Diocese of Niigata 新潟, Japan

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Niigata 新潟 / Niigataën(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Tokyo 東京

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: April 16

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1912.08.13: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Niigata 新潟 / Niigataën(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tokyo 東京, Diocese of Hakodate 函館 and Diocese of Osaka 大阪 and became suffragan of Tokyo 東京)
1922.02.18: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Nagoya 名古屋
1962.04.16: Promoted as Diocese of Niigata 新潟 / Niigataën(sis) (Latin)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2020.05.31 – ...):

Bishop Paul Daisuke Narui (パウロ成井大介), S.V.D. (51)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Niigata 新潟 (Roman Rite)

Bishop Paul Daisuke Narui (パウロ成井大介), S.V.D. (51)
(2020.05.31 – ...)

Bishop of Niigata 新潟 (Japan)

いつも　ふくいんを　ともに

Born:	1973.11.24 (Iwakura, 愛知県, Japan)
Ordained Priest:	2001.03.10
Consecrated Bishop:	2020.09.22

Bishop of Niigata 新潟 (Japan) (2020.05.31 – ...)

Bishop Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi (タルチシオ菊地功), S.V.D. (66) (later Cardinal)
(2004.04.29 – 2017.10.25)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Giovanni Leonardi
Metropolitan Archbishop of Tokyo 東京 (Japan)
President of Caritas Internationalis
President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan
General Secretary of Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences

Varietate unitas

Born:	1958.11.01 (Iwate, 岩手県, Japan)
Ordained Priest:	1986.03.15
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.09.20
Created Cardinal:	2024.12.07

Bishop of Niigata 新潟 (Japan) (2004.04.29 – 2017.10.25)

Apostolic Administrator of Sapporo 札幌 (Japan) (2009.11.17 – 2013.06.22)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Tokyo 東京 (Japan) (2017.10.25 – ...)

General Secretary of Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (2021.07.22 – ...)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan (2022.02.14 – ...)

President of Caritas Internationalis (2023.05.13 – ...)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Giovanni Leonardi (2024.12.07 – ...)

Bishop Francis Keiichi Sato (フランシスコ佐藤敬一), O.F.M.
(1985.03.09 – 2004.04.29)

Born:	1928.04.11 (Asahikawa, 北海道, Japan)
Ordained Priest:	1962.10.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1985.06.09
Died:	2005.01.02 († 76)

Bishop of Niigata 新潟 (Japan) (1985.03.09 – 2004.04.29)

Bishop John Shojiro Ito (使徒ヨハネ伊藤庄治郎)
(1962.04.16 – 1985.03.09)

Born:	1909.03.13 (Ushijima, 秋田県, Japan)
Ordained Priest:	1938.03.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1962.06.14
Died:	1993.03.14 († 84)

Bishop of Niigata 新潟 (Japan) (1962.04.16 – 1985.03.09)

Prefects Apostolic of Niigata 新潟 (Roman Rite)

Fr. John Baptist Tokisuke Noda (洗者ヨハネ野田時助)
(1953.03.13 – 1961.10.11)

Born:	1896.06.09 (Sapporo, 北海道, Japan)
Ordained Priest:	1927.06
Died:	1961.10.11 († 65)

Prefect Apostolic of Niigata 新潟 (Japan) (1953.03.13 – 1961.10.11)

Fr. Peter Magoshiro Matsuoka (ペトロ松岡孫四郎) (later Bishop)
(1941 – 1953)

Born:	1887.03.20 (Nagasaki, 長崎県, Japan)
Ordained Priest:	1918.02.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1962.06.03
Died:	1980.08.06 († 93)

Prefect Apostolic of Niigata 新潟 (Japan) (1941 – 1953)

Prefect Apostolic of Nagoya 名古屋 (Japan) (1941 – 1962.04.16)

Bishop of Nagoya 名古屋 (Japan) (1962.04.16 – 1969.06.26)

Titular Bishop of Belali (1969.06.26 – 1971.02.04)

Fr. Anton Ceska (アントン・テェスカ), S.V.D.
(1926.06.28 – 1941)

Born:	1877.12.08 (Austria)
Ordained Priest:	1905.02.24
Died:	1951.04.29 († 73)

Prefect Apostolic of Niigata 新潟 (Japan) (1926.06.28 – 1941)

Fr. Josef Reiners (ヨゼフ・ライネルス), S.V.D.
(1912 – 1926.06.28)

Born:	1874.03.20 (Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1898.08.15
Died:	1945.08.28 († 71)

Prefect Apostolic of Niigata 新潟 (Japan) (1912 – 1926.06.28)

Prefect Apostolic of Nagoya 名古屋 (Japan) (1922.02.18 – 1941)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of Christ the King (Niigata Church), 新潟 (Niigata), 新潟県, 中部地方
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (38)

Yokohama 横浜 (↙), Sendai 仙台 (→), Saitama さいたま (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 28,652 km²

Population: 6,752 Catholics (0.2% of 4,110,736 total)

Pastoral Centres: 30 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 28 priests (15 diocesan, 13 religious), 55 religious (13 brothers, 42 sisters)