Diocese of Paramaribo

Historical Details

• Prefecture Apostolic of Dutch Guyana-Suriname
  • Latin Name: Guyanae Hollandicae
  • Erected: 22 November 1817
  • Country: Suriname
  • Region: Antilles (West Indies)

• Vicariate Apostolic of Dutch Guyana-Suriname
  • Latin Name: Guyanae Hollandicae
  • Elevated: 12 September 1842
  • Vicariate
  • Country: Suriname
  • Region: Antilles (West Indies)

Past and Present Ordinaries

• Martinus van der Weijden † (Feb 1826 Appointed - 14 Oct 1826 Died)
• Jacobus Grooff † (13 Oct 1826 Appointed - 20 Sep 1842 Appointed, Vicar Apostolic of Batavia)
• Jacobus Gerardus Schepers, C.SS.R. † (20 Sep 1843 Appointed - 27 Nov 1863 Died)
• Jacobus Grooff † (1 Dec 1846 Appointed - 19 Apr 1852 Died)
• Jacobus Gerardus Schepers, C.SS.R. † (7 Sep 1852 Appointed - 27 Nov 1863 Died)
• Johannes Baptist Swinkels, C.SS.R. † (12 Sep 1865 Appointed - 11 Sep 1875 Died)
• Johannes Henricus Schaap, C.SS.R. † (20 Jun 1876 Appointed - 19 Mar 1889 Died)
• Wilhelmus Antonius Ferdinand Wulfingh, C.SS.R. † (30 Jul 1889 Appointed - 5 Apr 1906 Died)
• Jacobus Cornelis Meeuwissen, C.SS.R. † (7 Jan 1907 Appointed - 18 Dec 1911 Resigned)
• Theodorus Antonius Leonardus Maria van Roosmalen, C.SS.R. † (23 Aug 1911 Appointed - 23 Jun 1943 Resigned)
• Stephanus Jozef Maria Magdalena Kuijpers, C.SS.R. † (8 Feb 1946 Appointed - 30 Aug 1971 Retired)
• Aloysius Ferdinandus Zichem, C.SS.R. † (30 Aug 1971 Appointed - 9 Aug 2003 Resigned)
• Wilhelmus Adrianus Josephus Maria de Bekker (12 Nov 2004 Appointed - 31 May 2014 Retired)
• Karel Marinus Choennie (11 Nov 2015 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Dutch Guyana-Suriname
1950	29,000	180,000	16.1%		42	42	690		91	181	5	ap1951
Diocese of Paramaribo
1966	66,279	330,000	20.1%	3	54	57	1,162		98	201	21	ap1967
1970	80,000	390,000	20.5%	3	51	54	1,481		90	165	9	ap1971
1976	70,000	350,000	20.0%	6	41	47	1,489		72	112	8	ap1977
1980	76,000	390,000	19.5%	3	35	38	2,000	1	64	104	22	ap1981
1990	87,000	392,300	22.2%	5	21	26	3,346		39	56	29	ap1991
1999	101,660	442,000	23.0%	5	14	19	5,350		23	22	29	ap2000
2000	101,660	442,000	23.0%	5	13	18	5,647		20	20	28	ap2001
2001	100,280	436,000	23.0%	6	13	19	5,277		20	18	31	ap2002
2002	103,553	450,232	23.0%	7	15	22	4,706		21	16	31	ap2003
2003	105,635	459,281	23.0%	7	16	23	4,592		20	13	31	ap2004
2004	110,664	481,146	23.0%	6	16	22	5,030		20	11	31	ap2005
2013	135,000	557,000	24.2%	6	11	17	7,941	4	15	12	34	ap2014
2016	140,900	581,000	24.3%	7	15	22	6,404	5	17	8	48	ap2017
2019	146,700	605,270	24.2%	7	12	19	7,721	7	14	9	48	ap2020
2021	162,100	669,000	24.2%	8	12	20	8,105	7	14	9	48	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Wilhelmus Adrianus Josephus Maria de Bekker (Priest: 25 May 1985; Bishop: 12 Nov 2004 to 31 May 2014)
• Karel Marinus Choennie (Priest: 30 Sep 1985; Bishop: 11 Nov 2015 - )

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• Jacobus Grooff † (Prefect: 13 Oct 1826 to 20 Sep 1842; Vicar Apostolic: 1 Dec 1846 to 19 Apr 1852)
• Stephanus Jozef Maria Magdalena Kuijpers, C.SS.R. † (Vicar Apostolic: 8 Feb 1946; Bishop: 7 May 1958 to 30 Aug 1971)
• Jacobus Cornelis Meeuwissen, C.SS.R. † (Vicar Apostolic: 7 Jan 1907 to 18 Dec 1911)
• Johannes Henricus Schaap, C.SS.R. † (Pro-Vicar Apostolic: 20 Jun 1876; Vicar Apostolic: 10 Sep 1880 to 19 Mar 1889)
• Jacobus Gerardus Schepers, C.SS.R. † (Administrator: 20 Sep 1843; Vicar Apostolic: 7 Sep 1852 to 27 Nov 1863)
• Johannes Baptist Swinkels, C.SS.R. † (Vicar Apostolic: 12 Sep 1865 to 11 Sep 1875)
• Martinus van der Weijden † (Prefect: Feb 1826 to 14 Oct 1826)
• Theodorus Antonius Leonardus Maria van Roosmalen, C.SS.R. † (Vicar Apostolic: 23 Aug 1911 to 23 Jun 1943)
• Wilhelmus Antonius Ferdinand Wulfingh, C.SS.R. † (Vicar Apostolic: 30 Jul 1889 to 5 Apr 1906)
• Aloysius Ferdinandus Zichem, C.SS.R. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 2 Oct 1969; Bishop: 30 Aug 1971 to 9 Aug 2003)

Source(s)

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