| Jurisdiction: | Diocese |
| Border: | Catholic |
| Dipolog | |
| Latin: | Dioecesis Dipologanae |
| Local: | Diyosesis sa Dipolog Diyosesis ng Dipolog |
| Coat: | File:Diocese of Dipolog Coat of arms.svg |
| Coat Size: | 150px |
| Country: |  Philippines |
| Territory: | Zamboanga del Norte |
| Province: | Ozamis |
| Coordinates: | 8.5861°N 123.3455°W |
| Area Km2: | 7,205 |
| Population: | 1,070,000 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 |
| Catholics: | 758,000[1] |
| Parishes: | 38 |
| Schools: | 5 |
| Denomination: | Catholic Church |
| Established: | 31 July 1967 |
| Cathedral: | Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary |
| Patron: | Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Saint Vincent Ferrer |
| Patron Title: | Titular patrons |
| Priests: | 93 |
| Bishop: | Severo Cagatan Caermare |
| Metro Archbishop: | Martin Jumoad |
| Suffragan: | for one --> |
| Vicar General: | Joel S. Montederamos |
| Archdeacon: | for one--> |
| Emeritus Bishops: | Jose R. Manguiran |
| Footnotes: | All current statistics are based on updated data taken by Catholic-Hierarchy.org. |
The Diocese of Dipolog (Latin: Dioecesis Dipologanae; Filipino: Diyosesis ng Dipolog; Cebuano: Diyosesis sa Dipolog; Spanish: Diócesis de Dipolog) is a Latin Church of the Catholic Church in the Philippines which comprises the civil province of Zamboanga del Norte. Erected in 1967 from territory in the Archdiocese of Zamboanga, the diocese is suffragan to the Archdiocese of Ozamis.[2] [3]
The seat of the diocese is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary which is located at the center of the city of Dipolog of Zamboanga del Norte. The diocese celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2017.[4] Since its creation the diocese has had three bishops. The current bishop is Severo Cagatan Caermare, the first native of the diocese to become its bishop.
The diocese was erected on July 31, 1967, as a diocese under the Archdiocese of Zamboanga, with Felix Zafra appointed as its first bishop. On January 24, 1983, as the former Diocese of Ozamis was elevated into an archdiocese, the Dipolog diocese was then transferred to the new archdiocese.
| No. | Name | From | Until | Consecrated Bishop | Coat of Arms | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Felix Sanchez Zafra | July 31, 1967 (Appointed) | October 20, 1986 (Appointed as Bishop of Diocese of Tagbilaran) | October 22, 1967 | |||
| 2 | Jose Ricare Manguiran | May 27, 1987 (Appointed) | July 25, 2014 (Retired) | August 19, 1987 | |||
| 3 | Severo Cagatan Caermare | July 25, 2014 (Appointed) | Present | October 30, 2014 |
| Notes: | "On top (chief), on a gold/yellow field symbolizing generosity, the monogram of the Holy Name of Jesus, IHS, in red, to symbolize the beginning of the evangelization of Zamboanga del Norte by the Society of Jesus in the 17th century. The monogram is circumscribed within the figure of a fish, also in red, representing the rich marine and mineral sources of the province. Below the fish figure, are three wavy lines in blue, the heraldic symbol for water, to symbolize the Subanens, the original Lumad settlers of the province. On base, on a blue field symbolizing truth, strength and faith, the monogram of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to symbolize Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, the principal patroness of the Diocese." |