Roman Catholic Diocese of Temuco

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Temuco (Temucen(sis)) is the ecclesiastical circumscription of the Catholic Church that, with its seat in Temuco, shares the ecclesiastical government of the territory of Araucanía Region (Chile) together with the Diocese of Villarrica, covering the entire Province of Malleco and part of the Province of Cautín. In its totality it includes the communes of Perquenco, Galvarino, Cholchol and Temuco, and most of the communes of Lautaro, Nueva Imperial and Carahue. It is a suffragan of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Concepción. The Diocese of Temuco is the current administrator of the Temuco Catholic University.

History

 * 1908: Established as Mission “sui iuris” of Temuco from the Diocese of Concepción
 * 18 October 1925: Promoted as Diocese of Temuco

Bishops

 * Bishops of Temuco (Roman rite), in reverse chronological order
 * Bishop Hector Eduardo Vargas Bastidas (2013.05.14 – 2022.03.07)
 * Bishop Manuel Camilo Vial Risopatrón (2001.09.21 – 2013.05.14)
 * Bishop Sergio Otoniel Contreras Navia (1977.12.23 – 2001.09.21)
 * Bishop Bernardino Piñera Carvallo (1960.12.10 – 1977.12.28), resigned; appointed Archbishop of La Serena in 1983
 * Bishop Alejandro Menchaca Lira (1941.08.09 – 1960.09.13)
 * Bishop Augusto Osvaldo Salinas Fuenzalida, SS.CC. (1939.08.29 – 1941.02.09), appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago de Chile
 * Bishop Alfredo Silva Santiago (1935.02.23 – 1939.02.04), appointed Bishop of Concepción; future Archbishop
 * Bishop Prudencio Contardo Ibarra, C.SS.R. (1925.12.14 – 1934.12.15); was Vicar General and titular bishop here, 1920-1925
 * Bishop Ricardo Sepúlveda Hermosilla (Apostolic Administrator 1908 – 1919)

Auxiliary bishop

 * Jorge Maria Hourton Poisson (1992-2001)

Other priest of this diocese who became bishop

 * Ricardo Sepúlveda Hermosilla (priest of diocese of Concepción who was then Vicar General here, 1908-1919; titular bishop in 1911)