| BISHOP’S RESIDENCE & CHANCERY OFFICE |
|---|
| 3-7-30, Chuomachi, Oita, OITA, 870-0035 TEL.0975-32-3397 FAX.38-6287 |
| CATHEDRAL |
| OITA (ST. FRANCIS XAVIER) CHURCH 3-7-30, Chuomachi, Oita, OITA, 870-0035 TEL.0975-32-2452 |
| WEB SITE |
| http://oita-catholic.jp/ |
Bishop
Most Reverend
Sulpice Shinzo Moriyama, Bishop of Oita
- January 17, 1959 Born in Fukuoka-ken
- March 21, 1988 Ordained Priest
- April 5, 2022 Appointed Bishop of Oita
- July 3, 2022 Ordained Bishop
Predecessors
- Msgr. Vincenzo Cimatti, S.D.B. 1935-1940
- Msgr. Francis Ichitaro Ideguchi (Serving concurrently Apostolic Prefect of Kagoshima) 1940-1945
- Most Rev. Dominic Sen’emon Fukahori (Served concomitantly as Bishop of Fukuoka) 1946-1961
- Most Rev. Peter Saburo Hirata 1962-1969
- Most Rev. Peter Takaaki Hirayama 1970-2000
- Most Rev. Dominic Ryoji Miyahara 2000-2008
- Most Rev. Paul Sueo Hamaguchi 2011-2020
History
Two prefectures, Oita and Miyazaki, that had been entrusted to Salesian Fathers from 1928 were separated from the Fukuoka Diocese and became Apostolic Prefecture of Miyazaki on January 28 in 1935. Fr. Vincenzo Cimatti, S.D.B. was appointed as the first ordinary.
In 1940 Msgr. Cimatti resigned and Msgr. Ichitaro Ideguchi, Apostolic Administrator of Kagoshima, served concomitantly as Apostolic Administrator of Miyazaki.
In 1946, Bishop Sen’emon Fukahori of Fukuoka took over the role as the Apostolic Administrator of Miyazaki.
On December 22, 1961, the Apostolic Prefecture of Miyazaki was raised to the status of a diocese and became Oita Diocese.
Fr. Saburo Hirata was appointed as the first Bishop of Oita. He was consecrated on March 26 in the following year. As Bishop Hirata was appointed to become Bishop of Fukuoka on November 15, 1969, Fr. Takaaki Hirayama was appointed to replace him and was consecrated as a bishop on January 25, 1970.
On June 12, 2000, Bishop Hirayama resigned and Nagasaki diocesan priest Fr. Ryoji Miyahara was appointed as his successor. He was consecrated as a bishop on October 1, 2000.
On March 19, 2008, Bishop Miyahara was appointed to become Bishop of Fukuoka and left for the Fukuoka diocese in May, which made the Oita diocese vacant. Fr. Takashi Taguchi served as a Diocean Administrator during the vacancy.
Fr. Sueo Hamaguchi was appointed as Bishop of Oita on March 25, 2011 and consecrated on June 26, 2011.
As Bishop Hamaguchi passed away suddenly on December 28, 2020, Fr. Takashi Taguchi was appointed to serve as Apostolic Administrator for the diocese.
Fr. Shinzo Moriyama of Fukuoka diocese was appointed as Bishop of Oita on April 5, 2022 and consecrated bishop on July 3 of the same year.