São Paulo

(S. PAULI IN BRASILIA).

The ecclesiastical province of São Paulo, in the Republic of Brazil, South America, comprises the Dioceses of Campinas, Riberão Preto, Taubaté, Botucatú, Corityba, and São Carlos do Pinhal , all these dioceses being in the State of São Paulo. Created a bishopric in 1745 it was raised to metropolitan rank in 1908, when the above mentioned dioceses were also created. The Catholic population in the province in 1910 amounted to over 2,500,000 souls. There are 203 secular priests ; 50 regular priests, distributed among 7 religious orders and institutions of learning; 4 convents ; 530 churches and chapels ; and 36 Catholic schools. In the city of São Paulo, the seat of the archdiocese, are located: the Seminario Provincial, for ecclesiastical students; the Seminario Central; the Seminario das Educandas, under the Sisters of St. Joseph, for the education of poor girls; the Gymnasio de S. Bento, directed by the Benedictines ; the Gymnasio Diocesano de S. Paulo, under the Marist Brothers; the Gymnasio de Nossa Senhora do Monte Carmo; and the Lyceu de Artes e Officios do Sagrado Coração de Jesus. The Catholic publications in the diocese are: the "Boletin ecclesiastico", the official organ; "Ave Maria"; "Estandarte Catholico"; "União Catholica". The city of São Paulo, founded in 1561, is one of the most populous (350,000 in 1910) and prosperous in Brazil ; it is the centre of the coffee trade, Brazil's greatest industry. The present archbishop, the Most Rev. Duarte Leopoldo da Silva (b. 4 Apr., 1864), was transferred to São Paulo in 1907, and consecrated in 1908.