Diocese of Vacaria, Brazil 🇧🇷

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Vacaria / Vaccarien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Passo Fundo

Neighbouring Dioceses: Passo Fundo (←), Erexim (←), Joaçaba (↖), Lages (↑), Criciúma (→), Caxias do Sul (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nossa Senhora da Oliveira (December 8)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: December 20 (1954)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1934.09.08: Established as Territorial Prelature of Vacaria / Vaccarien(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Porto Alegre and became suffragan of Porto Alegre)
1957.01.18: Promoted as Diocese of Vacaria / Vaccarien(sis) (Latin) (lost territory to Metropolitan Archdiocese of Porto Alegre)
2011.04.13: Became suffragan of Passo Fundo

Present Prelates

Bishop (2018.05.09 – ...):

Bishop Sílvio Guterres Dutra (59)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Vacaria (Roman Rite)

Bishop Sílvio Guterres Dutra (59)
(2018.05.09 – ...)

Bishop of Vacaria (Brazil)

Por causa do Evangelho de Jesus Cristo

Born:	1966.06.06 (Encruzilhada do Sul, RS, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1993.12.18
Consecrated Bishop:	2018.07.22

Priest of Porto Alegre (Brazil) (1993.12.18 – 2018.05.09)

Bishop of Vacaria (Brazil) (2018.05.09 – ...)

Bishop Irineu Gassen, O.F.M. (83)
(2008.05.28 – 2018.05.09)

Bishop emeritus of Vacaria (Brazil)

Preparar para o Senhor um povo perfeito

Born:	1942.11.24 (Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1968.07.27
Consecrated Bishop:	2008.07.27

Bishop of Vacaria (Brazil) (2008.05.28 – 2018.05.09)

Bishop Pedro Sbalchiero Neto, M.S.
(2003.11.12 – 2007.07.03)

Deixai-vos reconciliar

Born:	1953.12.14 (Sananduva, RS, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1980.02.04
Consecrated Bishop:	2003.04.05
Died:	2007.07.03 (Vacaria, RS, Brazil † 53)

Coadjutor Bishop of Vacaria (Brazil) (2003.01.08 – 2003.11.12)

Bishop of Vacaria (Brazil) (2003.11.12 – 2007.07.03)

Bishop Orlando Octacílio Dotti, O.F.M. Cap. (95)
(1986.02.05 – 2003.11.12)

Bishop emeritus of Vacaria (Brazil)

Cor ad cor loquitur

Born:	1930.06.22 (Antonio Prado, RS, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1956.04.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1969.05.25

Bishop of Caçador (Brazil) (1969.03.12 – 1976.04.01)

Bishop of Barra (Brazil) (1976.04.01 – 1983.05.30)

Coadjutor Bishop of Vacaria (Brazil) (1983.05.30 – 1986.02.05)

Bishop of Vacaria (Brazil) (1986.02.05 – 2003.11.12)

Bishop Henrique Gelain
(1964.03.28 – 1986.02.05)

In corde regnat omnium

Born:	1910.06.12 (Nova Pádua, RS, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1935.10.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1944.12.10
Died:	1993.12.31 (Vacaria, RS, Brazil † 83)

Bishop of Cajazeiras (Brazil) (1944.07.29 – 1948.05.22)

Bishop of Cafelândia (Brazil) (1948.05.22 – 1950.05.27)

Bishop of Lins (Brazil) (1950.05.27 – 1964.03.28)

Apostolic Administrator of Marília (Brazil) (1952 – 1954.10.07)

Bishop of Vacaria (Brazil) (1964.03.28 – 1986.02.05)

Bishop Augusto Petró
(1958.05.16 – 1964.03.12)

Fac et vives

Born:	1918.05.03 (Santo Antônio da Patrulha, RS, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1944.11.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1958.07.27
Died:	2008.10.28 (Ivoti, RS, Brazil † 90)

Bishop of Vacaria (Brazil) (1958.05.16 – 1964.03.12)

Bishop of Uruguaiana (Brazil) (1964.03.12 – 1995.07.05)

Prelates of Vacaria (Roman Rite)

Bishop Cândido Julio Bampi, O.F.M. Cap.
(1936.06.27 – 1957.01.18)

Born:	1889.01.25 (Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1914.08.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1936.10.04
Died:	1978.07.07 († 89)

Bishop-Prelate of Vacaria (Brazil) (1936.06.27 – 1957.01.18)

Titular Bishop of Tlos (1936.06.27 – 1978.07.07)

Auxiliary Bishop of Caxias do Maranhão (Brazil) (1957.01.18 – 1978.07.07)

Archbishop João Batista Becker
(Apostolic Administrator 1934.09.08 – 1936.06.27)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Pedro Sbalchiero Neto, M.S. (2003.01.08 – 2003.11.12)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Orlando Octacílio Dotti, O.F.M. Cap. (95) (1983.05.30 – 1986.02.05)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Nossa Senhora da Oliveira, Vacaria, Rio Grande do Sul
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (28)

Passo Fundo (←), Erexim (←), Joaçaba (↖), Lages (↑), Criciúma (→), Caxias do Sul (↓)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 15,469 km²

Population: 187,000 Catholics (90.3% of 207,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 28 parishes

Personnel: 61 priests (42 diocesan, 19 religious), 1 deacon, 97 religious (36 brothers, 61 sisters), 5 seminarians