Carlos Stetter (Titular Bishop since 1995)

Most Rev. Carlos Stetter was born on 9 March 1941, in Ellwangen-Jagst, Stuttgart, Germany. On 3 October 1987 he was elected Titular Bishop of Orre and Auxiliary of the Apostolic Vicariate of Chiquitos. Later on 7 January 1995 was appointed as Coadjutor of the Diocese of San Ignacio de Velasco and was elected Bishop of the same on 29 July 1995. He has deepened the Bishopric projects with focus on communication, education, health and social works. The Bishop has restored the Jesuit complex in San Jose de Chiquitos (1988 to 1998) and succeeded to get the fund and restored the Jesuit church of Santa Ana de Chiquitos (2000 to 2004), a world heritage site. He has also built many chapels in rural communities and large churches in San Juan de Taperas, San Matias, Pailón, Puerto Suarez, Arroyo Concepcion and Puerto Quijarro. Between 1997 and 2000 succeeded in restoring the Jesuit church of San Ignacio de Loyola, now the cathedral of the Diocese. In the field of health the Hospital Santa Isabel is counted as one of his dear projects. In the social field has worked on the development of eleven indigenous communities of the Fatima Colony in North Velasco. He has also contributed to the education of the people by founding schools, Don Bosco in San Ignacio de Velasco, Clara Richi in Puerto Suarez and San Jose in Pailón, and an university, La Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo Chiquitos in San Ignacio de Velasco.

Bonifacio Madersbacher (Fourth Apostolic Vicar from 1974 to 1995)

Most Rev. Bonifacio Madersbacher was born on 8 January 1919 in the city of Matreibbrenner-Tyrol, Austria. He was ordained priest on 19 December 1947. At the University of Salzburg he studied licentiate in Theology in Pastoral disciplines and History of the Church. On 9 April 1970 he was consecrated Titular Bishop of Bula and Coadjutor of the Apostolic Vicariate of Chiquitos on 30 August 1970. On 21August, 1974 he was appointed Titular Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Chiquitos. His major contributions are: the restoration of the churches of San Rafael and San Miguel, by the Swiss architect Hans Roth; the restoration of the original altar and pulpit of San Ignacio (1980/1985), the construction of the Marian Shrine of La Torre in Chochis, and the construction of the Church and Convent of San Francisco. He supported the creation of the Rural Development Plan of Velasco (PLADERVE). He also built and maintained schools, small hospitals, clinics, opening and maintenance of roads, literacy plans and technical assistance for the farmers. On 6 December 1994 became the first Bishop of the Diocese of San Ignacio. Handed over the new diocese on 29 July 1995 and on 28 April 2007 died in Austria at the age of 88.

Joseph C. Rosenhammer (Third Apostolic Vicar from 1949 to 1974)

Most Rev. Joseph C. Rosenhammer was born on 01 January, 1900 in the city of Maverkirchen, Austria. He reached Bolivia in 1939 and served as the parish priest of San Javier. In La Paz, on 29 June 1949 was consecrated as the third Apostolic Vicar of Chiquitos. He takes the credit of founding the following Parishes: San Antonio and Cristo Rey in Roboré, Carmen Rivero Torres, Chochis, Pailón, and Santa Rosa de la Roca. Education was the field which he emphasised the most, in San Ignacio founded the Bishop Daniel Rivero’s secondary school for girls, the domestic School of Farm House, Agriculture school at San Miguelito and built a new facility for St. Ignatius Seminary College, in Roboré the Marist schools, Don Bosco and Holy Family schools; Santa Teresita and San Pablo schools in San Miguel and in San Jose the Marist School. In the field of health supported the construction and equipping of the Hospital Santa Isabel and the establishment of several micro-hospitals. He also promoted the organization of consumer cooperatives, savings and credit marketing and the Radio Juan XXIII. Due to the gradual deafness, the hardworking Bishop presented his resignation to Pope Paul VI, which was accepted on 25 July 1974. Having lived for103 years, he died on 23 April 2003 with many credits of high honour added to his name: The Condor of the Andes, the Order of Parliament for Democratic Merit of Marcelo Quiroga Santa Cruz and the Grand Bolivian Order of Education and honorary doctorate given by La Universidad Gabriel Rene Montero.

John Tarcisio Sennner (Second Vicar Apostolic from 1942 to 1949)

Most Rev. John Tarcisio Sennner was born on 03 of August, 1895 in the city of Musav, Austria. He was ordained a Franciscan priest on 16 November 1916 and was sent to fulfil the Franciscan missions of Guarayos, On 29 June, 1942 he was consecrated Apostolic Vicar of Chiquitos. He is responsible for the construction of the St. Francis’ Scholl in Roboré and St. Clare’s School in San Jose. He was also the director Seminary College in San Ignacio, where he served as a professor of Latin, Castilian, religion and philosophy. During his bishopric in 1948 had to demolish a Jesuit church, in order to protect the lives of parishioners.

Francis Bertoldo Bühl (First Vicar Apostolic from 1931 to 1942)

Most Rev. Francis Bertoldo Bühl was born on 04 Octubre, 1885 in Erlenbach, Germany. In 1911he was ordained Priest in Munich, for the Franciscan Order Minor. He reached Bolivia in 1915 and was appointed as the first vicar of Chiquitos on 08 in January 1931. In 1934, from Germany he made it possible to bring some machines, equipments and collaborators which include Prof. Prestel Geog Kehl and many religious like Balwin Spaeht and Isidoro Wagner. He dedicated his greatest efforts for the organization of the Vicariate, the reconstruction of the Jesuit School, the founding of the Seminary College, renovation of several churches, and the implementation of the Electrical Power Plant in San Ignacio. He also established sawmills and machinery workshops. The first Vicar bought the property of San Miguelito, where he began the production of cattle, through which paid the administrative costs of the Vicariate. Having resigned the Vicariate on 11 September 1915, he was appointed as Bishop of Oruro on 26 November of the same year. He died in 1968 in Bavaria, Germany