Diocese of La Vega, Dominican Republic

Continent: Central America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: La Vega / Vegen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Santiago de los Caballeros

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1511.08.08: Established as Diocese of Concepción de la Vega (español) (from the suppressed Metropolitan Archdiocese of Hyaguata, Diocese of Bayuna and Diocese of Magua and became suffragan of Sevilla)
1546.02.12: Became suffragan of Santo Domingo
1606: Suppressed (to Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santo Domingo)
1953.09.25: Restored as Diocese of La Vega / Vegen(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santo Domingo and became suffragan of Santo Domingo)
1978.01.16: Gained territory from Diocese of Santiago de los Caballeros and lost territory to establish Diocese of San Francisco de Macorís
1994.02.14: Became suffragan of Santiago de los Caballeros

Present Prelates

Bishop (2024.10.18 – ...):

Bishop Carlos Tomás Morel Diplán (55)

Ordinaries

Bishops of La Vega (Roman Rite)

Bishop Carlos Tomás Morel Diplán (55)
(2024.10.18 – ...)

Bishop of La Vega (Dominican Republic)

Dominus fortitudo mea

Born:	1969.11.02 (Monte de la Jagua, Espaillat, Dominican Republic)
Ordained Priest:	2000.06.24
Consecrated Bishop:	2017.02.25

Priest of Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic) (2000.06.24 – 2016.12.14)

Titular Bishop of Capo della Foresta (2016.12.14 – 2024.10.18)

Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic) (2016.12.14 – 2024.10.18)

Apostolic Administrator of La Vega (Dominican Republic) (2023.12.02 – 2024.10.18)

Bishop of La Vega (Dominican Republic) (2024.10.18 – ...)

Bishop Carlos Tomás Morel Diplán (55)
(Apostolic Administrator 2023.12.02 – 2024.10.18)

Bishop Héctor Rafael Rodríguez Rodríguez, M.S.C. (64) (later Archbishop)
(2015.02.23 – 2023.10.07)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic)
President of Dominican Episcopal Conference

Manso y humilde

Born:	1961.01.13 (Sánchez, Samaná, Dominican Republic)
Ordained Priest:	1989.06.10
Consecrated Bishop:	2015.05.09

Bishop of La Vega (Dominican Republic) (2015.02.23 – 2023.10.07)

Vice-President of Dominican Episcopal Conference (2017.07.07 – 2023.07.04)

President of Dominican Episcopal Conference (2023.07.04 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic) (2023.10.07 – ...)

Bishop Gabriel Antonio Camilo González (86)
(1992.10.10 – 2015.02.23)

Bishop emeritus of La Vega (Dominican Republic)

Vince in bono mallum

Born:	1938.02.07 (Salcedo, Hermanas Mirabal, Dominican Republic)
Ordained Priest:	1962.07.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1992.12.08

Priest of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) (1962.07.01 – 1992.10.10)

Bishop of La Vega (Dominican Republic) (1992.10.10 – 2015.02.23)

Bishop Juan Antonio Flores Santana (later Archbishop)
(1966.04.24 – 1992.07.13)

In caritate non ficta

Born:	1927.07.03 (Bocas de Licey, Dominican Republic)
Ordained Priest:	1953.07.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1966.06.12
Died:	2014.11.09 († 87)

Bishop of La Vega (Dominican Republic) (1966.04.24 – 1992.07.13)

President of Dominican Episcopal Conference (1979 – 1981)

Bishop of Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic) (1992.07.13 – 1994.02.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic) (1994.02.14 – 2003.07.16)

Bishop Francisco Panal Ramírez, O.F.M.
(1956.06.22 – 1965.12.20)

Born:	1893.09.20 (Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1916.01.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1956.12.08
Died:	1970.08.13 († 76)

Bishop of La Vega (Dominican Republic) (1956.06.22 – 1965.12.20)

Titular Bishop of Zama minor (1965.12.20 – 1970.08.13)

Bishops of Concepción de la Vega (Roman Rite)

Abbot Luis de Figuerao, O.S.H.
(1523 – 1525)

Born:	(Spain)
Died:	1525

Bishop of Concepción de la Vega (Dominican Republic) (1523 – 1525)

Abbot nullius of Jamaica (Jamaica) (1523 – 1525)

Bishop Pedro Suárez de Deza
(1511.08.08 – 1523.03.17)

Consecrated Bishop:	1512.03.03
Died:	1523.03.17

Metropolitan Archbishop of Hyaguata (Dominican Republic) (1504.11.15 – 1511.08.08 not possessed)

Bishop of Concepción de la Vega (Dominican Republic) (1511.08.08 – 1523.03.17)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción, La Vega, La Vega, Cibao Sur
National Shrine: Santuario Nacional Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, Santo Cerro, La Vega, Cibao Sur

San Juan de la Maguana (←), Santiago de los Caballeros (↖), San Francisco de Macorís (↗), Santo Domingo (↘), Baní (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 4,919 km²

Population: 838,000 Catholics (98.6% of 850,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 60 parishes

Personnel: 121 priests (77 diocesan, 44 religious), 106 deacons, 236 religious (64 brothers, 172 sisters), 20 seminarians