Roman Catholic Diocese of Laval
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Diocese of Laval Dioecesis Valleguidonensis Diocèse de Laval |
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| Location | |
| Country |  France |
| Ecclesiastical province | Rennes |
| Metropolitan | Archdiocese of Rennes, Dol, and Saint-Malo |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 5,175 km2 (1,998 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2013) 305,147 279,500 (est.) (91.6%) |
| Parishes | 31 'new parishes' |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 30 June 1855 |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Laval |
| Patron saint | Immaculate Conception |
| Secular priests | 112 (diocesan) 45 (Religious Orders) |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Thierry Scherrer |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Pierre d'Ornellas |
| Website | |
| Website of the Diocese | |
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Laval (Latin: Dioecesis Valleguidonensis; French: Diocèse de Laval) is a Roman Catholic Latin Rite diocese in France. The episcopal see is Laval Cathedral, in the city of Laval. Originally created in June 1855, the diocese was originally erected from the Diocese of Le Mans, and corresponds to the department of Mayenne. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Rennes, Dol, and Saint-Malo.
The current bishop is Thierry Scherrer, appointed in 2008. In 2013 there was one priest for every 1,780 Catholics.
A constitutional bishopric existed at Laval for a short time during the French Revolution; and two titular incumbents, Vilar and Dorlodot, occupied the position. In 1846 the creation of the see was decided upon, but was not carried out until after the death of Bishop Bouvier of Le Mans in 1854. A Bull of Pope Pius IX, June 30, 1855, established the See of Laval. The apologist Emile Bougaud was consecrated Bishop of Laval in February 1888, and died a few months later. The request of the Holy See in 1904 for the resignation of Bishop Pierre-Joseph Geay (1896-1904) was one of the reasons assigned by the French Republic for breaking with the pope and preparing the separation of Church and State.
Coordinates: 48°04′07″N 0°46′43″W / 48.06861°N 0.77861°W
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