Diocese of Laval, France

Continent: West Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Laval / Valleguidonen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Rennes

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Immaculée Conception (December 8), Saint Julien (January 27)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: November 22

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1855.06.30: Established as Diocese of Laval / Valleguidonen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Angers and Diocese of Le Mans and became suffragan of Tours)
2002.12.08: Became suffragan of Rennes

Present Prelates

Bishop (2024.01.09 – ...):

Bishop Matthieu Dupont (50)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Laval (Roman Rite)

Bishop Matthieu Dupont (50)
(2024.01.09 – ...)

Bishop of Laval (France)

Ecce Agnus Dei

Born:	1973.12.11 (Versailles, France)
Ordained Priest:	2003.06.23
Consecrated Bishop:	2024.03.09

Priest of Versailles (France) (2003.06.23 – 2024.01.09)

Bishop of Laval (France) (2024.01.09 – ...)

Bishop Thierry Marie Scherrer (65)
(2008.05.21 – 2023.04.11)

Bishop of Perpignan–Elne (France)

Implemini Spiritu Sancto

Born:	1959.01.22 (Versailles, France)
Ordained Priest:	1988.06.26
Consecrated Bishop:	2008.07.06

Priest of Aix (France) (1988.06.26 – 2008.05.21)

Bishop of Laval (France) (2008.05.21 – 2023.04.11)

Bishop of Perpignan–Elne (France) (2023.04.11 – ...)

Bishop Armand Maillard (81) (later Archbishop)
(1996.08.02 – 2007.09.11)

Archbishop emeritus of Bourges (France)

Afin qu’ils aient la vie en abondance

Born:	1943.06.18 (Offroicourt, France)
Ordained Priest:	1970.06.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.10.05

Priest of Saint-Dié (France) (1970.06.28 – 1996.08.02)

Bishop of Laval (France) (1996.08.02 – 2007.09.11)

Archbishop of Bourges (France) (2007.09.11 – 2018.07.25)

Bishop Louis-Marie Billé (later Cardinal)
(1984.03.10 – 1995.05.05)

Scio cui credo

Born:	1938.02.18 (Fleury-lès-Aubrais, France)
Ordained Priest:	1962.03.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1984.05.19
Created Cardinal:	2001.02.21
Died:	2002.03.12 (Talence, France † 64)

Priest of Luçon (France) (1962.03.25 – 1984.03.10)

Bishop of Laval (France) (1984.03.10 – 1995.05.05)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Aix (France) (1995.05.05 – 1998.07.10)

President of Bishops’ Conference of France (1996.11.05 – 2001.11.06)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Lyon (France) (1998.07.10 – 2002.03.12)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Pietro in Vincoli (2001.02.21 – 2001.07.22)

Cardinal-Priest of SS. Trinità al Monte Pincio (2001.07.22 [2002.01.05] – 2002.03.12)

Bishop Paul-Louis Carrière
(1969.12.31 – 1984.03.10)

Born:	1908.03.30 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1931.07.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1969.01.11
Died:	2008.02.20 († 99)

Titular Bishop of Labico (1968.11.05 – 1969.12.31)

Coadjutor Bishop of Laval (France) (1968.11.05 – 1969.12.31)

Bishop of Laval (France) (1969.12.31 – 1984.03.10)

Bishop Charles-Marie-Jacques Guilhem
(1962.02.28 – 1969.12.31)

Surrexit Dominus vere

Born:	1897.12.07 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1924.06.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1959.06.22
Died:	1975.06.19 († 77)

Titular Bishop of Arethusa (1959.04.08 – 1962.02.28)

Coadjutor Bishop of Laval (France) (1959.04.08 – 1962.02.28)

Bishop of Laval (France) (1962.02.28 – 1969.12.31)

Titular Bishop of Aquæ Thibilitanæ (1969.12.31 – 1970.12.10)

Bishop Maurice-Paul-Jules Rousseau
(1950.06.14 – 1962.02.28)

Omnium servum me feci

Born:	1893.01.11 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1921.03.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1943.08.25
Died:	1967.09.29 († 74)

Titular Bishop of Isba (1943.06.22 – 1945.11.03)

Auxiliary Bishop of Blois (France) (1943.06.22 – 1945.11.03)

Bishop of Mende (France) (1945.11.03 – 1950.06.14)

Bishop of Laval (France) (1950.06.14 – 1962.02.28)

Titular Bishop of Ausafa (1962.02.28 – 1967.09.29)

Bishop Paul-Marie Richaud (later Cardinal)
(1938.07.27 – 1950.02.10)

Vinctus Christi

Born:	1887.04.16 (Versailles, France)
Ordained Priest:	1913.06.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1934.01.25
Created Cardinal:	1958.12.15
Died:	1968.02.05 (Bordeaux, France † 80)

Titular Bishop of Irenopolis in Isauria (1933.12.19 – 1938.07.27)

Auxiliary Bishop of Versailles (France) (1933.12.19 – 1938.07.27)

Bishop of Laval (France) (1938.07.27 – 1950.02.10)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bordeaux (France) (1950.02.10 – 1968.02.05)

Cardinal-Priest of Ss. Quirico e Giulitta (1958.12.18 – 1968.02.05)

Bishop Joseph-Jean-Yves Marcadé
(1936.08.20 – 1938.07.10)

Pro animabus vestris

Born:	1894.11.23 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1919.06.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1936.10.26
Died:	1959.05.07 († 64)

Bishop of Laval (France) (1936.08.20 – 1938.07.10)

Titular Bishop of Bargala (1938.07.10 – 1959.05.07)

Bishop Eugène-Jacques Grellier (later Archbishop)
(1906.02.21 – 1936.06.15)

In omni patientia et doctrina

Born:	1850.01.03 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1873.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1906.02.25
Died:	1939.02.23 († 89)

Bishop of Laval (France) (1906.02.21 – 1936.06.15)

Titular Archbishop of Cesarea in Cappadocia (1936.06.15 – 1939.02.23)

Bishop Pierre-Joseph Geay
(1896.06.25 – 1904.08.30)

Pro fide et patria

Born:	1845.03.15 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1869.05.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1896.09.06
Died:	1919.11.14 († 74)

Bishop of Laval (France) ([1896.05.30] 1896.06.25 – 1904.08.30)

Titular Bishop of Samos (1906.06.10 – 1919.11.14)

Bishop Jules Cléret
(1889.12.30 – 1895.01.23)

Animam pro ovibus meis

Born:	1835.12.27 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1860.06.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1890.02.16
Died:	1895.01.23 († 59)

Bishop of Laval (France) ([1889.08.28] 1889.12.30 – 1895.01.23)

Bishop Louis-Victor-Emile Bougaud
(1887.11.25 – 1888.11.07)

Espoir sans peur

Born:	1824.02.26 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1846.06.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1888.02.05
Died:	1888.11.07 († 64)

Bishop of Laval (France) ([1887.11.08] 1887.11.25 – 1888.11.07)

Bishop Victor Maréchal
(1887.05.26 – 1887.09.21)

Vita et spes

Born:	1838.10.07 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1862.07.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1887.07.25
Died:	1887.09.21 († 48)

Bishop of Laval (France) ([1887.04.16] 1887.05.26 – 1887.09.21)

Bishop Jules-Denis-Marie-Dieudonné Le Hardy du Marais
(1876.06.26 – 1886.06.20)

Omnia et in omnibus Christus

Born:	1833.01.07 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1856.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1876.09.24
Died:	1886.06.20 († 53)

Bishop of Laval (France) ([1876.05.29] 1876.06.26 – 1886.06.20)

Bishop Casimir-Alexis-Joseph Wicart
(1855.09.28 – 1876.05.03)

Absit gloriari nisi in cruce

Born:	1799.03.04 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1821.09.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1845.06.11
Died:	1879.04.08 († 80)

Bishop of Fréjus (France) ([1845.03.29] 1845.04.21 – 1855.09.28)

Bishop of Laval (France) ([1855.07.30] 1855.09.28 – 1876.05.03)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Paul-Louis Carrière (1968.11.05 – 1969.12.31)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Charles-Marie-Jacques Guilhem (1959.04.08 – 1962.02.28)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale de la Trinité, Laval, Mayenne, Pays-de-la-Loire
Minor Basilica: Basilique Notre-Dame d’Avesnières, Laval, Mayenne, Pays-de-la-Loire
Minor Basilica: Basilique Notre-Dame de l’Épine, Évron, Mayenne, Pays-de-la-Loire
Minor Basilica: Basilique Notre-Dame de l’Espérance, Pontmain, Mayenne, Pays-de-la-Loire
Minor Basilica: Basilique Notre-Dame des Miracles, Mayenne, Mayenne, Pays-de-la-Loire
Shrines in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy

Rennes (←), Coutances (↖), Séez (↗), Le Mans (→), Angers (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 5,175 km²

Population: 281,130 Catholics (91.9% of 305,900 total)

Pastoral Centres: 31 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 103 priests (54 diocesan, 49 religious), 26 deacons, 254 religious (78 brothers, 176 sisters), 2 seminarians