Diocese of

Santa Cruz do Sul

Brazil

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Santa Cruz do Sul / Sanctæ Crucis in Brasilia (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Santa Maria

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint John the Baptist (June 24)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1959.06.20: Established as Diocese of Santa Cruz do Sul / Sanctæ Crucis in Brasilia (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Porto Alegre and became suffragan of Porto Alegre)
1997.12.12: Gained territory from Diocese of Caxias do Sul
2011.04.13: Became suffragan of Santa Maria

Present Prelates

Bishop (2024.06.19 – ...):

Bishop Itacir Brassiani, M.S.F. (65)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Santa Cruz do Sul (Roman Rite)

Bishop Itacir Brassiani, M.S.F. (65)
(2024.06.19 – ...)

Bishop of Santa Cruz do Sul (Brazil)

Guiados pelo evangelho da Cruz

Born:	1959.12.28 (Soledade, RS, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1987.02.21
Consecrated Bishop:	2024.09.29

Bishop of Santa Cruz do Sul (Brazil) (2024.06.19 – ...)

Bishop Aloísio Alberto Dilli, O.F.M. (76)
(2016.07.13 – 2024.06.19)

Bishop emeritus of Santa Cruz do Sul (Brazil)

A palavra se fez carne

Born:	1948.06.21 (Montenegro, RS, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1977.01.01
Consecrated Bishop:	2007.09.02

Bishop of Uruguaiana (Brazil) (2007.06.27 – 2016.07.13)

Bishop of Santa Cruz do Sul (Brazil) (2016.07.13 – 2024.06.19)

Bishop Canísio Klaus (73)
(2010.05.19 – 2016.01.20)

Bishop of Sinop (Brazil)

Enviado para Evangelizar

Born:	1951.10.09 (Arroio do Meio, RS, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1979.12.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.06.21

Priest of Santa Cruz do Sul (Brazil) (1979.12.28 – 1998.04.22)

Coadjutor Bishop of Diamantino (Brazil) (1998.04.22 – 1998.08.26)

Bishop of Diamantino (Brazil) (1998.08.26 – 2010.05.19)

Bishop of Santa Cruz do Sul (Brazil) (2010.05.19 – 2016.01.20)

Bishop of Sinop (Brazil) (2016.01.20 – ...)

Bishop Aloísio Sinésio Bohn
(1986.06.27 – 2010.05.19)

Omnes Unum Sint

Born:	1934.09.11 (Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1961.12.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.09.09
Died:	2022.06.09 (Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brazil † 87)

Titular Bishop of Abbir Germaniciana (1977.06.27 – 1980.02.13)

Auxiliary Bishop of Brasília (Brazil) (1977.06.27 – 1980.02.13)

Bishop of Novo Hamburgo (Brazil) (1980.02.13 – 1986.06.27)

Bishop of Santa Cruz do Sul (Brazil) (1986.06.27 – 2010.05.19)

Bishop Alberto Frederico Etges
(1959.08.01 – 1986.06.27)

Parare plebem perfectam

Born:	1910.07.11 (Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1935.04.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1959.10.25
Died:	1996.01.08 († 85)

Bishop of Santa Cruz do Sul (Brazil) (1959.08.01 – 1986.06.27)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral São João Batista, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (58)

Bagé (↙), Cachoeira do Sul (↙), Cruz Alta (↖), Passo Fundo (↑), Montenegro (→), Porto Alegre (↘), Pelotas (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 15,691 km²

Population: 436,422 Catholics (70.0% of 623,460 total)

Pastoral Centres: 52 parishes

Personnel: 75 priests (65 diocesan, 10 religious), 29 deacons, 138 religious (16 brothers, 122 sisters), 4 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.04.02

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