Roman Catholic Diocese of Bangassou

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Bangassou (Latin: Bangassuen(sis)) is a suffragan diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of Bangui, which covers all and only the Central African Republic, yet dependent on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Its cathedral episcopal see is Cathédrale Saint Pierre Claver, dedicated to Jesuit Saint Peter Claver, in Bangassou, administrative Mbomou prefecture.

History
  • Established on 14 June 1954 as Apostolic Prefecture of Bangassou, on territory split off from the Apostolic Vicariate of Bangui, its future Metropolitan
  • 10 February 1964: Promoted as Diocese of Bangassou
  • Lost territory on 2004.12.18 to establish Diocese of Alindao.

Statistics

As per 2015 it pastorally served 86,000 Catholics (19.2% of 448,000 total) on 134,284 km² in 12 parishes with 29 priests (23 diocesan, 6 religious), 34 lay religious (8 brothers, 26 sisters) and 16 seminarians.

Bishops

Ordinaries

(all Roman rite, so far European members of Latin congregations)

Apostolic Prefect of Bangassou
  • Father Martin Bodewes, Holy Ghost Fathers (C.S.Sp.) (1955 – death 1964)
Suffragan Bishops of Bangassou
  • Antoine Marie Maanicus, C.S.Sp. (born Netherlands) (1964.02.10 – 2000.12.21)
  • Juan-José Aguirre Muñoz, Comboni Missionaries (M.C.C.I. = M.C.C.J.) (born Spain) (2000.12.21 - ...), succeeded as former Coadjutor Bishop of Bangassou (1997.12.13 – 2000.12.21)
    • Auxiliary Bishop : Jesús Ruiz Molina, M.C.C.J. (born Spain) (2017.07.11 – ...), Titular Bishop of Aræ in Mauretania (2017.07.11 – ...).

Other priest of this diocese who became bishop
  • Cyr-Nestor Yapaupa (priest here, 2001-2004), appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Alindao in 2012

See also
  • List of Roman Catholic dioceses in the Central African Republic
  • Roman Catholicism in the Central African Republic



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