Tilarán-Liberia (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Manuel Eugenio Salazar Mora, Bishop
Vittorino Girardi Stellin, M.C.C.I., Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 18 December 2010
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Costa Rica
Square Kilometers: 11,720 (4,526 Square Miles)
Mailing Address: Obispado, Guanacaste, 50 Sur del Banco de Popular, Antiguo Colegio Santa Ana, Apartado 28, 5710 Tilarán; Costado este de la Esquela Ascencion Esquivel, Liberia, Costa Rica
Telephone: 2695.5016
Fax: (same)

Historical Details

Diocese of Tilarán
- Latin Name: Tilaranensis
- Erected: 22 July 1961
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica
- Country: Costa Rica
- Description: Province of Guanacaste and the Upala Canton of Alajuela.

Past and Present Ordinaries

Román Arrieta Villalobos † (12 Aug 1961 Appointed - 2 Jul 1979 Appointed, Archbishop of San José de Costa Rica)
Héctor Morera Vega † (4 Dec 1979 Appointed - 13 Jul 2002 Retired)
Vittorino Girardi Stellin, M.C.C.I. (13 Jul 2002 Appointed - 6 Feb 2016 Retired)
Manuel Eugenio Salazar Mora (6 Feb 2016 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Tilarán
22 July 1961	Erected	Diocese of Alajuela (Province of Guanacaste; City of Puntarenas excluding that south of the river Iesus Maria; the City of Montes de Oro; and the region north of the rivers Arenai and San Carlos)	Diocese of Tilarán (erected)
15 November 1967	Name Changed		Diocese of Tilarán (Latin from Pluviensis)
16 November 1967	Territory Added	Diocese of Alajuela (Cantón Esparta and part of Cantón Central Puntarenas)	Diocese of Tilarán
15 December 1986	Territory Lost	Diocese of Tilarán (Los Chiles and Monterrey)	Diocese of Alajuela
25 July 1995	Territory Lost	Diocese of Alajuela (San Carlos, Los Chiles, and Sarapiquí) Diocese of Tilarán (Upala and Guatuso)	Diocese of Ciudad Quesada (erected)
17 April 1998	Territory Lost	Diocese of San Isidro de El General (Aguirre and Parrita) Diocese of Tilarán (Garabito, Esparza, Montes de Oro, and Puntarenas)	Diocese of Puntarenas (erected)
Diocese of Tilarán-Liberia
18 December 2010	Name Changed	Diocese of Tilarán	Diocese of Tilarán-Liberia

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 Tilarán

1966 247,139 251,154 98.4% 25 5 30 8,237 50 15 ap1967

1970 288,000 300,000 96.0% 32 5 37 7,783 5 53 17 ap1971

1976 301,000 318,626 94.5% 36 6 42 7,166 6 47 18 ap1977

1980 333,300 352,383 94.6% 18 5 23 14,491 5 45 18 ap1981

1990 319,000 328,000 97.3% 36 13 49 6,510 13 59 28 ap1991

1999 321,250 329,250 97.6% 44 44 7,301 44 21 ap2000

2000 337,000 345,000 97.7% 57 1 58 5,810 1 43 21 ap2001

2001 338,000 347,000 97.4% 56 1 57 5,929 1 43 21 ap2002

2002 339,500 350,000 97.0% 54 2 56 6,062 2 45 24 ap2003

2003 314,500 370,000 85.0% 47 3 50 6,290 3 44 24 ap2004

2004 318,750 375,000 85.0% 41 3 44 7,244 1 3 62 25 ap2005

2010 366,000 430,000 85.1% 46 10 56 6,535 4 14 92 34 ap2011

Diocese of Tilarán-Liberia

2014 384,000 453,000 84.8% 52 10 62 6,193 10 15 72 36 ap2015

2017 398,800 486,200 82.0% 48 11 59 6,759 6 15 60 32 ap2018

2020 384,223 491,015 78.3% 60 60 6,403 10 68 36 ap2021

2022 387,830 500,122 77.5% 44 4 48 8,079 22 4 14 36 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 Tilarán
1966	247,139	251,154	98.4%	25	5	30	8,237			50	15	ap1967
1970	288,000	300,000	96.0%	32	5	37	7,783		5	53	17	ap1971
1976	301,000	318,626	94.5%	36	6	42	7,166		6	47	18	ap1977
1980	333,300	352,383	94.6%	18	5	23	14,491		5	45	18	ap1981
1990	319,000	328,000	97.3%	36	13	49	6,510		13	59	28	ap1991
1999	321,250	329,250	97.6%	44		44	7,301			44	21	ap2000
2000	337,000	345,000	97.7%	57	1	58	5,810		1	43	21	ap2001
2001	338,000	347,000	97.4%	56	1	57	5,929		1	43	21	ap2002
2002	339,500	350,000	97.0%	54	2	56	6,062		2	45	24	ap2003
2003	314,500	370,000	85.0%	47	3	50	6,290		3	44	24	ap2004
2004	318,750	375,000	85.0%	41	3	44	7,244	1	3	62	25	ap2005
2010	366,000	430,000	85.1%	46	10	56	6,535	4	14	92	34	ap2011
Diocese of Tilarán-Liberia
2014	384,000	453,000	84.8%	52	10	62	6,193	10	15	72	36	ap2015
2017	398,800	486,200	82.0%	48	11	59	6,759	6	15	60	32	ap2018
2020	384,223	491,015	78.3%	60		60	6,403	10		68	36	ap2021
2022	387,830	500,122	77.5%	44	4	48	8,079	22	4	14	36	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Dagoberto Campos Salas (Deacon: 3 Dec 1993; Priest: 22 May 1994 to 28 Jul 2018)
Vittorino Girardi Stellin, M.C.C.I. (Bishop: 13 Jul 2002 to 6 Feb 2016)
Manuel Eugenio Salazar Mora (Bishop: 6 Feb 2016 - )

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Román Arrieta Villalobos † (Bishop: 12 Aug 1961 to 2 Jul 1979)
Oswaldo Brenes Álvarez † (Priest: 18 Dec 1966 to 19 Mar 2008)
Héctor Morera Vega † (Bishop: 4 Dec 1979 to 13 Jul 2002)

Source(s)

Diocese of Tilarán
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 54, Page 422, to Page 424
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 59, Page 1,061, and Page 1,062
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 59, Page 1,126

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Diocese of Tilarán-Liberia

Dioecesis Tilaranensis-Liberiana