Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico

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Bishop(s) Roberto Octavio González Nieves, O.F.M., Archbishop Daniel Fernández Torres, Auxiliary Bishop Héctor Manuel Rivera Pérez, Auxiliary Bishop Hermín Negrón Santana, Auxiliary Bishop Luis Aponte Martínez, Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus Suffragan Dioceses Arecibo Caguas Fajardo-Humacao Mayagüez Ponce

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese Elevated: 30 April 1960 Metropolitan See Rite: Latin (or Roman) Country: Puerto Rico Square Kilometers: 1,050 (353 Square Miles) Description: Comprises the northeast portion of the Island of Puerto Rico. Catholic Directory Abbreviation: SJN Official Web Site: http://www.arqsj.org/ Mailing Address: Calle San Jorge 201, Santurce, Apartado 901967, San Juan, PR 00902-1967, Puerto Rico Telephone: (787)727-7373 Fax: 727.7938

Historical Details

• Diocese of Puerto Rico (Porto Rico)
  • Latin Name: Portoricensis
  • Erected: 8 August 1511
  • Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Foreign Archdiocese
  • Country: Puerto Rico

• Diocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico
  • Latin Name: Sancti Joannis Portoricensis
  • Name Changed: 21 November 1924
  • Country: Puerto Rico

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Alonso Manso † (8 Aug 1511 Appointed - 27 Sep 1539 Died)
• Rodrigo de Bastidas y Rodriguez de Romera † (6 Jul 1541 Appointed - 6 May 1567 Resigned)
• Francisco Andrés de Carvajal, O.F.M. † (2 Jun 1568 Appointed - 10 May 1570 Appointed, Archbishop of Santo Domingo)
• Manuel de Mercado Aldrete, O.S.H. † (4 Sep 1570 Appointed - 28 Mar 1576 Appointed, Bishop of Panamá)
• Diego de Salamanca, O.S.A. † (28 Mar 1576 Appointed - 4 Apr 1587 Resigned)
• Nicolás de Ramos y Santos, O.F.M. † (12 Feb 1588 Appointed - 13 Jul 1592 Appointed, Archbishop of Santo Domingo)
• Antonio Calderón de León † (25 Dec 1593 Appointed - 25 May 1598 Appointed, Bishop of Panamá)
• Martín Vasquez de Arce, O.P. † (5 Sep 1600 Appointed - 13 Jan 1609 Died)
• Francisco Diaz de Cabrera y Córdoba, O.P. † (17 Aug 1611 Appointed - 19 Jul 1614 Appointed, Bishop of Trujillo)
• Pedro de Solier y Vargas, O.S.A. † (17 Nov 1614 Appointed - 16 Dec 1619 Appointed, Archbishop of Santo Domingo)
• Bernardo de Valbuena y Villanueva † (14 Dec 1620 Appointed - 11 Oct 1627 Died)
• Juan López de Agurto de la Mata † (20 Jul 1630 Appointed - 8 Aug 1634 Appointed, Bishop of Coro)
• Juan Alonso de Solis y Mendoza, O. Carm. † (11 Jan 1635 Appointed - 19 Apr 1641 Died)
• Damián Lopez de Haro y Villarda, O.SS.T. † (9 Feb 1643 Appointed - 24 Aug 1648 Died)
• Hernando de Lobo Castrillo, O.F.M. † ( 1649 Appointed - 18 Oct 1651 Died)
• Francisco Naranjo, O.P. † ( 1652 Appointed - 1655 Died)
• Juan Francisco Arnaldo Isasi † ( 1656 Appointed - 4 Apr 1661 Died)
• Benito de Rivas, O.S.B. † ( 1663 Appointed - 27 Aug 1668 Died)
• Bartolomé Garcia de Escañuela, O.F.M. † ( 1671 Appointed - 16 Nov 1676 Appointed, Bishop of Durango, Durango)
• Marcos de Sobremonte † ( 1677 Appointed - 10 Aug 1681 Died)
• Juan Francisco de Padilla y San Martín, O. de M. † (23 Jun 1684 Installed - 1693 Appointed, Bishop of Santa Cruz de la Sierra)
• Jerónimo Nosti de Valdés, O.S.Bas. † (11 Feb 1704 Appointed - 14 Dec 1705 Appointed, Bishop of Santiago de Cuba)
• Pedro de la Concepcion Urtiaga, O.F.M. † (21 Mar 1707 Appointed - Nov 1715 Died)
• Fernando de Valdivia y Mendoza, O.A.R. † ( 1718 Ordained Bishop - 25 Nov 1725 Died)
• Sebastián Lorenzo Pizarro, O.S.Bas. † (17 Mar 1727 Appointed - 23 Jul 1736 Died)
• Francisco Pérez Lozano, O.S.Bas. † ( 1738 Ordained Bishop - 9 Aug 1743 Died)
• Francisco Placido de Bejar, Monje Basilio † ( 1745 Appointed - 1745 Died)
• Francisco Julián de Antolino † (6 May 1748 Appointed - 25 Sep 1752 Appointed, Bishop of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela)
• Pedro Martínez de Oneca † (24 May 1756 Appointed - 27 Apr 1760 Died)
• Mariano Martí † (24 May 1761 Appointed - 29 Jan 1770 Appointed, Bishop of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela)
• Manuel Jiménez Pérez, O.S.B. † (4 Mar 1771 Appointed - 20 Aug 1781 Died)
• Felipe José de Tres-Palacios y Verdeja † (25 Jun 1784 Appointed - 30 Mar 1789 Appointed, Bishop of San Cristobal de la Habana)
• Francisco de Cuerda † (29 Mar 1790 Appointed - 28 May 1795 Resigned)
• Juan Bautista de Zengotita y Bengoa, O. de M. † (1 Jun 1795 Appointed - 1 Nov 1802 Died)
• Juan Alejo de Arizmendi de La Torre † (25 Mar 1804 Ordained Bishop - 12 Oct 1814 Died)
• Mariano Rodríguez de Olmedo y Valle † (18 Dec 1815 Appointed - 8 Jul 1824 Appointed, Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba)
• Pedro Gutierrez de Cos † (13 Mar 1826 Appointed - 9 Apr 1833 Died)
• Francisco Fleix Soláus † (19 Jan 1846 Appointed - 16 Apr 1846 Confirmed, Bishop of San Cristobal de la Habana)
• Francisco de La Puente, O.P. † (27 Jul 1846 Appointed - 3 Jul 1848 Appointed, Bishop of Segovia)
• Gil Estévez y Tomás † (3 Jul 1848 Appointed - 23 Jun 1854 Appointed, Bishop of Tarazona)
• Pablo Benigno (Vicente) Carrion de Málaga, O.F.M. Cap. † (21 Dec 1857 Appointed - 29 Nov 1871 Died)
• Juan Antonio Puig y Montserrat, O.F.M. † (16 Jan 1874 Appointed - 2 Jan 1894 Died)
• Toribio Minguella y Arnedo, O.A.R. † (21 May 1894 Appointed - 24 Mar 1898 Appointed, Bishop of Sigüenza)
• Francisco Javier Valdés y Noriega, O.S.A. † (24 Mar 1898 Appointed - 14 Dec 1899 Appointed, Bishop of Jaca)
• James Herbert Blenk, S.M. † (12 Jun 1899 Appointed - 20 Apr 1906 Appointed, Archbishop of New Orleans, Louisiana)
• William Ambrose Jones, O.S.A. † (15 Jan 1907 Appointed - 17 Feb 1921 Died)
• George Joseph (Jorge José) Caruana † (5 Aug 1921 Appointed - 22 Dec 1925 Appointed, Apostolic Delegate to México)
• Edwin Vincent Byrne † (8 Mar 1929 Appointed - 12 Jun 1943 Appointed, Archbishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico)
• James Peter Davis † (3 Jul 1943 Appointed - 3 Jan 1964 Appointed, Archbishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico)
• Luis Aponte Martínez (4 Nov 1964 Appointed - 26 Mar 1999 Retired)
• Roberto Octavio González Nieves, O.F.M. (26 Mar 1999 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Puerto Rico (Porto Rico)
8 August 1511	Erected		Diocese of Puerto Rico (Porto Rico) (erected) (Suffragan of Seville, Spain)
1519	Territory Added		Diocese of Puerto Rico (Porto Rico) (Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles from Santa Cruz to Dominica)
12 February 1546	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Puerto Rico (Porto Rico) (From Seville (Spain) to Santo Domngo (Dominican Republic))
20 May 1790	Territory Lost	Diocese of Puerto Rico (Porto Rico)	Diocese of Santo Tomás de Guayana (erected)
21 November 1924	Territory Lost	Diocese of Puerto Rico (Porto Rico)	Diocese of Ponce (erected)
Diocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico
21 November 1924	Name Changed	Diocese of Puerto Rico (Porto Rico)	Diocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico
30 April 1960	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ponce Diocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico	Diocese of Arecibo (erected)
Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico
30 April 1960	Elevated	Diocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico	Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico
4 November 1964	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ponce Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico	Diocese of Caguas (erected)
11 March 2008	Territory Lost	Diocese of Caguas Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico	Diocese of Fajardo-Humacao (erected)

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Statistics

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 San Juan de Puerto Rico
1949	1,130,000	1,200,000	94.2%	41	132	173	6,531		147	342	63	ap1951
Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico
1966	700,000	800,000	87.5%	66	189	255	2,745		220	639	53	ap1967
1970	970,400	1,500,000	64.7%	89	189	278	3,490		234	391	83	ap1971
1976	874,240	1,090,800	80.1%	88	232	320	2,732		294	833	110	ap1977
1980	1,002,080	1,252,600	80.0%	108	219	327	3,064	57	313	750	119	ap1981
1990	989,000	1,237,000	80.0%	124	222	346	2,858	241	306	629	146	ap1991
1999	1,127,197	1,408,997	80.0%	149	177	326	3,457	263	219	314	153	ap2000
2000	1,007,197	1,393,611	72.3%	142	207	349	2,885	262	291	506	154	ap2001
2001	1,000,000	1,435,782	69.6%	135	210	345	2,898	265	284	489	154	ap2002
2002	1,001,628	1,460,593	68.6%	134	196	330	3,035	256	279	554	154	ap2003
2003	1,011,178	1,697,435	59.6%	139	189	328	3,082	242	252	380	154	ap2004
2004	1,064,622	1,419,496	75.0%	144	191	335	3,177	241	251	510	154	ap2005

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

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Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Luis Aponte Martínez (Archbishop: 4 Nov 1964 to 26 Mar 1999)
• Daniel Fernández Torres (Auxiliary Bishop: 14 Feb 2007)
• Roberto Octavio González Nieves, O.F.M. (Archbishop: 26 Mar 1999 - )
• Enrique Manuel Hernández Rivera (Auxiliary Bishop: 11 Jun 1979 to 13 Feb 1981)
• Hermín Negrón Santana (Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Jun 1981)
• Héctor Manuel Rivera Pérez (Priest: 12 Jun 1966; Auxiliary Bishop: 11 Jun 1979)

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• Francisco Julián de Antolino † (Bishop: 6 May 1748 to 25 Sep 1752)
• Juan Alejo de Arizmendi de La Torre † (Priest: 16 Jul 1785; Bishop: 25 Mar 1804 to 12 Oct 1814)
• Juan Francisco Arnaldo Isasi † (Bishop: 1656 to 4 Apr 1661)
• Rodrigo de Bastidas y Rodriguez de Romera † (Bishop: 6 Jul 1541 to 6 May 1567)
• James Herbert Blenk, S.M. † (Bishop: 12 Jun 1899 to 20 Apr 1906)
• Edwin Vincent Byrne † (Bishop: 8 Mar 1929 to 12 Jun 1943)
• Francisco Diaz de Cabrera y Córdoba, O.P. † (Bishop: 17 Aug 1611 to 19 Jul 1614)
• Antonio Calderón de León † (Bishop: 25 Dec 1593 to 25 May 1598)
• Pablo Benigno (Vicente) Carrion de Málaga, O.F.M. Cap. † (Bishop: 21 Dec 1857 to 29 Nov 1871)
• George Joseph (Jorge José) Caruana † (Bishop: 5 Aug 1921 to 22 Dec 1925)
• Francisco Andrés de Carvajal, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 2 Jun 1568 to 10 May 1570)
• Francisco de Cuerda † (Bishop: 29 Mar 1790 to 28 May 1795)
• James Peter Davis † (Bishop: 3 Jul 1943; Archbishop: 30 Apr 1960 to 3 Jan 1964)
• Francisco Placido de Bejar, Monje Basilio † (Bishop: 1745 to 1745)
• Pedro de la Concepcion Urtiaga, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 21 Mar 1707 to Nov 1715)
• Hernando de Lobo Castrillo, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 1649 to 18 Oct 1651)
• Juan de Santiago y León Garabito † (Bishop: 1676 to 13 Sep 1677)
• Marcos de Sobremonte † (Bishop: 1677 to 10 Aug 1681)
• Gil Estévez y Tomás † (Bishop: 3 Jul 1848 to 23 Jun 1854)
• Francisco Fleix Soláus † (Bishop: 19 Jan 1846 to 16 Apr 1846)
• Bartolomé Garcia de Escañuela, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 1671 to 16 Nov 1676)
• Rafael Grovas Felix † (Priest: 7 Apr 1928 to 19 Jan 1965)
• Pedro Gutierrez de Cos † (Bishop: 13 Mar 1826 to 9 Apr 1833)
• Manuel Jiménez Pérez, O.S.B. † (Bishop: 4 Mar 1771 to 20 Aug 1781)
• William Ambrose Jones, O.S.A. † (Bishop: 15 Jan 1907 to 17 Feb 1921)
• Francisco de La Puente, O.P. † (Bishop: 27 Jul 1846 to 3 Jul 1848)
• Juan López de Agurto de la Mata † (Bishop: 20 Jul 1630 to 8 Aug 1634)
• Damián Lopez de Haro y Villarda, O.SS.T. † (Bishop: 9 Feb 1643 to 24 Aug 1648)
• Juan de Dios López de Victoria † (Priest: 11 Jun 1927; Auxiliary Bishop: 1 Aug 1963 to 29 Aug 1992)
• Alonso Manso † (Bishop: 8 Aug 1511 to 27 Sep 1539)
• Mariano Martí † (Bishop: 24 May 1761 to 29 Jan 1770)
• Pedro Martínez de Oneca † (Bishop: 24 May 1756 to 27 Apr 1760)
• Manuel de Mercado Aldrete, O.S.H. † (Bishop: 4 Sep 1570 to 28 Mar 1576)
• Toribio Minguella y Arnedo, O.A.R. † (Bishop: 21 May 1894 to 24 Mar 1898)
• Francisco Naranjo, O.P. † (Bishop: 1652 to 1655)
• Juan Francisco de Padilla y San Martín, O. de M. † (Bishop: 23 Jun 1684 to 1693)
• Francisco Pérez Lozano, O.S.Bas. † (Bishop: 1738 to 9 Aug 1743)
• Sebastián Lorenzo Pizarro, O.S.Bas. † (Bishop: 17 Mar 1727 to 23 Jul 1736)
• Juan Antonio Puig y Montserrat, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 16 Jan 1874 to 2 Jan 1894)
• Nicolás de Ramos y Santos, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 12 Feb 1588 to 13 Jul 1592)
• Benito de Rivas, O.S.B. † (Bishop: 1663 to 27 Aug 1668)
• Mariano Rodríguez de Olmedo y Valle † (Bishop: 18 Dec 1815 to 8 Jul 1824)
• Diego de Salamanca, O.S.A. † (Bishop: 28 Mar 1576 to 4 Apr 1587)
• Pedro de Solier y Vargas, O.S.A. † (Bishop: 17 Nov 1614 to 16 Dec 1619)
• Juan Alonso de Solis y Mendoza, O. Carm. † (Bishop: 11 Jan 1635 to 19 Apr 1641)
• Felipe José de Tres-Palacios y Verdeja † (Bishop: 25 Jun 1784 to 30 Mar 1789)
• Bernardo de Valbuena y Villanueva † (Bishop: 14 Dec 1620 to 11 Oct 1627)
• Jerónimo Nosti de Valdés, O.S.Bas. † (Bishop: 11 Feb 1704 to 14 Dec 1705)
• Francisco Javier Valdés y Noriega, O.S.A. † (Bishop: 24 Mar 1898 to 14 Dec 1899)
• Fernando de Valdivia y Mendoza, O.A.R. † (Bishop: 1718 to 25 Nov 1725)
• Martín Vasquez de Arce, O.P. † (Bishop: 5 Sep 1600 to 13 Jan 1609)
• Juan Bautista de Zengotita y Bengoa, O. de M. † (Bishop: 1 Jun 1795 to 1 Nov 1802)