Diocese of Sobral, Brazil

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Sobral / Sobralen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Fortaleza

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nossa Senhora da Conceição (December 8)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1915.11.10: Established as Diocese of Sobral / Sobralen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Ceará and became suffragan of Fortaleza)
1963.09.28: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Crateús
1971.03.13: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Itapipoca and Diocese of Tianguá

Present Prelates

Bishop (2015.07.08 – ...):

Bishop José Luiz Gomes de Vasconcelos (61)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Sobral (Roman Rite)

Bishop José Luiz Gomes de Vasconcelos (61)
(2015.07.08 – ...)

Bishop of Sobral (Brazil)

Pasce oves meas

Born:	1963.05.12 (Garanhuns, PE, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1989.12.09
Consecrated Bishop:	2012.06.11

Priest of Garanhuns (Brazil) (1989.12.09 – 2012.03.21)

Titular Bishop of Canapium (2012.03.21 – 2015.07.08)

Auxiliary Bishop of Fortaleza (Brazil) (2012.03.21 – 2015.07.08)

Apostolic Administrator of Sobral (Brazil) (2015.02.01 – 2015.07.08)

Bishop of Sobral (Brazil) (2015.07.08 – ...)

Bishop José Luiz Gomes de Vasconcelos (61)
(Apostolic Administrator 2015.02.01 – 2015.07.08)

Bishop Odelir José Magri, M.C.C.J. (61) (later Archbishop)
(2010.10.11 – 2014.12.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Chapecó (Brazil)

Vinde após mim, e eu vos farei pescadores de homens

Born:	1963.04.18 (Campo Erê, SC, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1992.10.18
Consecrated Bishop:	2010.12.12

Bishop of Sobral (Brazil) (2010.10.11 – 2014.12.03)

Bishop of Chapecó (Brazil) (2014.12.03 – 2024.11.05)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Chapecó (Brazil) (2024.11.05 – ...)

Bishop Fernando Antônio Saburido, O.S.B. (77) (later Archbishop)
(2005.05.18 – 2009.07.01)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Olinda e Recife (Brazil)

Secundum Verbum Tuum

Born:	1947.06.10 (Cabo de Santo Agostinho, PE, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1983.12.17
Consecrated Bishop:	2000.08.20

Titular Bishop of Tacia montana (2000.05.31 – 2005.05.18)

Auxiliary Bishop of Olinda e Recife (Brazil) (2000.05.31 – 2005.05.18)

Bishop of Sobral (Brazil) (2005.05.18 – 2009.07.01)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Olinda e Recife (Brazil) (2009.07.01 – 2023.06.14)

Bishop Aldo di Cillo Pagotto, S.S.S. (later Archbishop)
(1998.03.18 – 2004.05.05)

Unum Corpus Unus Spiritus

Born:	1949.09.16 (São Paulo, SP, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1977.12.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1997.10.31
Died:	2020.04.14 (Fortaleza, CE, Brazil † 70)

Coadjutor Bishop of Sobral (Brazil) (1997.09.10 – 1998.03.18)

Bishop of Sobral (Brazil) (1998.03.18 – 2004.05.05)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Paraíba (Brazil) (2004.05.05 – 2016.07.06)

Religious of Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament (Sacramentinos). Died of COVID-19.

Bishop Walfrido Teixeira Vieira
(1965.01.06 – 1998.03.18)

Secundum verbum tuum

Born:	1921.12.17 (Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1946.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1961.06.29
Died:	2001.11.09 († 79)

Titular Bishop of Laranda (1961.03.25 – 1965.01.06)

Auxiliary Bishop of São Salvador da Bahia (Brazil) (1961.03.25 – 1965.01.06)

Bishop of Sobral (Brazil) (1965.01.06 – 1998.03.18)

Bishop João José da Mota e Albuquerque (later Archbishop)
(1961.02.28 – 1964.04.28)

Sanctificans evangelium Dei

Born:	1913.03.27 (Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1935.04.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1957.04.28
Died:	1987.09.12 († 74)

Bishop of Afogados da Ingazeira (Brazil) (1957.01.04 – 1961.02.28)

Bishop of Sobral (Brazil) (1961.02.28 – 1964.04.28)

Metropolitan Archbishop of São Luís do Maranhão (Brazil) (1964.04.28 – 1984.03.20)

Bishop José Tupinambá da Frota
(1924.03.10 – 1959.09.25)

Oportet illum regnare

Born:	1882.09.10 (Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1905.10.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1916.06.29
Died:	1959.09.25 († 77)

Bishop of Sobral (Brazil) (1916.01.24 – 1923.04.06)

Bishop of Uberaba (Brazil) (1923.04.06 – 1924.03.10)

Bishop of Sobral (Brazil) (1924.03.10 – 1959.09.25)

Bishop José Tupinambá da Frota
(1916.01.24 – 1923.04.06)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Aldo di Cillo Pagotto, S.S.S. (later Archbishop) (1997.09.10 – 1998.03.18)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José Bezerra Coutinho (1956.08.04 – 1961.01.28)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Sobral, Ceará

Churches by City (50)

Tianguá (←), Itapipoca (→), Fortaleza (↘), Crateús (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 17,635 km²

Population: 873,200 Catholics (84.7% of 1,031,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 45 parishes, 791 missions

Personnel: 76 priests (72 diocesan, 4 religious), 1 deacon, 125 religious (4 brothers, 121 sisters), 25 seminarians