| BISHOP’S RESIDENCE & CHANCERY OFFICE |
|---|
| Hiroshima Catholic Center 4-42, Noboricho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima, HIROSHIMA, 730-0016 TEL.082-221-6017 FAX.221-6019 |
| CATHEDRAL |
| NOBORICHO CHURCH Hiroshima Catholic Center 4-42, Noboricho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima, HIROSHIMA, 730-0016 TEL.082-221-0621 FAX.221-8486 |
| WEB SITE |
| http://hiroshima.catholic.jp/ |
Bishop
Most Reverend
Alexis Mitsuru Shirahama, S.S., Bishop of Hiroshima
- May 20, 1962 Born in Minami-Matsuura-gun, Nagasaki-ken
- March 19, 1990 Ordained Priest
- January, 1993 Joined to the Sociey of Saint-Sulpice
- April, 2012 Rector of Japan Catholic Seminary
- June 28, 2016 Appointed Bishop of Hiroshima
- September 19, 2016 to be Installed
Predecessors
- Most Rev. Heinrich Doering, S.J. 1923-1928
- Most Rev. Johannes Ross, S.J. 1928-1940
- Msgr. Aloysius Akira Ogihara, S.J. 1940-1959
- Most Rev. Dominic Yoshimatsu Noguchi 1960-1985
- Most Rev. Joseph Atsumi Misue 1985-2011
- Most Rev. Thomas Aquinas Manyo Maeda 2011-2014
History
The Apostolic Vicariate of Hiroshima was established on May 4, 1923, when the five prefectures of the Chugoku region (Hiroshima, Okayama, Tottori, Shimane and Yamaguchi) were separated from Osaka Diocese and entrusted to German Jesuits. Archbishop Heinrich Doering, S.J. was appointed the first ordinary and took up his residence as Apostolic Vicar in Okayama. Archbishop Doering left for his post in India, and Bishop Johannes Ross, S.J. succeeded him in 1928. In 1939 the vicar’s residence was moved to Hiroshima. When Bishop Ross resigned in 1940, Fr. Akira Ogihara, S.J. became Apostolic Administrator.
In 1951 the prefectures of Okayama and Tottori were entrusted to Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae until the prefectures were entrusted to the Hiroshima diocese in 1997. On June 30, 1959 the Apostolic Vicariate of Hiroshima was raised to the status of a diocese. On December 29 of the same year, Fr. Yoshimatsu Noguchi was appointed the first bishop. He was consecrated in 1960 and took office as Bishop of Hiroshima.
In 1981, Pope John Paul II visited Hiroshima and appealed to the world “To remember the past is to commit oneself to the future. To remember Hiroshima is to abhor nuclear war.” This message known as Hiroshima Peace Appeal of Pope John Paul II offered the mission to work as “the Apostles of Peace” to the Hiroshima diocese, and impressed the citizens of Hiroshima significantly.
Upon the resignation of Bishop Noguchi in 1985, Fr. Atsumi Misue was appointed Bishop on March 29, 1985 and ordained on June 16 of the same year. Upon the resignation of Bishop Misue, Fr. Manyo Maeda was appointed Bishop of Hiroshima on May 13, 2011. On September 23 of the same year he was consecrated and took office as Bishop of Hiroshima. On August 20, 2014, Bishop Maeda was appointed Archbishop of Osaka and installed on September 23.
On June 28, 2016, Fr. Mitsuru Shirahama was appointed to the bishop.