Diocese of

Caozhou 曹州

China

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Caozhou 曹州 (中文) / Heze 荷澤 (中文) / Tsaochow / Cáozhōu 曹州 (简体中文) / Hézé 荷泽 (简体中文) / Zaoceuven(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Jinan 濟南

Neighbouring Dioceses: Kaifeng 開封 (↙), Daming 大名 (↑), Yanggu 陽穀 (↑), Yanzhou 兗州 (→), Xuzhou 徐州 (↘), Shangqiu 商丘 (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Now Governed by Patriotic Diocese: Heze 菏澤 Uncanonical Diocese

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1934.11.12: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Caozhoufu 曹州府 (中文) / Tsaochowfu / Cáozhōufǔ 曹州府 (简体中文) / de Tsaochowfu (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Yanzhoufu 兗州府)
1946.04.11: Promoted as Diocese of Caozhou 曹州 (中文) / Heze 荷澤 (中文) / Tsaochow / Cáozhōu 曹州 (简体中文) / Hézé 荷泽 (简体中文) / Zaoceuven(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Jinan 濟南)

Present Prelates

Bishop:

vacant

Ordinaries

Bishops of Caozhou 曹州 (Roman Rite)

Bishop Joseph Wang Dian-duo (王殿鐸), O.A.R. ▼
(1996 – 2004.07.27▼)

Born:	1921.02.03 (Shenglitsi, China)
Ordained Priest:	1950.03.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.12.28 (clandestinely)
Died:	2004.07.27 (Jinan, China † 83)

Bishop of Caozhou 曹州 (China) (1996 – 2004.07.27▼)

Bishop Joseph Li Bing-yao (李炳耀), S.V.D.
(1990 – 1995.11.25)

Born:	1911.07.15 (China)
Ordained Priest:	1939.05.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1989.06.30
Died:	1995.11.25 († 84)

Bishop of Caozhou 曹州 (China) (1990 – 1995.11.25)

Bishop Charles Li Ming-yue (李鳴月) ▼
(1958 – 1970?▼)

Born:	(China)
Consecrated Bishop:	1958.06.01 (no papal mandate)
Died:	1970?

Bishop of Caozhou 曹州 (China) (1958 – 1970?▼)

Bishop Franz Hoowaarts (何方濟), S.V.D.
(1946.04.11 – 1954.03.24)

Born:	1878.07.19 (Bottrop, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1905.02.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1935.02.24
Died:	1954.03.24 (Steyl, Germany † 75)

Titular Bishop of Ucres (1934.11.12 – 1946.04.11)

Vicar Apostolic of Caozhoufu 曹州府 (China) (1934.11.12 – 1946.04.11)

Bishop of Caozhou 曹州 (China) (1946.04.11 – 1954.03.24)

Vicars Apostolic of Caozhoufu 曹州府 (Roman Rite)

Bishop Franz Hoowaarts (何方濟), S.V.D.
(1934.11.12 – 1946.04.11)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of Christ the King, Heze 菏泽, Shandong

Kaifeng 開封 (↙), Daming 大名 (↑), Yanggu 陽穀 (↑), Yanzhou 兗州 (→), Xuzhou 徐州 (↘), Shangqiu 商丘 (↓)

Statistics (1950.12.31)

Area: 13,000 km²

Population: 74,013 Catholics (1.9% of 4,000,000 total)

Personnel: 49 priests (12 diocesan, 37 religious), 49 religious (49 sisters), 9 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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