Basse-Terre (et Pointe-à-Pitre) (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Philippe Médard Guiougou, Bishop
Jean-Yves Riocreux, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 19 July 1951
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Fort-de-France (e Saint Pierre)
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Guadeloupe
Region: Antilles (West Indies)
Square Kilometers: 1,702 (657 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: https://catholique-guadeloupe.fr/
Mailing Address: Maison Diocesaine, B.P. 369, 1 Place Saint-François, 97100 Basse-Terre CEDEX, Guadeloupe, Antilles Françaises
Telephone: 81.38.30
Fax: 81.98.23

Historical Details

Diocese of Guadeloupe et Basse-Terre
- Latin Name: Guadalupensis-Imae Telluris
- Erected: 27 September 1850
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Fort-de-France (e Saint Pierre)
- Country: Guadeloupe
- Region: Antilles (West Indies)

Past and Present Ordinaries

Pierre-Marie-Gervais Lacarrière † (3 Oct 1850 Confirmed - 30 Dec 1852 Resigned)
Théodore-Augustin Forcade, M.E.P. † (12 Sep 1853 Confirmed - 18 Mar 1861 Confirmed, Bishop of Nevers)
Antoine Boutonnet † (7 Apr 1862 Confirmed - 13 Nov 1868 Died)
Joseph-Clair Reyne † (21 Mar 1870 Confirmed - 14 Nov 1872 Died)
François-Benjamin-Joseph Blanger † (25 Jul 1873 Confirmed - 9 Aug 1883 Confirmed, Bishop of Limoges)
Frédéric-Henri Oury † (27 Mar 1885 Confirmed - 10 Jun 1886 Confirmed, Bishop of Fréjus)
Pierre-Marie Avon † (22 Jun 1899 Confirmed - 23 Feb 1901 Died)
Emmanuel-François Canappe † (18 Apr 1901 Confirmed - 20 Sep 1907 Died)
Pierre-Louis Genoud, C.S.Sp. † (31 May 1912 Appointed - 17 May 1945 Retired)
Jean Gay, C.S.Sp. † (17 May 1945 Succeeded - 29 Jan 1968 Resigned)
Siméon Oualli † (29 Jun 1970 Appointed - 2 Jul 1984 Resigned)
Ernest Mesmin Lucien Cabo † (2 Jul 1984 Appointed - 15 May 2008 Retired)
Jean-Yves Riocreux (15 Jun 2012 Appointed - 13 May 2021 Retired)
Philippe Médard Guiougou (3 Apr 2023 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Guadeloupe et Basse-Terre
27 September 1850	Erected	Prefecture Apostolic of Îles de la Terre Ferme	Diocese of Guadeloupe et Basse-Terre (erected)
Diocese of Basse-Terre (et Pointe-à-Pitre)
19 July 1951	Name Changed	Diocese of Guadeloupe et Basse-Terre	Diocese of Basse-Terre (et Pointe-à-Pitre)
26 September 1967	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Basse-Terre (et Pointe-à-Pitre) (from Immediately Subject)

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 Guadeloupe et Basse-Terre

1948 277,112 278,864 99.4% 24 56 80 3,463 62 123 36 ap1951

Diocese of Basse-Terre (et Pointe-à-Pitre)

1959 295,017 301,589 97.8% 37 64 101 2,920 69 204 42 ap1960

1964 307,000 315,000 97.5% 43 65 108 2,842 81 237 43 ap1967

1970 300,000 311,149 96.4% 47 66 113 2,654 91 243 46 ap1971

1976 295,400 325,400 90.8% 44 47 91 3,246 58 211 46 ap1977

1980 270,000 313,405 86.2% 44 39 83 3,253 45 201 46 ap1981

1990 317,061 344,570 92.0% 43 24 67 4,732 34 215 43 ap1991

1999 340,000 428,000 79.4% 40 16 56 6,071 4 17 173 42 ap2000

2000 340,000 430,000 79.1% 37 15 52 6,538 3 16 173 40 ap2001

2001 355,000 435,700 81.5% 41 18 59 6,016 3 19 165 45 ap2002

2002 378,000 450,000 84.0% 50 18 68 5,558 8 19 165 45 ap2003

2003 373,000 438,000 85.2% 37 15 52 7,173 10 16 165 45 ap2004

2004 395,000 454,000 87.0% 41 15 56 7,053 12 16 165 45 ap2005

2006 400,000 474,000 84.4% 41 16 57 7,017 10 17 165 44 ap2007

2012 390,000 467,000 83.5% 38 14 52 7,500 11 14 165 42 ap2013

2015 314,120 464,000 67.7% 44 23 67 4,688 11 23 165 36 ap2016

2018 350,224 449,326 77.9% 39 25 64 5,472 12 25 165 42 ap2019

2020 342,670 439,649 77.9% 38 25 63 5,439 16 29 165 43 ap2021

2022 335,000 429,239 78.0% 45 27 72 4,652 15 27 105 44 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 Guadeloupe et Basse-Terre
1948	277,112	278,864	99.4%	24	56	80	3,463		62	123	36	ap1951
Diocese of Basse-Terre (et Pointe-à-Pitre)
1959	295,017	301,589	97.8%	37	64	101	2,920		69	204	42	ap1960
1964	307,000	315,000	97.5%	43	65	108	2,842		81	237	43	ap1967
1970	300,000	311,149	96.4%	47	66	113	2,654		91	243	46	ap1971
1976	295,400	325,400	90.8%	44	47	91	3,246		58	211	46	ap1977
1980	270,000	313,405	86.2%	44	39	83	3,253		45	201	46	ap1981
1990	317,061	344,570	92.0%	43	24	67	4,732		34	215	43	ap1991
1999	340,000	428,000	79.4%	40	16	56	6,071	4	17	173	42	ap2000
2000	340,000	430,000	79.1%	37	15	52	6,538	3	16	173	40	ap2001
2001	355,000	435,700	81.5%	41	18	59	6,016	3	19	165	45	ap2002
2002	378,000	450,000	84.0%	50	18	68	5,558	8	19	165	45	ap2003
2003	373,000	438,000	85.2%	37	15	52	7,173	10	16	165	45	ap2004
2004	395,000	454,000	87.0%	41	15	56	7,053	12	16	165	45	ap2005
2006	400,000	474,000	84.4%	41	16	57	7,017	10	17	165	44	ap2007
2012	390,000	467,000	83.5%	38	14	52	7,500	11	14	165	42	ap2013
2015	314,120	464,000	67.7%	44	23	67	4,688	11	23	165	36	ap2016
2018	350,224	449,326	77.9%	39	25	64	5,472	12	25	165	42	ap2019
2020	342,670	439,649	77.9%	38	25	63	5,439	16	29	165	43	ap2021
2022	335,000	429,239	78.0%	45	27	72	4,652	15	27	105	44	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Pierre-Marie Avon † (Bishop: 22 Jun 1899 to 23 Feb 1901)
François-Benjamin-Joseph Blanger † (Bishop: 25 Jul 1873 to 9 Aug 1883)
Antoine Boutonnet † (Bishop: 7 Apr 1862 to 13 Nov 1868)
Ernest Mesmin Lucien Cabo † (Priest: 4 Oct 1964; Auxiliary Bishop: 2 Jul 1983; Bishop: 2 Jul 1984 to 15 May 2008)
Emmanuel-François Canappe † (Bishop: 18 Apr 1901 to 20 Sep 1907)
Théodore-Augustin Forcade, M.E.P. † (Bishop: 12 Sep 1853 to 18 Mar 1861)
Jean Gay, C.S.Sp. † (Coadjutor Bishop: 13 Jan 1943; Bishop: 17 May 1945 to 29 Jan 1968)
Pierre-Louis Genoud, C.S.Sp. † (Bishop: 31 May 1912 to 17 May 1945)
Pierre-Marie-Gervais Lacarrière † (Bishop: 3 Oct 1850 to 30 Dec 1852)
François Laurencin † (Apostolic Administrator: 1 Jun 1888 to 18 Dec 1892)
Gérard-Paul-Louis-Marie de Milleville, C.S.Sp. † (Apostolic Administrator: 29 Jan 1968 to 5 Oct 1970)
Siméon Oualli † (Priest: 25 Feb 1957; Bishop: 29 Jun 1970 to 2 Jul 1984)
Frédéric-Henri Oury † (Bishop: 27 Mar 1885 to 10 Jun 1886)
Joseph-Clair Reyne † (Bishop: 21 Mar 1870 to 14 Nov 1872)
Dominique-Clément-Marie Soulé † (Apostolic Administrator: 21 Nov 1892 to 1898)

Source(s)

Diocese of Guadeloupe et Basse-Terre
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 169
Diocese of Basse-Terre (et Pointe-à-Pitre)
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 44, Page 47
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 60, Page 182, and Page 183

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Diocese of Basse-Terre (et Pointe-à-Pitre)

Dioecesis Imae Telluris (-Petrirostrensis)