Roman Catholicism in Paraguay

The Roman Catholic Church in Paraguay is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome.

History

1542 settled the first missionaries in Paraguay. 1547 today Archdiocese of Asunción was founded as a diocese Paraguay. From 1609 until the expulsion from South America in 1768, the Jesuits were very active and founded numerous Jesuit reductions.

Organization

The Roman Catholic Church in Paraguay is divided into a church province with its own archbishop and 11 dioceses. To this end come two Apostolic Vicariate and the Military Ordinariate.

The Catholic Church in Paraguay is represented by the Conferencia Episcopal Paraguaya (CEP ); Chairman of the Bishops' Conference is Eustaquio Pastor Cuquejo Verga. The apostolic nuncio since 2009 Eliseo Antonio Ariotti.

Approximately 5.7 million inhabitants ( 80% of total population) in Paraguay are Catholics.

Dioceses in Paraguay

• Archdiocese of Asunción: Diocese of Benjamín Aceval diocese Caacupé, Bishopric Carapeguá, Diocese of Ciudad del Este, Diocese of Concepción (Paraguay ), Diocese of Coronel Oviedo, Diocese of Encarnación, Diocese of San Juan Bautista de las Misiones, Diocese of San Lorenzo, Diocese of San Pedro, Diocese of Villarrica del Espíritu Santo
• Immediate: Military Ordinariate, Apostolic Vicariate of Chaco Paraguayo, Apostolic Vicariate of Pilcomayo