The Diocese of Belfort–Montbéliard (Latin: Dioecesis Belfortiensis–Montis Beligardi; French: Diocèse de Belfort–Montbéliard) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in France. It is situated in northeastern France, and borders on Switzerland and Germany.
Erected in November 1979, the territory for a new diocese was removed from the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Besançon, and was constituted a suffragan diocese in its ecclesiastical province of Besançon.
History The diocese of Besançon, in the 1970s, had approximately 740,000 Catholics. A re-allocation of population was needed as the population grew in the post-WW II period. It was reduced by the transfer of 276,000 in the establishment of a new diocse.David M. Cheney, Catholic-hierarchy,org, "Diocese of Belfort-Montbéliard".
The French Episcopal Conference had been made aware, by Archbishop Marc Lallier, of the unsatisfactory care of the people of his diocese. After this consultation, the archbishop petitioned the pope to divide the diocese and establish a new diocese. The pope consulted with the papal nuncio in France, Archbishop Egano Righi, who was fully informed of the particulars.
On 3 November 1979, Pope John Paul II issued an apostolic constitution (papal bull), "Qui Divino Consilio", removing from the diocese of Besançon the territory of Belfort; the "paus de Montbéliard" in the department of Doubs; and the arrondissement called "Héricourt" with the town of "Chalonvillars", to form the new diocese of Belfort-Montbéliard. The church of Saint Christopher in the city of Belfort was designated the new cathedral, and a Chapter of canons was authorized. The diocese of Belfort-Montbéliard was made a suffragan of the metropolitanate of BesançonActa Apostolicae Sedis , vol. 72 (Città del Vaticano 1980), pp. 23-24.
Cathedral
Originally just a parish church, Saint Christopher became a collegiate church on 24 May 1342, thanks to the generosity Catherine de Castenelborgen, Countess of Montbéliard and Dame de Belfort. The Chapter was composed of a Provost and five canons, one of whom was appointed priest of the parish. The parish priest was to be named by the Seigneur de Belfort.François-Ignace Dunod de Charnage, Histoire de l'église, ville et diocèse de Besançon, , Volume 2 (Besançon: Daclin, 1750), p. 478.
On 9 May 1952, the cathedral of Saint Christopher was granted the honorary title of "minor basilica" by Pope Pius XII.Acta Apostolicae Sedis , vol. 44 (Città del Vaticano 1952), pp. 861-862.
The diocese was placed under the patronage of Saint Paul and his Conversion.G. Jacquemet (ed.), Catholicisme: hier, aujourd'hui, demain, , Volume 14 (Paris: Letouzey et Ané, 1948), p. 919.
The Lutheran Church in France was especially well-represented in the diocese. One of the two Lutheran synods was long established in Montbéliard.The Lutheran World Almanac and Annual Encyclopedia for 1923, Volume 3 (New York: authorized and published by the National Lutheran Council, 1922), p. 24.
Parishes Following the decrees of the Second Vatican Council, a movement began in France to consolidate struggling parishes, due to the declining number of priests, and to the movements of people from country parishes to the cities. Much of the difficult and controversial work was carried out in diocesan synods.Arnaud Join-Lambert, "Synodes diocésains et «nouvelles paroisses» en France," in: La Maison-Dieu 223 (Paris: Editions du CERF, 2000), pp. 9-28. Ultimately, however, the responsibility fell to the bishop. Bishop Claude Schockert announced a plan to reduce 134 parishes to 34; the plan began to be implemented in 2000, and by 2013 there were 32 parishes and 4 "parish ensembles".Elizabeth Abbal, Paroisse et territorialité dans le contexte français, , (Paris: Editions du Cerf, 2016). In 2022, there were 36 "new parishes" in the diocese of Belfort-Montbéliard.David M. Cheney, Catholic-hierarchy,org, "Diocese of Belfort-Montbéliard" (based on Annuario pontificio (Città del Vaticano 2023)).
Bishops Eugène Georges Joseph Lecrosnier (3 November 1979 – 1 March 2000)Acta Apostolicae Sedis Vol. 71 (Città del Vaticano, 1979), p. 1493. Claude Pierre Charles Schockert (1 March 2000 – 21 May 2015)Acta Apostolicae Sedis Vol. 92 (Città del Vaticano, 2000), p. 373. Dominique Blanchet (21 May 2015 – 9 January 2021) Denis Jachiet (2 October 2021-)
See also City of Belfort Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Besançon Catholic Church in France
References
External links Gabriel Chow, GCatholic.org, "Diocese of Belfort-Montbéliard" David M. Cheney, Catholic-hierarchy,org, "Diocese of Belfort-Montbéliard"