedral located in Calapan.[4]

History

The Apostolic Prefecture of Mindoro was created on July 2, 1936, with territories taken from the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Jaro and Lipa, both of which were later elevated into archdioceses.

On July 12, 1951, Pope Pius XII, through the papal bull Merit ab Apostolic, elevated the apostolic prefecture to an apostolic vicariate.[2]

On December 19, 1974, and January 27, 1983, portions of its territory were lost to the creation of the Diocese of Romblon and the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose in Mindoro.[2]

On March 25, 2026 Pope Leo XIV has elevated the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan to a diocese and appointed its apostolic vicar, Moises Cuevas, as its first bishop.[5] The diocese was canonically erected on August 7, 2026.[6]

Ordinaries

Apostolic Prefects of Mindoro (1936–1951)
Name Period in office
1. Bishop William Finnemann, S.V.D. December 04, 1936 – October 10, 1942
2. Fr. Henry Ederle, S.V.D. June 06, 1946 – July 12, 1951
Apostolic Vicars of Calapan (1951–2026)
Name Period in office Coat of arms
1. Bishop Wilhelm Josef Duschak, S.V.D. July 12, 1951 – November 26, 1973, resigned[3]
2. Bishop Simeon Oliveros Valerio, S.V.D. November 26, 1973 – September 26, 1988, resigned[3]
3. Bishop Warlito Itucas Cajandig April 28, 1989 – November 7, 2022, ceased
4. Bishop Moises Magpantay Cuevas June 29, 2023 – August 7, 2026, elevated as first Bishop of Calapan

Ordinaries of the Diocese of Calapan (2026–present)

Name Period in office Coat of arms
1. Bishop Moises Magpantay Cuevas August 7, 2026 – present
(28 days)

Canonical status and jurisdiction

Diocese of Calapan is a diocese of the catholic church of the Catholic Church.[7]

References

  1. Back to citation "Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan Statistics". gcatholic.org.
  2. Back to citation occurrence 2.0 Back to citation occurrence 2.1 Back to citation occurrence 2.2 David M., Cheney. "Vicariate Apostolic of Calapan". Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  3. Back to citation occurrence 3.0 Back to citation occurrence 3.1 Back to citation occurrence 3.2 "Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan". The Catholic Directory of the Philippines. Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. 2015. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  4. Back to citation "Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan". Claretian Publications. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  5. Back to citation CBCP News (March 25, 2026). "Vatican elevates Calapan to diocese; Cuevas named first bishop". CBCP. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  6. Back to citation Diaz, Kat Galdo (August 6, 2026). "New Chapter: The Elevation of the Diocese of Calapan". Dominus Est. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  7. Back to citation Diocese of Calapan, official website