The Roman Catholic Diocese of Willemstad ( la, Dioecesis Gulielmopolitana; nl, Bisdom Willemstad; pap, Diosesano (di Obispado) di Willemstad) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

. The diocese encompasses the territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean: the countries ( Dutch: ''landen'')

Aruba Aruba ( , , ), officially the Country of Aruba ( nl, Land Aruba; pap, Pais Aruba) is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands physically located in the mid-south of the Caribbean Sea, about north of the Venezuela peninsula of ...

Curaçao Curaçao ( ; ; pap, Kòrsou, ), officially the Country of Curaçao ( nl, Land Curaçao; pap, Pais Kòrsou), is a Lesser Antilles island country in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, about north of the Venezuela coast ...

, Sint Maarten (the southern half of St. Martin) and the islands

Bonaire Bonaire (; , ; pap, Boneiru, , almost pronounced ) is a Dutch island in the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. Its capital is the port of Kralendijk, on the west ( leeward) coast of the island. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao form the ABC i ...

St. Eustatius Sint Eustatius (, ), also known locally as Statia (), is an island in the Caribbean. It is a special municipality (officially " public body") of the Netherlands. The island lies in the northern Leeward Islands portion of the West Indies, s ...

, Saba (which are part of the Netherlands). The

cathedra A ''cathedra'' is the raised throne of a bishop in the early Christian basilica. When used with this meaning, it may also be called the bishop's throne. With time, the related term ''cathedral'' became synonymous with the "seat", or principa ...

is in the city of

. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, and a member of the

Antilles Episcopal Conference The Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) is a Roman Catholic episcopal conference. Its members are bishops and archbishops from current and former British, Dutch, and French colonies and dependencies in the Caribbean (excluding Haiti), Central Ameri ...

. The Diocese of Willemstad was erected in 1752 as the Prefecture Apostolic of Curaçao. It was elevated to an apostolic vicariate on 20 September 1842 and to the Diocese of Willemstad on 28 April 1958. The language spoken in many of the Catholic churches here is

Papiamento Papiamento () or Papiamentu (; nl, Papiaments) is a Portuguese-based creole language spoken in the Dutch Caribbean. It is the most widely spoken language on the Caribbean ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao), with official status in Arub ...

and English. The diocese has maintained a website in this language and in English. Some priests are members of the

Society of the Divine Word The Society of the Divine Word ( la, Societas Verbi Divini), abbreviated SVD and popularly called the Verbites or the Divine Word Missionaries, and sometimes the Steyler Missionaries, is a Catholic Church, Catholic clerical religious congregation ...

(SVD), Order of Preachers (OP),

Michaelites The Fraticelli (Italian for "Little Brethren") or Spiritual Franciscans opposed changes to the rule of Saint Francis of Assisi, especially with regard to poverty, and regarded the wealth of the Church as scandalous, and that of individual church ...

(CSMA), and Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB).

Bishops

Ordinaries

Martinus Johannes Niewindt Martinus may refer to: * Martin (magister militum per Armeniam), 6th-century Byzantine/East Roman general * Martinus (son of Heraclius), 7th-century Byzantine/East Roman co-emperor * Martinus of Arles, doctor of theology, priest, and author on dem ...

(1823-1860) *

Johannes Fredericus Antonius Kistemaker Johannes is a Medieval Latin form of the personal name that usually appears as "John" in English language contexts. It is a variant of the Greek and Classical Latin variants (Ιωάννης, ''Ioannes''), itself derived from the Hebrew name '' Yeh ...

O.P. (1860-1869) *

Petrus Hendricus Josephus van Ewyk Petrus may refer to: People * Petrus (given name) * Petrus (surname) * Petrus Borel, pen name of Joseph-Pierre Borel d'Hauterive (1809–1859), French Romantic writer * Petrus Brovka, pen name of Pyotr Ustinovich Brovka (1905–1980), Soviet Belar ...

, O.P. (1869–1886) * Ceslaus H. J. Heynen (1886–1887) * Alphonsus M. H. Joosten (1888–1896) *

Ambrosius Jacobus J. van Baars Ambrosius or Ambrosios (a Latin adjective derived from the Ancient Greek word ἀμβρόσιος, ''ambrosios'' "divine, immortal") may refer to: Given name: *Ambrosius Alexandrinus, a Latinization of the name of Ambrose of Alexandria (before 21 ...

, O.P. (1897–1910) * Michael Antonio Maria Vuylsteke, O.P. (1910–1930) * Pietro Giovanni Umberto Verriet, O.P. (1931–1948) * Antonio Ludovico van der Veen Zeppenfeldt, O.P. (1948–1956) *

Joannes Maria Michael Holterman Joannes or John ( la, Iohannes; died 425) was western Roman emperor from 423 to 425. On the death of the Emperor Honorius (15 August 423), Theodosius II, the remaining ruler of the House of Theodosius, hesitated in announcing his uncle's d ...

, O.P. (1956–1973) * Wilhelm Michel Ellis (1973–2001) * Luis Antonio Secco, S.D.B. (Salesians of Don Bosco) (2001– )

Coadjutor bishops

O.P. (1852-1860) as Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic * Luis Antonio Secco, S.D.B. (Salesians of Don Bosco) (2000-2001)

Catholic churches and parishes

Listed by island (alphabetically), neighborhood (alphabetically), and church name and full address:

Island of
Aruba Aruba ( , , ), officially the Country of Aruba ( nl, Land Aruba; pap, Pais Aruba) is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands physically located in the mid-south of the Caribbean Sea, about north of the Venezuela peninsula of ...

# Brasil: Cristo Rey, Brasil 39, Brasil, Aruba # Dakota: La Birgen di Fatima, Milonstraat 9, Dakota, Oranjestad, Aruba # Madiki: Cristo Sufriente Chapel (Madiki Chapel), Belgiestraat Madiki 29, Madiki, Oranjestad, Aruba #

Noord Noord () is a town and region in Aruba (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands). This town is known for its low rise and high rise hotels, restaurants, beaches, malls, the California Lighthouse, and other places of attraction. Places of interest ...

: Santa Ana, Caya Frans Figaroa Noord 16, Noord, Aruba; La Birgen di Alto Vista Chapel (Pilgrims Chapel), Alto Vista, Noord, Aruba # Oranjestad: San Francisco di Asis, J. Irausquinplein 3, Oranjestad, Aruba #

Paradera Paradera is a small town and Census Region near the northeast end of the island of Aruba. The census region Paradera encompasses the town of Paradera as well as nearby settlements and neighborhoods within Paradera, including Ayo, Bloemond, Piedra ...

: Santa Filomena, Paradera 51, Paradera, Aruba # Pos Chikito: Santa Familia Chapel, Pos Chikito, Savaneta, Aruba # San Nicolaas: Santa Teresita di Niño Hesus, Theresiaplein 8, Bernhardstraat, San Nicolaas, Aruba; Emanuel Chapel, Rooi Hondu, San Nicolaas, Aruba # Santa Cruz: Inmaculada Concepcion, Santa Cruz 41, Santa Cruz, Aruba #

Savaneta Savaneta is a town and region in southeastern Aruba. Until 1797, it was the island's capital city. It is home to the island's oldest surviving home, a 150-year-old ''cas di torto'', or mud hut. The Savaneta region has an estimated area of 27.76 s ...

: Sagrado Curazon di Hesus, Savaneta 338-D, Savaneta, Aruba #

Tanki Leendert Tanki Leendert is a town in Noord on the island of Aruba. The parish of Tanki Leendert has been split from Noord since 1968. History Tanki is Papiamento for "pond", and Leendert is a common surname. An Amerindian village has been discovered near ...

: San Papa Juan Pablo II, Rte. 4, Tanki Leendert, Oranjestad, Aruba; Monte Calvario Chapel, Rte. 4, Tanki Leendert, Oranjestad, Aruba

Island of
Bonaire Bonaire (; , ; pap, Boneiru, , almost pronounced ) is a Dutch island in the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. Its capital is the port of Kralendijk, on the west ( leeward) coast of the island. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao form the ABC i ...

#Antriol: La Birgen di Coromoto, Pastorie Antriol, Kaya Korona 126, Bonaire #Bonaire: St. Louis Bertrand Church #Kralendijk: San Bernardo, Pastorie Kralendijk, Plaza Reina Juliana 2, Bonaire #Rincon: San Ludovico Beltran, Pastorie Rincon, Bonaire NA

Island of
Curaçao Curaçao ( ; ; pap, Kòrsou, ), officially the Country of Curaçao ( nl, Land Curaçao; pap, Pais Kòrsou), is a Lesser Antilles island country in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, about north of the Venezuela coast ...

# Barber: San José #

Brievengat Brievengat () is a neighbourhood of Willemstad in Curaçao. It is located to the north of the centre of the capital, Willemstad, and to the east of the Hato International Airport. Overview The origin of the name Brievengat (English: Letter hole) ...

: La Birgen di Lourdes, Willemstad #Buena Vista: La Birgen Milagrosa # Groot Kwartier: La Birgen del Carmen #Jandoret: Mama di Bon Conseho, Station: Boca San Michiel: San Miguel Archangel; Souax: La Birgen di Guadalupe #Janwe: Sagrado Curazon di Hesus #Koraal Specht: Bon Wardador #Montagne: San Dominico. Station: Fuik: San Francisco #

Otrabanda Otrobanda is one of the historic quarters of Willemstad, located at the southwest side of the city, in Curaçao. Otrobanda was founded in 1707, and has been designated a Unesco World Heritage Site. History Otrobanda was founded in 1707 as a subur ...

: Santa Ana Minor Basilica, Willemstad # Pietermaai Cathedral: Reina di Santisimo Rosario (Queen of the Most Holy Rosary) Cathedral, Willemstad #San Mateo: Santa Familia, Willemstad #

Sint Willibrordus Sint Willibrordus is a village in Bandabou on the western half of Curaçao, northwest of the Bullen Bay and about 25 km from the capital Willemstad. The village has been called this since the dedication of the church in 1888; until then, the town ...

: San Willibrordo #Santa Maria: Maria Auxiliadora, Willemstad #

Santa Rosa Santa Rosa is the Italian, Portuguese and Spanish name for Saint Rose. Santa Rosa may also refer to: Places Argentina *Santa Rosa, Mendoza, a city * Santa Rosa, Tinogasta, Catamarca * Santa Rosa, Valle Viejo, Catamarca *Santa Rosa, La Pampa * Sa ...

: Santa Rosa de Lima #Seru Fortuna: San Martin de Porres # Soto: San Antonio de Padua, Soto # Steenrijk: La Birgen di Altagracia, Willemstad #Suffisant: La Birgen di Fatima # Tera Korà: Spiritu Santo, Kaya Andesit 66, Tera Korà, #

Westpunt Westpunt is the name of the westernmost point of the island of Curaçao, a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean. A flag marks the most westerly point of the island off Cliff Villa Peninsula one kilometre north of the town ...

: San Pedro. Lagoen: Station: San Juan Apostle, Pastorie Westpunt, #Wishi: Hesús Misericordioso y Santa Teresita, Schottegatweg West. 33, Wishi #Zuid-Bonam: San Hudas Tadeo, Ronde Klipweg 61, P.O. Box 3909, Zuid-Bona #

Island of Saba

#The Bottom: Sacred Heart Church #Windwardside: St Paul's Conversion #Zion's Hill: Queen of the Holy Rosary Church

Island of
Sint Eustatius Sint Eustatius (, ), also known locally as Statia (), is an island in the Caribbean. It is a special municipality (officially " public body") of the Netherlands. The island lies in the northern Leeward Islands portion of the West Indies, so ...

#Oranjestad: St Eustatius Catholic Church

Island of Sint Maarten (the southern half of St. Martin)

#Philipsburg: St Martin of Tours #Simpson Bay: Mary Star of the Sea #South Reward: The Risen Christ

References

Antilles Episcopal Conference,=Roman Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Antilles
* * List of Roman Catholic Dioceses in the Caribbean * Roman Catholicism in the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean
Roman Catholic Diocese of Willemstad official site in English

External links

Paloma Pictures webpage for Catholic services in Aruba
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willemstad Roman Catholic dioceses in the Caribbean Catholic Church in Curaçao Catholic Church in Aruba Roman Catholic dioceses in the Kingdom of the Netherlands Catholic Church in the Dutch Caribbean Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Port of Spain