Roman Catholic Diocese of Tonga
Appearance
Diocese of Tonga Dioecesis Tongana | |
---|---|
![]() Coat of arms of the diocese | |
Location | |
Country | Tonga |
Territory | Tonga and Niue |
Ecclesiastical province | Immediately exempt to the Holy See |
Statistics | |
Area | 947 km2 (366 sq mi) |
Population
|
|
Parishes | 14 |
Information | |
Denomination | Catholic Church |
Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
Rite | Roman Rite |
Established | 12 June 1966 |
Cathedral | St. Mary's Cathedral (Tongan: Malia Tupu Imakulata) |
Patron saint | The Immaculate Conception |
Secular priests | 38 |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Francis |
Bishop | Soane Patita Paini Mafi, Bishop of Tonga, Cardinal-Priest of Santa Paola Romana |
Bishops emeritus | Soane Lilo Foliaki, S.M. |
Map | |
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The Diocese of Tonga (
.On 4 January 2015,
History

Along with the rest of the country, in the early Twenty-First Century the tiny Catholic community of some 15,000 has been considered threatened with the loss of its home due to climate change.[4]
Bishops
Ordinaries
- Pierre Bataillon, S. M. (1842–1863)
- Aloys Elloy, S. M. (1872–1878)
- Jean-Amand Lamaze, S. M. (1879–1906)
- Armand Olier, S. M. (1906–1911)
- Joseph-Félix Blanc, S. M. (1912–1952)
- John Hubert Macey Rodgers, S.M.(1953–1972), appointed Titular Bishop of Caput Cilla
- Patelisio Punou-Ki-Hihifo Finau, S. M. (1972–1993)
- Soane Lilo Foliaki, S. M. (1994–2008)
- Soane Patita Paini Mafi (2008– ), elevated to Cardinal in 2015
Coadjutor bishops
- Guillaume Douarre , S.M. (1842-1847), as Coadjutor vicar apostolic; did not succeed to see; appointed Vicar Apostolic of Melanesia (in fact Nouvelle-Calédonie, New Caledonia), Pacific (Oceania)
- Aloys Elloy, S.M. (1863-1877), as Coadjutor vicar apostolic
- Armand Olier, S.M. (1903-1906), as Coadjutor vicar apostolic
- Patelisio Punou-Ki-Hihifo Finau, S.M. (1971-1972)
- Soane Patita Paini Mafi (2007-2008); future Cardinal
References
- ^ Cheney, David M. "Tonga (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
- ^ "Annuncio di Concistoro per la creazione di nuovi Cardinali" (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 4 January 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ Matangi, Tonga online (2015-02-16). "Tongans celebrate first Cardinal". Matangi Tonga. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
- ^ "Pope appoints 20 new cardinals". BBC News. 2015-02-14. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
External links
"Diocese of Tonga". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved 2015-08-01.
See also
List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Oceania
21°08′S 175°12′W / 21.133°S 175.200°W