When the diocese was started there were only 21 priests plus a number of nuns from several religious congregations to serve about 200,000 Catholics.

[2] On 19 May 2007 President Alexander Xanana Gusmão awarded the Dom Martinho da Costa Lopes Medal to Father Mario do Carmo Lemos Belo, former vicar general of the Baucau diocese and several deceased Catholic clergy and Religious in recognition of their contributions to the liberation of the country.

[3] In 2009 the government gave US$1.5 million to two dioceses in East Timor — Dili and Baucau, which they are to receive annually “to run social programs for people”.

Poverty remains a massive problem since independence in 2002, with about half of the 1 million population unemployed and 45 per cent living on less than US$1 a day.

[4] On 23 June 2016 the blessing and dedication of the new St John de Brito chapel took place in Cairui in Baucau, built with project support from Catholic Mission (Australia).