Diocese of Criciúma, Brazil 🇧🇷

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Criciúma / Criciumen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Florianópolis

Neighbouring Dioceses: Osório (↙), Caxias do Sul (←), Vacaria (←), Lages (↖), Tubarão (↗)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: São José

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1998.05.27: Established as Diocese of Criciúma / Criciumen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Tubarão and became suffragan of Florianópolis)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2009.09.16 – ...):	Bishop Jacinto Inácio Flach (74)
Coadjutor Bishop (2025.12.30 – ...):	Bishop Milton Zonta, S.D.S. (65)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Criciúma (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jacinto Inácio Flach (74)
(2009.09.16 – ...)

Bishop of Criciúma (Brazil)

Anuncio-vos a misericórdia do Senhor

Born:	1952.02.26 (Bom Principio, RS, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1988.05.07
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.02.05

Priest of Porto Alegre (Brazil) (1988.05.07 – 2003.11.12)

Titular Bishop of Gummi in Proconsulari (2003.11.12 – 2009.09.16)

Auxiliary Bishop of Porto Alegre (Brazil) (2003.11.12 – 2009.09.16)

Bishop of Criciúma (Brazil) (2009.09.16 – ...)

Bishop Paulo Antônio de Conto (83)
(1998.05.27 – 2008.07.02)

Bishop emeritus of Montenegro (Brazil)

Mihi Vivere Christus

Born:	1942.10.12 (Encantado, RS, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1968.07.13
Consecrated Bishop:	1991.09.15

Priest of Santa Cruz do Sul (Brazil) (1968.07.13 – 1991.07.24)

Bishop of São Luiz de Cáceres (Brazil) (1991.07.24 – 1998.05.27)

Bishop of Criciúma (Brazil) (1998.05.27 – 2008.07.02)

Bishop of Montenegro (Brazil) (2008.07.02 – 2017.10.18)

Apostolic Administrator of Passo Fundo (Brazil) (2015.07.15 – 2015.12.02)

Apostolic Administrator of Nova Friburgo (Brazil) (2020.01.22 – 2020.05.06)

Apostolic Administrator of Cascavel (Brazil) (2024.02.13 – 2024.05.02)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral São José, Criciúma, Santa Catarina
Minor Basilica: Santuário Basílica Sagrado Coração Misericordioso de Jesus, Içara, Santa Catarina
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (43)

Osório (↙), Caxias do Sul (←), Vacaria (←), Lages (↖), Tubarão (↗)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 9,094 km²

Population: 484,880 Catholics (80.0% of 606,100 total)

Pastoral Centres: 43 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 79 priests (65 diocesan, 14 religious), 141 religious (15 brothers, 126 sisters), 18 seminarians