Fifty years ago, on May 23, 1970, Pope Paul VI established the Prelature of Chetumal, entrusting it to the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ. The Prelature was canonically elevated to a Diocese on November 21, 2020, the eve of the Feast of Christ the King. The decision was made by Pope Francis, and announced by the Mexican Episcopal Conference after being published in L’Osservatore Romano. Currently, 70 Legionaries of Christ are assigned to this diocese.
The Ceremony
The ceremony, held at 6:30 p.m. (Mexico time), is presided over by the nuncio in Mexico, Mons. Franco Coppola. During the same, the episcopal confirmation of Mons. Pedro Pablo Elizondo, LC, as the first diocesan bishop of the new diocese, will also take place.
Pope Francis grants a plenary indulgence to those who participate in the Eucharistic celebration (virtually or in person):
- Cancún Apple: https://apple.co/3pjqAFz
- Cancún Android: https://bit.ly/2IuAjYB
- Facebook of the Diocese of Cancún-Chetumal
50 Years of Evangelization
In these 50 years, Cancún-Chetumal has gone from having 5 parishes to 74 parishes, quasi-parishes, shrines, rectories, and nearly 500 chapels (data from the pastoral letter of Bishop Pedro Pablo Elizondo); from 13 priests to 126, from 16 nuns to 124, and from no religious to 86 (according to Catholic-Hierarchy). Dozens of schools have been created, and it has three universities (Anáhuac, La Salle, and Interamericana para el Desarrollo).
Reasons Why Cancún-Chetumal Was Elevated to a Diocese
According to the new website of the Diocese of Cancún-Chetumal, the reasons for Cancún Chetumal becoming a diocese are the population growth, the maturity and strength of pastoral structures due to the size of the territory, the increase in lay faithful, diocesan priests, religious men and women, and the sense of belonging that has developed.
