Sorocaba (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Vacant
Eduardo Benes de Sales Rodrigues, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 29 April 1992
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Sao Paulo
Country: Brazil
Square Kilometers: 4,053 (1,565 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Sul 1
Web Site: http://www.arquidiocesesorocaba.org.br/
Mailing Address: Curia Metropolitana, Av. Dr. Eugenio Salerno 60, Santa Terezinha, 18035-430 Sorocaba, SP, Brazil
Telephone: (015)3221-6880
Fax: (same)

Historical Details

Diocese of Sorocaba
- Latin Name: Sorocabana
- Erected: 4 July 1924
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of S�o Paulo
- Country: Brazil

Past and Present Ordinaries

Jos� Carlos de Aguirre † (4 Jul 1924 Appointed - 8 Jan 1973 Died)
Jos� Melhado Campos † (8 Jan 1973 Succeeded - 20 Mar 1981 Resigned)
Jos� Lambert Filho, C.S.S. † (20 Mar 1981 Succeeded - 4 May 2005 Retired)
Eduardo Benes de Sales Rodrigues (4 May 2005 Appointed - 28 Dec 2016 Retired)
J�lio Endi Akamine, S.A.C. (28 Dec 2016 Appointed - 7 Mar 2025 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Bel�m do Par�)

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Sorocaba
4 July 1924	Erected	Diocese of Botucatu (Sorocaba, Porto Felix, Campo Largo, Piedade, Pilar, S. Miguel Archanjo, Sarapuhy, Itapetininga, Tatuhy, Cesario Large, Bella Vista de Taiuhy, Bufete, Pereiras, Conchas, Guarehy, Angatuba^ Laranjal, Boituva, Cerquilho, Tiet�, Anhemby, Bury, Itabera, ...)	Diocese of Sorocaba (erected)
24 April 1925	Territory Lost	Diocese of Sorocaba (Piraju, Fartura, Anhembi, and Itahy (Itobi))	Diocese of Botucatu
24 April 1925	Territory Added	Diocese of Campinas (Tiet� and Porto Felix)	Diocese of Sorocaba
5 February 1932	Territory Added	Diocese of Botucatu (Parish of Itahy)	Diocese of Sorocaba
5 February 1932	Territory Lost	Diocese of Sorocaba (Parish of Bofate)	Diocese of Botucatu
14 February 1958	Territory Added	Archdiocese of S�o Paulo (Rest of Sorocaba)	Diocese of Sorocaba
2 March 1968	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Botucatu (Factura, Ita�, Paranapanema, and Tagua�) Diocese of Sorocaba (Barao de Antonina, Buri, Capao Bonito, Coronel Macedo, Guapiara, Itaber�, Itapeva, Itaporanga, Itarar�, Ribeir�o Branco, Ribeir�o Vermelho do Sul, and Taquarituba) Diocese of Santos (Apiai, Barra do Turvo, Iporanga, and Ribeira)	Diocese of Itapeva (erected)
Archdiocese of Sorocaba
29 April 1992	Elevated	Diocese of Sorocaba	Archdiocese of Sorocaba
15 April 1998	Territory Lost	Diocese of Itapeva (Paranapanema) Archdiocese of Sorocaba (Itapetininga, Tatu�, S�o Miguel Arcanjo, Angatuba, Ces�rio Lange, Guare�, Sarapu�, and Pilar do Sul)	Diocese of Itapetininga (erected) (Alambari, Campina do Monte Alegre, Capela do Alto, Porangaba, Quadra, and Torre de Pedra)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Sorocaba

1950 453,000 455,000 99.6% 18 28 46 9,847 28 168 32 ap1951

1966 650,000 800,000 81.3% 54 42 96 6,770 86 305 41 ap1967

1967 656,916 .0% 42 25 67 0 252 27 ap1971

1976 450,000 500,000 90.0% 36 39 75 6,000 12 44 180 38 ap1977

1977 544,000 605,000 89.9% 35 29 64 8,500 15 37 180 40 ap1981

1990 636,000 775,000 82.1% 45 24 69 9,217 16 31 174 42 ap1991

Archdiocese of Sorocaba

1999 526,155 754,508 69.7% 33 12 45 11,692 21 13 136 33 ap2000

2000 569,373 813,391 70.0% 37 14 51 11,164 27 15 142 36 ap2001

2001 604,730 864,901 69.9% 40 14 54 11,198 34 17 174 54 ap2002

2002 615,148 878,784 70.0% 41 14 55 11,184 36 21 157 58 ap2003

2003 632,587 903,696 70.0% 40 15 55 11,501 34 18 137 42 ap2004

2004 654,789 935,414 70.0% 42 14 56 11,692 39 19 147 42 ap2005

2010 666,000 952,000 70.0% 73 40 113 5,893 42 104 152 48 ap2011

2014 766,792 1,095,418 70.0% 69 30 99 7,745 41 83 131 55 ap2015

2017 800,177 1,143,111 70.0% 71 19 90 8,890 46 53 131 59 ap2018

2020 833,599 1,190,201 70.0% 73 73 11,419 44 34 130 59 ap2021

2022 853,000 1,217,749 70.0% 69 69 12,362 44 32 114 58 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Sorocaba
1950	453,000	455,000	99.6%	18	28	46	9,847		28	168	32	ap1951
1966	650,000	800,000	81.3%	54	42	96	6,770		86	305	41	ap1967
1967		656,916	.0%	42	25	67	0			252	27	ap1971
1976	450,000	500,000	90.0%	36	39	75	6,000	12	44	180	38	ap1977
1977	544,000	605,000	89.9%	35	29	64	8,500	15	37	180	40	ap1981
1990	636,000	775,000	82.1%	45	24	69	9,217	16	31	174	42	ap1991
Archdiocese of Sorocaba
1999	526,155	754,508	69.7%	33	12	45	11,692	21	13	136	33	ap2000
2000	569,373	813,391	70.0%	37	14	51	11,164	27	15	142	36	ap2001
2001	604,730	864,901	69.9%	40	14	54	11,198	34	17	174	54	ap2002
2002	615,148	878,784	70.0%	41	14	55	11,184	36	21	157	58	ap2003
2003	632,587	903,696	70.0%	40	15	55	11,501	34	18	137	42	ap2004
2004	654,789	935,414	70.0%	42	14	56	11,692	39	19	147	42	ap2005
2010	666,000	952,000	70.0%	73	40	113	5,893	42	104	152	48	ap2011
2014	766,792	1,095,418	70.0%	69	30	99	7,745	41	83	131	55	ap2015
2017	800,177	1,143,111	70.0%	71	19	90	8,890	46	53	131	59	ap2018
2020	833,599	1,190,201	70.0%	73		73	11,419	44	34	130	59	ap2021
2022	853,000	1,217,749	70.0%	69		69	12,362	44	32	114	58	ap2023

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Living

J�lio Endi Akamine, S.A.C. (Archbishop: 28 Dec 2016 to 7 Mar 2025)
Jos� Benedito Cardoso (Deacon: 14 Mar 1986; Priest: 23 Nov 1986 to 15 Apr 1998)
Eduardo Benes de Sales Rodrigues (Archbishop: 4 May 2005 to 28 Dec 2016)
Luiz Soares Vieira

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Jos� Carlos de Aguirre † (Bishop: 4 Jul 1924 to 8 Jan 1973)
Amaury Castanho † (Auxiliary Bishop: 19 Jul 1976 to 30 Nov 1979)
Jos� Carlos Castanho de Almeida † (Priest: 8 Dec 1953 to 3 Mar 1982)
Jos� Lambert Filho, C.S.S. † (Coadjutor Bishop: 30 Nov 1979; Bishop: 20 Mar 1981; Archbishop: 29 Apr 1992 to 4 May 2005)
Almir Marques Ferreira † (Auxiliary Bishop: 9 Apr 1957 to 19 Aug 1961)
Jos� Melhado Campos † (Coadjutor Bishop: 22 Feb 1965; Bishop: 8 Jan 1973 to 20 Mar 1981)
Ant�nio Maria Mucciolo † (Priest: 4 Nov 1949 to 26 May 1977)
Jos� Thurler † (Coadjutor Bishop: 22 Mar 1962 to 22 Mar 1965)

Source(s)

Diocese of Sorocaba
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 17, Page 243
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 17, Page 498, to Page 500
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 24, Page 118
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 50, Page 536, to Page 539
Archdiocese of Sorocaba
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 85, Page 5, and Page 6

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Archdiocese of Sorocaba

Archidioecesis Sorocabana