Diocese of Bùi Chu

The diocese of Bùi Chu () is a Roman Catholic diocese of Vietnam. It encompasses 4/5 of Nam Định Province in terms of area, including the six districts of Xuân Trường, Giao Thủy, Hải Hậu, Nghĩa Hưng, Trực Ninh, and Nam Trực and part of Nam Định city. The current bishop of the diocese since August 2013 is Thomas Aquinas Vũ Đình Hiệu.

Overview Bùi Chu Diocese covers an area of 1,350 km2, and is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Hanoi.

From the late 17th century until 1930s, this was a center of the Spanish Dominican mission in Vietnam. The covering area of Bùi Chu is the same as at present as it has been from 1936, when it still was an apostolic vicariate. It was declared a diocese on November 24, 1960.

By 2018, the Diocese of Bùi Chu had about 409,000 believers (32.8% of the population) in 176 parishes.Catholic Hierarchy Directory

The diocese is divided into 13 deaneries: Báo Đáp, Bùi Chu, Đại Đồng, Kiên Chính, Lạc Đạo, Liễu Đề, Ninh Cường, Phú Nhai, Quần Phương, Quỹ Nhất, Thức Hóa, Tứ Trùng, and Tương Nam.

Ordinaries Vicar Apostolic of Central Tonking (1847-1924) Vicar apostolicPeriod in officeStatusReference1Bishop Domingo Martí, O.P.May 18, 1847 – August 26, 1852Died in office2Bishop José María Díaz Sanjurjo, O.P.August 26, 1852 – July 20, 1857Died in office, Martyred.3Bishop José Melchór García-Sampedro Suárez, O.P.July 20, 1857 – July 28, 18584Bishop Valentín Faustino Berrio-Ochoa de Aristi, O.P.July 28, 1858 – November 01, 18615Bishop Bernabé García Cezón, O.P.September 09, 1864 – November, 1879Resigned6Bishop Manuel Ignacio RiañoNovember, 1879 – November 26, 1884Died in office7Bishop Wenceslao Oñate, O.P.November 26, 1884 – June 23, 18978Bishop Máximo Fernández, O.P.February 12, 1898 – August 14, 1907Resigned9Bishop Pedro Muñagorri y Obineta, O.P.August 14, 1907 – December 23, 1924Remained as vicar apostolic of Bui Chu.

Vicar Apostolic of Bùi Chu (1924-1960) Vicar apostolicPeriod in officeStatusReference9Bishop Pedro Muñagorri y Obineta, O.P.December 03, 1924 – June 17, 1936Died in office10Bishop Domingo Hồ Ngọc CẩnJune 17, 1936 – November 27, 1948–Bishop Thaddeus Lê Hữu Từ, O. Cist.1948 – February 03, 1950Apostolic Administrator11Bishop Pierre-Marie Phạm Ngọc ChiFebruary 03, 1950 – March 05, 1960Transferred to Quy Nhon–Fr. Joseph-Marie Phạm Năng Tĩnh1959 – March 05, 1960Apostolic Administrator12Bishop Joseph-Marie Phạm Năng TĩnhMarch 05, 1960 – November 24, 1960Remained as bishop of Bui Chu

Bishop of Bùi Chu (1960-present) BishopCoat of ArmsPeriod in officeStatusReference1Bishop Joseph-Marie Phạm Năng TĩnhNovember 24, 1960 – February 11, 1974Died in office2Bishop Dominique-Marie Lê Hữu CungApril 28, 1975 – March 12, 19873Bishop Joseph Vũ Duy NhấtMarch 12, 1987 – December 11, 19994Bishop Joseph Hoàng Văn Tiệm, S.D.B.July 04, 2001 – August 17, 20135Bishop Thomas Vũ Đình HiệuAugust 17, 2013 – presentCurrent bishop

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Central Tonking (1848-1884) Coadjutor Vicar ApostolicPeriod in officeReference1Bishop José María Díaz Sanjurjo, O.P.September 05, 1848 – August 26, 18522Bishop José Melchór García-Sampedro Suárez, O.P.April 15, 1853 – July 20, 18573Bishop Valentín Faustino Berrio-Ochoa de Aristi, O.P.December 25, 1857 – July 28, 18584Bishop Manuel Ignacio RiañoAugust 20, 1866 – November, 18795Bishop Wenceslao Oñate, O.P.September 18, 1882 – November 26, 1884

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Bùi Chu (1935-1936) Coadjutor Vicar ApostolicPeriod in officeReference1Bishop Domingo Hồ Ngọc CẩnMarch 11, 1935 – June 17, 1936

Coadjutor Bishops of Bùi Chu (1979-2013) Coadjutor BishopsCoat of ArmsPeriod in officeReference1Bishop Joseph Vũ Duy Nhất July 04, 1979 – March 12, 19872Bishop Thomas Vũ Đình HiệuDecember 24, 2012 – August 17, 2018

Auxiliary Bishops of Bùi Chu (2005-2009) Coat of ArmsPeriod in officeReference1Bishop Pierre Nguyễn Văn Đệ, S.D.B.November 29, 2005 – July 25, 2009

Sites The Queen of the Holy Rosary Cathedral in Xuân Ngọc Commune, Xuân Trường District, which has been assigned as the see (the location of the cathedral and its Bishop's chair, and thus the headquarters) of the diocese.GCatholic.org There are 12 Shrines in the diocese. The Basilica of Immaculate Conception, Phu Nhai is one of them.

There is a traditional charity centre called Nhà Dục Anh (Orphanage House) in the northwest side of the Bùi Chu Cathedral.The Bui Chu Orphanage - Saint An's Family

References