Roman Catholic Diocese of Baucau

Last updated
Diocese of Baucau

Dioecesis Baucanus

Diocese de Baucau
Dioseze Baukau
Diocese de Baucau logo.png
Badge of the Diocese
Location
Country Timor-Leste
Metropolitan |Archdiocese of Dili
Statistics
Area6,842 km2 (2,642 sq mi)
Population
  • Total
  • Catholics
  • (as of 2012)
  • 366,000
  • 351,000 (95.9%)
Parishes22
Information
Denomination Catholic Church
Sui iuris church Latin Church
Rite Roman Rite
Cathedral St. Anthony Cathedral
Current leadership
Pope Leo XIV
Bishop Leandro Maria Alves
Map
2015 Bistumer Osttimors.png
Location of the Diocese of Baucau

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Baucau (Latin : Dioecesis Baucanus; Portuguese : Diocese de Baucau; Tetum : Dioseze Baukau) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Timor-Leste. One of three dioceses in the country, it was established in 1996 by Pope John Paul II. It serves nearly 400,000 Catholics in the municipalities of Baucau, Lautém, Manatuto, and Viqueque, covering a total area of 5,097 km2 (1,968 square miles). The current bishop of Baucau is Leandro Maria Alves since 2023.

Contents

The mother church of the diocese is St. Anthony Cathedral in Baucau. The diocese has 22 parishes and is served by 73 priests, 264 religious brothers, and 175 religious sisters. It operates a number of primary and secondary schools and administers health and social programs within its territory.

History

When the diocese was started there were only 21 priests plus a number of nuns from several religious congregations to serve about 200,000 Catholics. In 2018 there were 150 young men from Baucau Diocese studying in seminaries. [1]

Current events

Bishop Basilio do Nascimento launched Radio Fini Lorosae (eastern future radio), the new radio station set up by Baucau diocese, on March 20, 2006 following a Mass held at St. Anthony Cathedral to mark the diocese's ninth anniversary. The station office is located just 100 meters from the cathedral. Baucau Vicar General Father Francisco da Silva and Father Jose Antonio, the cathedral parish priest, concelebrated the anniversary Mass. [2]

On 19 May 2007 President Alexander Xanana Gusmão awarded the Dom Martinho da Costa Lopes Medal to Father Mario do Carmo Lemos Belo, former vicar general of the Baucau diocese and several deceased Catholic clergy and Religious in recognition of their contributions to the liberation of the country. [3]

In 2009 the government gave US$1.5 million to two dioceses in East Timor — Dili and Baucau, which they are to receive annually “to run social programs for people”. Poverty remains a massive problem since independence in 2002, with about half of the 1 million population unemployed and 45 per cent living on less than US$1 a day. [4]

On 23 June 2016 the blessing and dedication of the new St John de Brito chapel took place in Cairui in Baucau, built with project support from Catholic Mission (Australia). [5]

The Maria Auxiliadora Medical Clinic run by the Salesians of Don Bosco in the town of Venilale, has been serving the residents of Venilale and 13 surrounding villages for many years. In 2014, the clinic cared for more than 7,300 patients focusing on the care of mothers and babies. [6]

Bishops

Structure

Parishes

As of 2022, the diocese was divided into 22 parishes, with 206 missions. [7] [8] In 2024, Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Fátima in Mehara became the diocese's newest parish; previously, it was a mission of the Lospalos parish. [9]

ParishLocationMunicipality
São José Operário Baguia Baucau
Sagrado Coração de Jesus Baucau Baucau
St. Anthony (cathedral) Baucau Baucau
São João Bosco  [ de ] Laga Baucau
Santa Teresinha do Menino Jesus  [ de ] Quelicai Baucau
Nossa Senhora da Graça  [ de ] Vemasse Baucau
Sagrado Coração de Jesus  [ de ] Venilale Baucau
Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Fátima Iliomar Lautém
Cristo Rei Lautém Lautém
São Paulo  [ de ] Lospalos Lautém
Nossa Senhora Rainha dos Apóstolos Luro Lautém
Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Fátima Mehara Lautém
São Vicente Ferrer Laclo Manatuto
Nossa Senhora da Graça Laclubar Manatuto
Nossa Senhora do Rosário  [ de ] Laleia Manatuto
Santo António  [ de ] Manatuto Manatuto
Nossa Senhora da Imaculada Conceição Natarbora Manatuto
Sagrado Coração de Jesus Soibada Manatuto
Santo António Lacluta Viqueque
Nossa Senhora do Imaculado Coração Nahareca Viqueque
Santa Teresinha do Menino Jesus  [ de ] Ossu Viqueque
Nossa Senhora de Fátima Uatulari Viqueque
Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Fátima Uatucarbau Viqueque
Imaculada Conceição  [ de ] Viqueque Viqueque

References

  1. ↑ UCANews March 13, 2018
  2. ↑ UCANews March 28, 2006
  3. ↑ UCANews May 25, 2007
  4. ↑ UCANews September 22, 2009 [ permanent dead link ]
  5. ↑ Catholic Mission website Accessed 22 August 2016
  6. ↑ Mission Newswire October 21, 2015
  7. ↑ "Baucau (Diocese)". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  8. ↑ "Diocese of Baucau, Timor-Leste". GCatholic. 2025-05-09. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  9. ↑ Pailofo, Luis (2024-06-01). "Eleva Sai Kuaze Parokia, Dom Leandro: Mehara Ba Oin Depende Ba Kolaborasaun Servisu" [Elevate to Become a Parish, Dom Leandro: From Now On, Mehara Depends on Collaborative Work]. SAP News TL (in Tetum). Retrieved 2025-05-10.

8°27′43″S126°27′14″E / 8.4619°S 126.4540°E / -8.4619; 126.4540

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