Diocese of

Jiaying 嘉應

China

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Jiaying 嘉應 (中文) / Meixian 梅縣 (中文) / Kayíng / Jiāyīng 嘉应 (简体中文) / Méixiàn 梅县 (简体中文) / Chiaïmen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Guangzhou 廣州

Neighbouring Dioceses: Guangzhou 廣州 (↙), Ganzhou 贛州 (↖), Changting 長汀 (↑), Xiamen 廈門 (→), Shantou 汕頭 (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Now Governed by Patriotic Diocese: Meizhou 梅州 Uncanonical Diocese

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1929.02.20: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Jiaying 嘉應 (中文) / Kaying / Jiāyīng 嘉应 (简体中文) / de Kaying (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Shantou 汕頭)
1935.06.18: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Jiaying 嘉應 (中文) / Kaying / Jiāyīng 嘉应 (简体中文) / de Kaying (Latin)
1946.04.11: Promoted as Diocese of Jiaying 嘉應 (中文) / Meixian 梅縣 (中文) / Kayíng / Jiāyīng 嘉应 (简体中文) / Méixiàn 梅县 (简体中文) / Chiaïmen(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Guangzhou 廣州)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2003 – ...):

Bishop Joseph Liao Hong-qing (廖宏清) (59)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Jiaying 嘉應 (Roman Rite)

Bishop Joseph Liao Hong-qing (廖宏清) (59)
(2003 – ...)

Bishop of Jiaying 嘉應 (China)

Born:	1966.08.09 (廣東, China)
Ordained Priest:	1991.07.25
Consecrated Bishop:	2003.09.26

Bishop of Jiaying 嘉應 (China) (2003 – ...)

Bishop Anthony Zhong Quan-zhang (鍾全璋) ▼
(1989 – 2000.01.28▼)

Born:	1921.10 (Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia)
Ordained Priest:	1948.07.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1989.05.07 (no papal mandate)
Died:	2000.01.28 († 78)

Bishop of Jiaying 嘉應 (China) (1989 – 2000.01.28▼)

Bishop Francis Xavier Ford (福爾德), M.M.
(1946.04.11 – 1952.02.21)

Born:	1892.01.11 (Brooklyn, NY, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1917.12.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1935.09.21
Died:	1952.02.21 (Guangzhou, 廣東, China † 60)

Prefect Apostolic of Jiaying 嘉應 (China) (1929.04.28 – 1935.06.18)

Titular Bishop of Etenna (1935.06.18 – 1946.04.11)

Vicar Apostolic of Jiaying 嘉應 (China) (1935.06.18 – 1946.04.11)

Bishop of Jiaying 嘉應 (China) (1946.04.11 – 1952.02.21)

Vicars Apostolic of Jiaying 嘉應 (Roman Rite)

Bishop Francis Xavier Ford (福爾德), M.M.
(1935.06.18 – 1946.04.11)

(see above)

Prefects Apostolic of Jiaying 嘉應 (Roman Rite)

Fr. Francis Xavier Ford (福爾德), M.M. (later Bishop)
(1929.04.28 – 1935.06.18)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of the Holy Family, Meizhou 梅州, Guangdong

Guangzhou 廣州 (↙), Ganzhou 贛州 (↖), Changting 長汀 (↑), Xiamen 廈門 (→), Shantou 汕頭 (↓)

Statistics (1950.12.31)

Area: 67,000 km²

Population: 22,819 Catholics (0.9% of 2,625,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 26 parishes

Personnel: 31 priests (15 diocesan, 16 religious), 31 religious (31 sisters), 8 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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