SOROCABA, DIOCESE of. — Suffragan of S. Paolo, in the State of the same name, in Brazil.
It has an area of 23,506 sq. km. and a population of 468,000 inhabitants, of whom 450,000 are Catholics, with 36 parishes served by 34 diocesan priests and 37 religious priests. There are 5 male and 15 female religious communities. Erected following the detachment of territory from the diocese of Botucatu, by the apostolic constitution Ubi praesules of Pius XI, dated 4 July 1924, its first bishop was appointed: Mgr José Carlos de Aguirre. It has a minor seminary. The titular of the Cathedral is Our Lady of the Bridge.
BIBL.: AAS, 17 (1925) pp. 408–500; O Brasil Catolico 1947, Juiz de Fora 1947, p. 424; Ann. Pont. 1952, p. 384. Virginio Battezzati