Sila was ancient city and
bishopric in Roman North Africa, which remains a Latin Catholic
titular see.
History
Sila, identified with modern Bordj-El-Ksar in present
Algeria, was among the cities important enough in the
Roman province of
Numidia (in the papal sway) to become one of its many
suffragan dioceses, yet destined to fade, possibly with the 7th century advent of Islam.
Its only historically documented bishop, Donatus, was exiled in 484 by king
Huneric of the
Vandal Kingdom, like most attending Catholic bishops, unlike their
Donatist (heretical) counterparts.
Titular see
The diocese was nominally restored in 1925 as Latin
titular bishopric of Sila (Latin = Curiate Italian) / 錫拉 (正體中文) / Silen(sis) (Latin adjective).
It has had the following incumbents, of the fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank or of higher archiepiscopal rank:
Thomas Arthur Connolly (1939.06.10 – 1950.05.18) as Auxiliary Bishop of
Archdiocese of San Francisco (Calif., USA) (1939.06.10 – 1948.02.28) and as
Coadjutor Bishop of
Roman Catholic Diocese of Seattle (Wash., USA) (1948.02.28 – 1950.05.18); next succeeded as last suffragan Bishop of Seattle (1950.05.18 – 1951.06.23), (see) promoted first Metropolitan Archbishop of
Seattle (1951.06.23 – 1975.02.13), died 1991
Cornelius Lucey (1950.11.14 – 1952.08.24) as Coadjutor Bishop of
Cork (
Ireland) (1950.11.14 – 1952.08.24); next succeeded as last Bishop of Cork (Ireland) (1952.08.24 – 1958.04.19), also
Apostolic Administrator of
Diocese of Ross (Ireland) (1954 – 1958.04.19) succeeding and (see) restyled as first Bishop of
Cork and Ross (1958.04.19 – retired 1980.08.23), died 1982
Joseph Trương Cao Ðại (1953.01.08 – death 1969.06.29), as
Apostolic Vicar of
Hai Phòng (
Vietnam) (1953.01.08 – 1960) and on emeritate
Titular Archbishop: Alberto Rencoret Donoso (1970.05.18 – 1976.02.26) as emeritate, died 1978; previously last suffragan Bishop of
Puerto Montt (
Chile) (1958.03.21 – 1963.05.10), (see) restyled first Metropolitan Archbishop of
Puerto Montt (Chile) (1963.05.10 – 1970.05.18)
Michael Murphy (1976.04.01 – 1980.08.23) as Coadjutor Bishop of
Cork and Ross (Ireland) (1976.04.01 – 1980.08.23); next succeeded as Bishop of Cork and Ross (1980.08.23 – death 1996.10.07)
Leoncio Leviste Lat (1980.10.30 – death 2002.11.06) first as Auxiliary Bishop of
Diocese of Malolos (
Philippines) (1980.10.30 – 1985), then as Auxiliary Bishop of
Archdiocese of Manila (Philippines) (1985 – retired 1992.12.12), finally as emeritus
Sila was ancient city and
bishopric in Roman North Africa, which remains a Latin Catholic
titular see.
History
Sila, identified with modern Bordj-El-Ksar in present
Algeria, was among the cities important enough in the
Roman province of
Numidia (in the papal sway) to become one of its many
suffragan dioceses, yet destined to fade, possibly with the 7th century advent of Islam.
Its only historically documented bishop, Donatus, was exiled in 484 by king
Huneric of the
Vandal Kingdom, like most attending Catholic bishops, unlike their
Donatist (heretical) counterparts.
Titular see
The diocese was nominally restored in 1925 as Latin
titular bishopric of Sila (Latin = Curiate Italian) / 錫拉 (正體中文) / Silen(sis) (Latin adjective).
It has had the following incumbents, of the fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank or of higher archiepiscopal rank:
Thomas Arthur Connolly (1939.06.10 – 1950.05.18) as Auxiliary Bishop of
Archdiocese of San Francisco (Calif., USA) (1939.06.10 – 1948.02.28) and as
Coadjutor Bishop of
Roman Catholic Diocese of Seattle (Wash., USA) (1948.02.28 – 1950.05.18); next succeeded as last suffragan Bishop of Seattle (1950.05.18 – 1951.06.23), (see) promoted first Metropolitan Archbishop of
Seattle (1951.06.23 – 1975.02.13), died 1991
Cornelius Lucey (1950.11.14 – 1952.08.24) as Coadjutor Bishop of
Cork (
Ireland) (1950.11.14 – 1952.08.24); next succeeded as last Bishop of Cork (Ireland) (1952.08.24 – 1958.04.19), also
Apostolic Administrator of
Diocese of Ross (Ireland) (1954 – 1958.04.19) succeeding and (see) restyled as first Bishop of
Cork and Ross (1958.04.19 – retired 1980.08.23), died 1982
Joseph Trương Cao Ðại (1953.01.08 – death 1969.06.29), as
Apostolic Vicar of
Hai Phòng (
Vietnam) (1953.01.08 – 1960) and on emeritate
Titular Archbishop: Alberto Rencoret Donoso (1970.05.18 – 1976.02.26) as emeritate, died 1978; previously last suffragan Bishop of
Puerto Montt (
Chile) (1958.03.21 – 1963.05.10), (see) restyled first Metropolitan Archbishop of
Puerto Montt (Chile) (1963.05.10 – 1970.05.18)
Michael Murphy (1976.04.01 – 1980.08.23) as Coadjutor Bishop of
Cork and Ross (Ireland) (1976.04.01 – 1980.08.23); next succeeded as Bishop of Cork and Ross (1980.08.23 – death 1996.10.07)
Leoncio Leviste Lat (1980.10.30 – death 2002.11.06) first as Auxiliary Bishop of
Diocese of Malolos (
Philippines) (1980.10.30 – 1985), then as Auxiliary Bishop of
Archdiocese of Manila (Philippines) (1985 – retired 1992.12.12), finally as emeritus