Diocese of Ciudad del Este, Paraguay

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Ciudad del Este / Urbis Orientalis (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Asunción

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1968.03.25: Established as Territorial Prelature of Alto Paraná / de Parania Superiore (Latin) (from Territorial Prelature of Encarnación y Alto Paraná and became suffragan of Asunción)
1993.07.10: Promoted as Diocese of Alto Paraná / de Parania Superiore (Latin)
2001.02.03: Renamed as Diocese of Ciudad del Este / Urbis Orientalis (Latin)
2024.02.10: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Canindeyú

Present Prelates

Bishop (2023.12.19 – ...):

Bishop Pedro Collar Noguera (61)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Ciudad del Este (Roman Rite)

Bishop Pedro Collar Noguera (61)
(2023.12.19 – ...)

Bishop of Ciudad del Este (Paraguay)

Señor, a quién iremos

Born:	1963.09.09 (Juan León Mallorquín, Paraguay)
Ordained Priest:	1992.06.07
Consecrated Bishop:	2016.05.28

Priest of Ciudad del Este (Paraguay) (1992.06.07 – 2016.04.23)

Titular Bishop of Thamugadi (2016.04.23 – 2017.02.16)

Auxiliary Bishop of Ciudad del Este (Paraguay) (2016.04.23 – 2017.02.16)

Bishop of San Juan Bautista (Paraguay) (2017.02.16 – 2023.12.19)

Bishop of Ciudad del Este (Paraguay) (2023.12.19 – ...)

Bishop Heinz Wilhelm Steckling, O.M.I. (77)
(2014.11.15 – 2023.12.19)

Bishop emeritus of Ciudad del Este (Paraguay)

Venga a nosotros tu reino

Born:	1947.04.23 (Werl, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1974.07.20
Consecrated Bishop:	2014.12.21

Superior General of Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (Oblates) (1998.09 – 2010.09.29)

Bishop of Ciudad del Este (Paraguay) (2014.11.15 – 2023.12.19)

Bishop Ricardo Jorge Valenzuela Ríos (69)
(Apostolic Administrator 2014.09.25 – 2014.11.15)

Bishop Rogelio Ricardo Livieres Plano, Opus Dei
(2004.07.12 – 2014.09.25 deposed)

Santifica los en la verdad

Born:	1945.08.30 (Corrientes, Argentina)
Ordained Priest:	1978.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.10.03
Died:	2015.08.14 (Buenos Aires, Argentina † 69)

Priest of Opus Dei (Italy) (1978.08.15 – 2004.07.12)

Bishop of Ciudad del Este (Paraguay) (2004.07.12 – 2014.09.25 deposed)

Bishop Ignacio Gogorza Izaguirre, S.C.I. di Béth. (88)
(2001.02.03 – 2004.07.12)

Bishop emeritus of Encarnación (Paraguay)

Born:	1936.07.28 (Azcoitia, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1961.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.06.07

Bishop of Coronel Oviedo (Paraguay) (1998.03.26 – 2001.02.03)

Bishop of Ciudad del Este (Paraguay) (2001.02.03 – 2004.07.12)

Bishop of Encarnación (Paraguay) (2004.07.12 – 2014.11.15)

President of Episcopal Conference of Paraguay (2005.11 – 2008)

Bishops of Alto Paraná (Roman Rite)

Bishop Eustaquio Pastor Cuquejo Verga, C.SS.R. (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 2000.02 – 2001.02.03)

Bishop Oscar Páez Garcete
(1993.07.10 – 2000.02.05)

Born:	1937.09.01 (Paraguay)
Ordained Priest:	1961.12.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1978.08.19
Died:	2016.03.29 († 78)

Bishop of San Pedro (Paraguay) (1978.06.05 – 1993.07.10)

Bishop of Alto Paraná (Paraguay) (1993.07.10 – 2000.02.05)

President of Episcopal Conference of Paraguay (1994 – 1999)

Prelates of Alto Paraná (Roman Rite)

Bishop Eustaquio Pastor Cuquejo Verga, C.SS.R. (later Archbishop)
(1990.04.19 – 1992.05.05)

Born:	1939.09.20 (San Estanislao, Paraguay)
Ordained Priest:	1964.06.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1982.08.15
Died:	2023.08.22 (Asunción, Paraguay † 83)

Titular Bishop of Budua (1982.06.27 – 1990.04.19)

Auxiliary Bishop of Asunción (Paraguay) (1982.06.27 – 1990.04.19)

Bishop-Prelate of Alto Paraná (Paraguay) (1990.04.19 – 1992.05.05)

Titular Bishop of Ofena (1992.05.05 – 1998.03.07)

Military Ordinary of Paraguay (Paraguay) (1992.05.05 – 2002.06.15)

Apostolic Administrator of Caacupé (Paraguay) (1994.11 – 1995.06.03)

Apostolic Administrator of Alto Paraná (Paraguay) (2000.02 – 2001.02.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Asunción (Paraguay) (2002.06.15 – 2014.11.06)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Paraguay (2005 – 2008)

President of Episcopal Conference of Paraguay (2008 – 2011)

Bishop Augustín Van Aaken, S.V.D.
(1972.07.25 – 1990.04.19)

Born:	1914.07.06 (Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1941.04.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1972.08.12
Died:	1990.08.11 († 76)

Bishop-Prelate of Alto Paraná (Paraguay) (1972.07.25 – 1990.04.19)

Titular Bishop of Achyraus (1972.07.25 – 1990.08.11)

Bishop Francisco Cedzich, S.V.D.
(1968.05.11 – 1971.12.23)

Born:	1911.09.25 (Poland)
Ordained Priest:	1937.08.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1968.06.23
Died:	1971.12.23 († 60)

Titular Bishop of Capo della Foresta (1968.05.11 – 1971.12.23)

Bishop-Prelate of Alto Paraná (Paraguay) (1968.05.11 – 1971.12.23)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Pedro Collar Noguera (61) (2016.04.23 – 2017.02.16)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral San Blas, Ciudad del Este, Alto Paraná

Churches by City (37)

Villarrica (↙), Coronel Oviedo (←), Canindeyú (↑), Foz do Iguaçu (→), Puerto Iguazú (↘), Encarnación (↓)

Statistics (2024)

Area: 14,895 km²

Population: 756,759 Catholics (88.2% of 858,003 total)

Pastoral Centres: 44 parishes

Personnel: 117 priests (74 diocesan, 43 religious), 2 deacons, 96 religious (28 brothers, 68 sisters), 33 seminarians