Guarda (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

José Miguel Barata Pereira, Bishop-Elect
Manuel da Rocha Felício, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 6th Century
Metropolitan: Patriarchate of Lisboa {Lisbon}
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Portugal
Square Kilometers: 6,759 (2,610 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://www.diocesedaguarda.pt/
Mailing Address: Rua do Encontro 35, 6300-704 Guarda, Portugal
Telephone: 271.212.959

Past and Present Ordinaries

Martinho Pais † ( 1200 Appointed - 12 Nov 1228 Died)
Vicente Hispano † (May 1229 Appointed - 21 Sep 1248 Died)
Rodrigo Fernandes † (Feb 1249 Appointed - 6 Sep 1267 Died)
Vasco , O.F.M. † (17 Sep 1267 Appointed - 1278 Died)
João Martins, O.F.M. † (24 Dec 1278 Appointed - 14 Mar 1301 Died)
Vasco Martins de Alvelos † (14 Feb 1302 Appointed - 23 Oct 1311 Died)
Estêvão † (4 Oct 1314 Appointed - 1318 Died)
Martinho † (7 Jul 1319 Appointed - 1322 Died)
Gutierre Ruiz de Mesa (Téllez) † (1 Oct 1322 Appointed - 11 Apr 1326 Appointed, Bishop of Córdoba)
Bartolomeu de Sylves † (11 Apr 1326 Appointed - 1345 Died)
Afonso Dinis † (9 Jan 1346 Appointed - 15 Oct 1347 Appointed, Bishop of Évora)
Lourenço Rodrigues (Martins de Barbudo) † (15 Oct 1347 Appointed - 23 May 1356 Appointed, Bishop of Coimbra)
Estêvão Tristão † (23 May 1356 Appointed - 1358 Died)
Gil Cabral de Viana † (10 Dec 1358 Appointed - 1363 Died)
Vasco Rodrigues (de Meneses Fernandes) † (26 May 1363 Appointed - 23 Jul 1364 Appointed, Bishop of Coimbra)
Alfonso Correa † (7 Oct 1364 Appointed - 1384 Resigned)
Vasco de Lamego, O. Cist. † ( 1384 Appointed - 1394 Died)
Afonso Ferraz † ( 1394 Appointed - )
Gonçalo Vasques da Cunha † (29 May 1395 Appointed - 14 Aug 1426 Died)
Luis de La Guerra † (12 Feb 1427 Appointed - 1458 Died)
João Manuel, O. Carm. † (9 Jul 1459 Appointed - 1476 Died)
João Manuel Ferras † (17 Mar 1477 Appointed - 1478 Died)
Alvaro Gonzalez de Chaves † (31 Aug 1478 Appointed - 1481 Resigned)
Garcia Menezes † (5 Sep 1481 Appointed - 1485 Died)
Alvaro Gonzalez de Chaves † (17 Dec 1484 Appointed - 1496 Died)
Pedro Vaz Gaviso Velasci † ( 1497 Ordained Bishop - 1516 Died)
Afonso de Portugal † (9 Sep 1516 Appointed - 23 Feb 1519 Appointed, Bishop of Viseu)
Jorge de Melo, O. Cist. † (23 Feb 1519 Appointed - 5 Aug 1548 Died)
Cristóvão de Castro † (5 Mar 1550 Appointed - 1552 Died)
João de Portugal † (23 Mar 1556 Appointed - 1585 Died)
Manuel de Quadros † (11 Dec 1585 Appointed - 1593 Died)
Nuno de Noronha † (22 Aug 1594 Appointed - 27 Nov 1608 Died)
Afonso Furtado de Mendonça † (9 Dec 1609 Appointed - 5 Sep 1616 Appointed, Bishop of Coimbra)
Francisco de Castro † (18 Sep 1617 Appointed - 1630 Resigned)
Lopo de Sequeira Pereira † (7 Jun 1632 Appointed - 4 Aug 1636 Died)
Dinis de Melo e Castro † (7 Feb 1639 Appointed - 24 Nov 1639 Died)
Pedro Alencastre, O.F.M. Cap. † (15 May 1645 Appointed - )
Manuel de Noroña, O.F.M. † (17 Jun 1669 Appointed - 27 Jun 1672 Appointed, Bishop of Coimbra)
Martin Afonso de Melo † (12 Sep 1672 Appointed - 1 Aug 1684 Died)
Luís da Silva Teles, O.SS.T. † (9 Apr 1685 Appointed - 27 Aug 1691 Appointed, Archbishop of Évora)
João de Mascarenhas † (24 Mar 1692 Appointed - 24 Jan 1693 Died)
Rodrigo de Moura Telles † (21 Jun 1694 Appointed - 10 Mar 1704 Appointed, Archbishop of Braga)
António de Saldanha † (22 Mar 1706 Appointed - 28 Jul 1711 Died)
João de Mendonça † (30 Jan 1713 Confirmed - 2 Aug 1736 Died)
José de Fialho, O. Cist. † (2 Jan 1741 Confirmed - 18 Mar 1741 Died)
Bernardo António de Mello Osório † (26 Nov 1742 Confirmed - 9 Jul 1771 Died)
Jerónimo Rogado do Carvalhal e Silva † (8 Mar 1773 Confirmed - 19 Feb 1797 Died)
José António Pinto de Mendonça Arrais † (18 Dec 1797 Confirmed - 19 Apr 1822 Died)
Carlos de São José de Azevedo e Sousa, O.F.M. Obs. † (24 Nov 1823 Confirmed - 5 Apr 1828 Died)
Joaquim José Pacheco Sousa † (2 Jul 1832 Confirmed - 23 Nov 1857 Died)
Manuel Martins Manso † (18 Mar 1858 Appointed - 1 Dec 1878 Died)
Tommaso Gomes de Almeida † (9 Aug 1883 Confirmed - 3 Jan 1903 Died)
Manuel Vieira de Matos † (2 Apr 1903 Confirmed - 1 Oct 1914 Appointed, Archbishop of Braga)
José Alves Matoso † (3 Oct 1914 Appointed - 1 Feb 1952 Died)
Domingos da Silva Gonçalves † (1 Feb 1952 Succeeded - 4 Jun 1960 Died)
Policarpo da Costa Vaz † (9 Jul 1960 Appointed - 17 Nov 1979 Resigned)
António dos Santos † (17 Nov 1979 Appointed - 1 Dec 2005 Resigned)
Manuel da Rocha Felício (1 Dec 2005 Succeeded - 20 Dec 2024 Retired)
José Miguel Barata Pereira (20 Dec 2024 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
6th Century	Erected		Diocese of Guarda (erected)
10 November 1394	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Guarda (from Santiago de Compostela)
2 April 1550	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Évora Diocese of Guarda	Diocese of Portalegre (erected)
7 June 1771	Territory Lost	Diocese of Guarda	Diocese of Castelo Branco (erected)
30 September 1881	Territory Added	Diocese of Pinhel (suppressed)	Diocese of Guarda

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

1949 424,000 424,512 99.9% 312 6 318 1,333 10 170 356 ap1951

1970 374,946 375,254 99.9% 302 16 318 1,179 21 285 358 ap1971

1980 327,000 328,000 99.7% 235 19 254 1,287 24 190 360 ap1981

1990 290,000 295,000 98.3% 197 20 217 1,336 29 119 362 ap1991

1999 250,000 265,000 94.3% 173 16 189 1,322 19 142 361 ap2000

2000 250,000 265,000 94.3% 168 15 183 1,366 17 137 361 ap2001

2001 250,000 265,000 94.3% 169 15 184 1,358 17 150 361 ap2002

2002 250,000 265,000 94.3% 171 17 188 1,329 20 136 361 ap2003

2003 250,000 265,000 94.3% 169 17 186 1,344 35 130 361 ap2004

2004 250,000 260,000 96.2% 160 17 177 1,412 29 121 361 ap2005

2006 250,700 260,700 96.2% 150 14 164 1,528 16 127 361 ap2007

2013 254,300 265,000 96.0% 127 15 142 1,790 18 26 104 361 ap2014

2016 251,100 261,700 95.9% 114 16 130 1,931 17 27 100 361 ap2017

2019 249,000 259,570 95.9% 102 13 115 2,165 17 13 107 367 ap2020

2021 249,250 259,880 95.9% 97 13 110 2,265 21 13 80 361 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1949	424,000	424,512	99.9%	312	6	318	1,333		10	170	356	ap1951
1970	374,946	375,254	99.9%	302	16	318	1,179		21	285	358	ap1971
1980	327,000	328,000	99.7%	235	19	254	1,287		24	190	360	ap1981
1990	290,000	295,000	98.3%	197	20	217	1,336		29	119	362	ap1991
1999	250,000	265,000	94.3%	173	16	189	1,322		19	142	361	ap2000
2000	250,000	265,000	94.3%	168	15	183	1,366		17	137	361	ap2001
2001	250,000	265,000	94.3%	169	15	184	1,358		17	150	361	ap2002
2002	250,000	265,000	94.3%	171	17	188	1,329		20	136	361	ap2003
2003	250,000	265,000	94.3%	169	17	186	1,344		35	130	361	ap2004
2004	250,000	260,000	96.2%	160	17	177	1,412		29	121	361	ap2005
2006	250,700	260,700	96.2%	150	14	164	1,528		16	127	361	ap2007
2013	254,300	265,000	96.0%	127	15	142	1,790	18	26	104	361	ap2014
2016	251,100	261,700	95.9%	114	16	130	1,931	17	27	100	361	ap2017
2019	249,000	259,570	95.9%	102	13	115	2,165	17	13	107	367	ap2020
2021	249,250	259,880	95.9%	97	13	110	2,265	21	13	80	361	ap2022