Archdiocese of Toliara
Roman Catholic archdiocese in Madagascar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toliara (Latin: Toliarana) is one of five Metropolitan archdioceses with an Ecclesiastical province in Madagascar, yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
CountryMadagascar
HeadquartersToliara, Atsimo-Andrefana, Madagascar
Area43,570 km2 (16,820 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
- (as of 2022)
- 1,312,000
- 187,000 (14.3%)
Archdiocese of Toliara Archidioecesis Toliarana | |
|---|---|
Toliara Cathedral | |
| Location | |
| Country | Madagascar |
| Headquarters | Toliara, Atsimo-Andrefana, Madagascar |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 43,570 km2 (16,820 sq mi) |
Population
|
|
| Parishes | 28 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 8 April 1957 |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul |
| Secular priests | 75 |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Leo XIV |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Gustavo Bombín Espino, O.Ss.T. |
| Bishops emeritus | Fulgence Rabeony S.J. |
Its cathedral archiepiscopal see is in Toliara (formerly Tuléar).
Ecclesiastical province
Statistics
As per 2014, it pastorally served 119,638 Catholics (11.8% of 1,014,000 total) on 43,570 km2 in 23 parishes and 1 mission with 63 priests (26 diocesan, 37 religious), 373 lay religious (68 brothers, 305 sisters) and 18 seminarians.
History
- Established 8 April 1957 as Diocese of Tuléar, on territty split off from the Diocese of Fort-Dauphin
- Renamed 28 October 1989 like its see as Diocese of Toliara
- Promoted 3 December 2003 as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Toliara
Bishops
Ordinaries
(all Roman rite)
- Suffragan Bishops of Tuléar
- Michel-Henri Canonne, A.A. (25 April 1959 – 28 February 1974), retired
- René Joseph Rakotondrabé (28 February 1974 – 15 May 1989), appointed Bishop of Tamatave
- Suffragan Bishops of Toliara
- Fulgence Rabeony, S.J. (2 April 1990 – 3 December 2003 see below)
- Metropolitan Archbishops of Toliara
Auxiliary Bishop
- René Joseph Rakotondrabé (1972-1974), appointed Bishop here