Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kananga

Coordinates: 6°24′47″S 22°01′46″E / 6.4130°S 22.0295°E / -6.4130; 22.0295
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kananga (

Kazumba. The Pro-cathédrale Saint Clément is in Kananga
.

History

In November 1891, when Père Emeri Cambier arrived at Luluabourg and established a mission. Other mission stations were subsequently founded at St-Trudon de Lusambo, St-Victorien at Bena Makima, St-Antoine de Lusambo, and elsewhere. A hospital was established, as well as, schools and orphanages. The prefecture was served by members of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Scheut (Brussels), and by Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary from Ghent.[1]

Prior to 1901, the area was part of the

Apostolic Prefecture of Upper Kassai. Cambier was named Prefect Apostolic and was based at the mission of St. Joseph de Luluabourg, a few miles south of the Belgian station of Luluabourg. At the time of its creation, it comprised almost all the Lualaba-Kassai district. The King of Belgium later named Cambier an officer of the Royal Order of the Lion in recognition of his services in South Africa.[1]

In 1908 the prefecture was enlarged by extending its boundaries on the east to the left bank of the Lualaba. The languages is use were those of the Bena Lulua, the Baluba, Bena Kanioka, the Batetela, the Bakuba, the Bakete, and the Balunda.[1]

On 13 June 1917, the prefecture became the

Apostolic Prefecture of Ipamu (1937). Around 1926, Bishop Auguste Declercq established a program to train catechists. The name of the catechist in the local dialect is “mulami,” which means “guardian, shepherd.”[2]
On 10 March 1949 it was renamed the "Apostolic Vicariate of Luluabourg".

In March 1953 the vicariate lost territory to establish both the

Apostolic Administration of Mbuji-Mayi
.

In September 1967, it transferred territory the to Diocese of Luebo (as transfer), and established the Diocese of Luiza On 14 June 1972 the archdiocese was renamed the as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kananga.

Province

Its

Suffragan
dioceses:

Present day

In February 2017, the seminary of Malole in Kananga was damaged by arson.[4] In 2018, three convents in the Congo were attacked and robbed by armed men.[5]

The Petit Séminaire Saint-Pie X is in Kabinda. St. Antoine Chapel in the village of Demba is named in honor of St. Anthony Parish in Davenport, Iowa which provided the funds to build the chapel in response to Pope Francis’ request to establish a permanent memorial of the Year of Mercy.[6]

Leadership

Apostolic Prefects of Upper Kasai
  • Fr. Emeri Cambier, C.I.C.M. (Scheutists) (1904 – 1913)
  • Fr.
    Lisala
    (Congo-Kinshasa) (27 January 1936 – 20 December 1944)
  • Fr. Ernest Handekijn (1916 – 13 June 1917)
Apostolic Vicars of Upper Kasai
  • Bishop Auguste Declercq, C.I.C.M. (24 August 1918 – 29 October 1938), Titular Bishop of Thignica (24 August 1918 – 29 October 1938)
  • Bishop Louis-Georges-Firmin Demol, C.I.C.M. (29 October 1938 – 22 April 1948), Titular Bishop of
    Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic
    of Kasaï Supérieur (23 January 1936 – 29 October 1938)
Apostolic Vicar of Luluabourg
  • Bishop Bernard Mels, C.I.C.M. (10 March 1949 – 10 November 1959 see below), Titular Bishop of
    Mweka
    (Congo-Kinshasa) (1953 – 1957)
Metropolitan Archbishops of Luluabourg
  • Pulcheriopolis
    (3 October 1970 – 17 May 1986)
  • Martin-Léonard Bakole wa Ilunga (26 September 1967 – 14 June 1972 see below), previously Titular Bishop of
    Auxiliary Bishop
    of Luluabourg (21 June 1966 – 26 September 1967)
Metropolitan Archbishops of Kananga

Coadjutor vicar apostolic

Auxiliary bishops

Other priests of this diocese who became bishop

See also

  • Roman Catholicism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

References

  1. ^ a b c Cambier, Emeri. "Prefecture Apostolic of Upper Kassai." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 22 May 2023 Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ "The century-old tradition of catechetical training in the Archdiocese of Kananga", Agenzia Fides, 19 January 2009
  3. ^ "Holy Father Erects Diocese of Tshilomba, DRC", Exaudi, 25 March 2022
  4. ^ Teahan, Madeleine. "Attacks on Congolese churches are an ‘attempt to sabotage peace’, says cardinal", Catholic Herald, February 23, 2017
  5. ^ Olukya, Godfrey. "Three convents in Congo attacked within two-week span", CNS, September 27, 2018
  6. ^ Arland-Fye, Barb. "Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo funded by Davenport parish", The Catholic Messenger, Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport, April 28, 2016
  7. ^ "Rinunce e nomine, 19.03.2024" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. Retrieved 20 March 2024.

External links

Wikisource has the text of the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia article Prefecture Apostolic of Upper Kassai.

6°24′47″S 22°01′46″E / 6.4130°S 22.0295°E / -6.4130; 22.0295

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