La Rochelle (-Saintes) (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Georges Colomb, M.E.P., Bishop
François Joseph Marie Jacolin, M.D.P., Apostolic Administrator
Bernard Marie Fernand Housset, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
United: 22 January 1852
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Poitiers
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: France
Square Kilometers: 7,105 (2,744 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Sud-Ouest
Official Web Site: https://www.catholiques17.fr/
Mailing Address: 7 Place Foch, B.P. 41088, 17087 La Rochelle CEDEX 02, France
Telephone: 5.46.93.03.29

Historical Details

Diocese of La Rochelle
- Latin Name: Rupellensis
- Erected: 4 May 1648
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Bordeaux
- Country: France

Past and Present Ordinaries

Jacques Raoul de La Guibourgère † (4 May 1648 Appointed - 15 May 1661 Died)
Henri-Marie de Laval de Bois-Dauphin † (21 Nov 1661 Confirmed - 22 Nov 1693 Died)
Charles-Madeleine Frézeau de Frèzelière † (17 May 1694 Confirmed - 4 Nov 1702 Died)
Étienne de Champflour † (14 May 1703 Confirmed - 26 Nov 1724 Died)
Jean-Baptiste-Antoine de Brancas † (5 Sep 1725 Confirmed - 17 Aug 1729 Confirmed, Archbishop of Aix)
Augustin-Roch de Menou de Charnisai † (14 Aug 1730 Confirmed - 26 Nov 1767 Died)
François-Joseph-Emmanuel de Crussol d’Uzès d’Amboise † (20 Jun 1768 Confirmed - 7 Jun 1789 Died)
Jean-Charles de Coucy † (14 Dec 1789 Confirmed - 1816 Resigned)
Michel-François de Couët du Vivier de Lorry † (17 Apr 1802 Confirmed - 20 Nov 1802 Retired)
Jean-François de Mandolx † (20 Dec 1802 Confirmed - 1 Feb 1805 Confirmed, Bishop of Amiens)
Gabriel-Laurent Paillou(x) † (1 Feb 1805 Confirmed - 15 Dec 1826 Died)
Joseph Bernet † (25 Jun 1827 Confirmed - 1 Feb 1836 Confirmed, Archbishop of Aix (-Arles-Embrun))
Clément Villecourt † (1 Feb 1836 Confirmed - 7 Mar 1856 Resigned)
Jean-Baptiste-François-Anne-Thomas Landriot † (16 Jun 1856 Confirmed - 27 Mar 1867 Confirmed, Archbishop of Reims)
Léon-Benoit-Charles Thomas † (27 Mar 1867 Confirmed - 24 Mar 1884 Confirmed, Archbishop of Rouen)
Pierre-Marie-Etienne-Gustave Ardin † (27 Mar 1884 Confirmed - 11 Jul 1892 Confirmed, Archbishop of Sens (-Auxerre))
François-Joseph-Edwin Bonnefoy † (19 Jan 1893 Confirmed - 18 Apr 1901 Confirmed, Archbishop of Aix (-Arles-Embrun))
Emile-Paul-Angel-Constant Le Camus † (18 Apr 1901 Confirmed - 29 Sep 1906 Died)
Jean-Auguste-François-Eutrope Eyssautier † (27 Nov 1906 Appointed - 7 Mar 1923 Died)
Eugène Curien † (23 Dec 1923 Appointed - 8 Nov 1937 Resigned)
Louis Liagre † (7 Mar 1938 Appointed - 10 Aug 1955 Died)
François Xavier Arthur Florent Morilleau † (10 Aug 1955 Succeeded - 23 Mar 1963 Resigned)
Félix-Marie-Honoré Verdet † (1 Jul 1963 Appointed - 17 Aug 1979 Retired)
François-Marie-Christian Favreau † (17 Aug 1979 Succeeded - 8 Sep 1983 Appointed, Bishop of Nanterre)
Jacques Louis Antoine Marie David † (21 Feb 1985 Appointed - 2 Feb 1996 Appointed, Bishop of Évreux)
Georges Paul Pontier (5 Aug 1996 Appointed - 12 May 2006 Appointed, Archbishop of Marseille)
Bernard Marie Fernand Housset (28 Nov 2006 Appointed - 9 Mar 2016 Retired)
Georges Colomb, M.E.P. (9 Mar 2016 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of La Rochelle
4 May 1648	Erected	Diocese of Maillezais (suppressed) Diocese of Saintes	Diocese of La Rochelle (erected)
29 November 1801	Territory Added	Diocese of Luçon (suppressed)	Diocese of La Rochelle
29 November 1801	Territory Added	Diocese of Saintes (suppressed)	Diocese of Angoulême Diocese of La Rochelle Diocese of Poitiers
6 October 1822	Territory Lost	Diocese of La Rochelle	Diocese of Luçon
Diocese of La Rochelle (-Saintes)
22 January 1852	United	Diocese of La Rochelle	Diocese of La Rochelle (-Saintes)
8 December 2002	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of La Rochelle (-Saintes) (from Bordeaux)
1 March 2018	Territory Added	Vicariate Apostolic of Iles Saint-Pierre et Miquelon (suppressed)	Diocese of La Rochelle (-Saintes)

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 La Rochelle (-Saintes)

1950 400,000 500,000 80.0% 311 34 345 1,159 11 185 498 ap1951

1970 440,000 487,343 90.3% 259 42 301 1,461 52 438 503 ap1971

1980 455,000 502,800 90.5% 190 58 248 1,834 73 455 477 ap1981

1990 475,000 518,000 91.7% 161 43 204 2,328 2 58 361 476 ap1991

1999 498,000 539,000 92.4% 132 36 168 2,964 8 49 289 60 ap2000

2000 380,000 557,305 68.2% 124 35 159 2,389 10 47 284 63 ap2001

2001 380,000 557,305 68.2% 123 33 156 2,435 11 45 275 58 ap2002

2002 380,000 557,024 68.2% 111 29 140 2,714 11 40 248 58 ap2003

2003 380,000 557,024 68.2% 109 30 139 2,733 13 34 248 55 ap2004

2004 380,000 557,024 68.2% 121 33 154 2,467 14 37 221 55 ap2005

2013 397,000 616,708 64.4% 82 21 103 3,854 26 24 128 44 ap2014

2016 400,000 640,803 62.4% 73 20 93 4,301 26 20 98 44 ap2017

2019 647,000 .0% 86 3 89 0 33 3 84 44 ap2020

2021 400,000 648,199 61.7% 81 17 98 4,081 34 17 81 47 ap2022

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 La Rochelle (-Saintes)
1950	400,000	500,000	80.0%	311	34	345	1,159		11	185	498	ap1951
1970	440,000	487,343	90.3%	259	42	301	1,461		52	438	503	ap1971
1980	455,000	502,800	90.5%	190	58	248	1,834		73	455	477	ap1981
1990	475,000	518,000	91.7%	161	43	204	2,328	2	58	361	476	ap1991
1999	498,000	539,000	92.4%	132	36	168	2,964	8	49	289	60	ap2000
2000	380,000	557,305	68.2%	124	35	159	2,389	10	47	284	63	ap2001
2001	380,000	557,305	68.2%	123	33	156	2,435	11	45	275	58	ap2002
2002	380,000	557,024	68.2%	111	29	140	2,714	11	40	248	58	ap2003
2003	380,000	557,024	68.2%	109	30	139	2,733	13	34	248	55	ap2004
2004	380,000	557,024	68.2%	121	33	154	2,467	14	37	221	55	ap2005
2013	397,000	616,708	64.4%	82	21	103	3,854	26	24	128	44	ap2014
2016	400,000	640,803	62.4%	73	20	93	4,301	26	20	98	44	ap2017
2019		647,000	.0%	86	3	89	0	33	3	84	44	ap2020
2021	400,000	648,199	61.7%	81	17	98	4,081	34	17	81	47	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Pierre-Marie-Etienne-Gustave Ardin † (Bishop: 27 Mar 1884 to 11 Jul 1892)
Joseph Bernet † (Bishop: 25 Jun 1827 to 1 Feb 1836)
François-Joseph-Edwin Bonnefoy † (Bishop: 19 Jan 1893 to 18 Apr 1901)
Jean-Baptiste-Antoine de Brancas † (Bishop: 5 Sep 1725 to 17 Aug 1729)
Étienne de Champflour † (Bishop: 14 May 1703 to 26 Nov 1724)
Jean-Charles de Coucy † (Bishop: 14 Dec 1789 to 1816)
Michel-François de Couët du Vivier de Lorry † (Bishop: 17 Apr 1802 to 20 Nov 1802)
François-Joseph-Emmanuel de Crussol d’Uzès d’Amboise † (Bishop: 20 Jun 1768 to 7 Jun 1789)
Eugène Curien † (Bishop: 23 Dec 1923 to 8 Nov 1937)
Jacques Louis Antoine Marie David † (Bishop: 21 Feb 1985 to 2 Feb 1996)
Jean-François de Mandolx † (Bishop: 20 Dec 1802 to 1 Feb 1805)
Pierre-Florentin-André du Bois de la Villerabel †
Jean-Auguste-François-Eutrope Eyssautier † (Bishop: 27 Nov 1906 to 7 Mar 1923)
François-Marie-Christian Favreau † (Coadjutor Bishop: 7 Oct 1977; Bishop: 17 Aug 1979 to 8 Sep 1983)
Charles-Madeleine Frézeau de Frèzelière † (Bishop: 17 May 1694 to 4 Nov 1702)
Jean-Baptiste-François-Anne-Thomas Landriot † (Bishop: 16 Jun 1856 to 27 Mar 1867)
Henri-Marie de Laval de Bois-Dauphin † (Bishop: 21 Nov 1661 to 22 Nov 1693)
Emile-Paul-Angel-Constant Le Camus † (Bishop: 18 Apr 1901 to 29 Sep 1906)
Louis Liagre † (Bishop: 7 Mar 1938 to 10 Aug 1955)
Augustin-Roch de Menou de Charnisai † (Bishop: 14 Aug 1730 to 26 Nov 1767)
François Xavier Arthur Florent Morilleau † (Coadjutor Bishop: 5 May 1954; Bishop: 10 Aug 1955 to 23 Mar 1963)
Gabriel-Laurent Paillou(x) † (Bishop: 1 Feb 1805 to 15 Dec 1826)
Louis-Théophile Pallu (Palluc) du Parc † (Priest: 22 Dec 1827 to 17 Feb 1851)
Marie-Joseph-Jean-Baptiste-André-Clément-Fulbert Petit † (Priest: 6 Jun 1857 to 26 May 1887)
Jacques Raoul de La Guibourgère † (Bishop: 4 May 1648 to 15 May 1661)
Charles-Paul Sagot du Vauroux † (Deacon: 18 Dec 1880; Priest: 2 Oct 1881 to 21 Feb 1906)
Joseph-Simon Theurel, M.E.P. †
Léon-Benoit-Charles Thomas † (Bishop: 27 Mar 1867 to 24 Mar 1884)
Henri-Victor Valleau † (Priest: 25 May 1861 to 19 Jan 1893)
Félix-Marie-Honoré Verdet † (Bishop: 1 Jul 1963 to 17 Aug 1979)
Clément Villecourt † (Bishop: 1 Feb 1836 to 7 Mar 1856)

Source(s)

Diocese of La Rochelle
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 4, Page 298
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 612
Diocese of La Rochelle (-Saintes)
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 110, Page 466

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Diocese of La Rochelle (-Saintes)

Dioecesis Rupellensis (-Santonensis)