Diocese of Kikwit

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Bishop(s) Edouard Mununu Kasiala, O.C.S.O., Bishop

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese Elevated: 10 November 1959 Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Kinshasa Rite: Latin (or Roman) Country: Congo, The Democratic Republic of Square Kilometers: 62,000 (23,947 Square Miles) Mailing Address: B.P. 144, Kikwit Cite, Rep. Democratique du Congo Telephone: 761.982.791 Fax: 761.982.793

Historical Details

• Prefecture Apostolic of Koango o Kwango
  • Latin Name: de Koango
  • Erected: 31 January 1903
  • Country: Congo, The Democratic Republic of

• Vicariate Apostolic of Koango o Kwango
  • Latin Name: de Koango
  • Elevated: 28 March 1928
  • Vicariate
  • Country: Congo, The Democratic Republic of

• Vicariate Apostolic of Kikwit
  • Latin Name: Kikuitensis
  • Name Changed: 21 February 1955
  • Vicariate
  • Country: Congo, The Democratic Republic of

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Stanislao de Vos, S.J. † ( 1911 Appointed - 1928 Died)
• Sylvain van Hee, S.J. † (28 Mar 1928 Appointed - 20 Feb 1936 Resigned)
• Henri van Schingen, S.J. † (17 Dec 1936 Appointed - 2 Jul 1954 Died)
• André Lefèbvre, S.J. † (25 Feb 1955 Appointed - 29 Nov 1967 Resigned)
• Alexander Mbuka-Nzundu † (29 Nov 1967 Appointed - 14 Oct 1985 Died)
• Edouard Mununu Kasiala, O.C.S.O. (10 Mar 1986 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of Koango o Kwango
31 January 1903	Erected		Prefecture Apostolic of Koango o Kwango (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Koango o Kwango
28 March 1928	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Koango o Kwango	Vicariate Apostolic of Koango o Kwango
1 April 1931	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Koango o Kwango	Vicariate Apostolic of Kisantu (erected)
13 April 1937	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Kasaï Superiore Vicariate Apostolic of Koango o Kwango	Prefecture Apostolic of Ipamu (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Kikwit
21 February 1955	Name Changed	Vicariate Apostolic of Koango o Kwango	Vicariate Apostolic of Kikwit
5 July 1957	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Kikwit Vicariate Apostolic of Kisantu	Prefecture Apostolic of Kenge
Diocese of Kikwit
10 November 1959	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Kikwit	Diocese of Kikwit

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Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Koango o Kwango
1950	213,821	852,031	25.1%	21	72	93	2,299		139	120	4	ap1951
Vicariate Apostolic of Kikwit
Diocese of Kikwit
1970	623,375	1,220,000	51.1%	32	104	136	4,583		200	300	32	ap1971
1980	787,678	1,499,000	52.5%	29	95	124	6,352		163	198	48	ap1981
1988	1,800,000	2,367,000	76.0%	58	93	151	11,920		198	218	48	ap1991
1999	1,601,771	2,652,920	60.4%	81	73	154	10,401		182	343	50	ap2000
2000	2,002,214	3,316,150	60.4%	84	61	145	13,808		236	329	52	ap2001
2001	2,000,340	3,489,114	57.3%	94	54	148	13,515		157	289	52	ap2002
2002	1,920,099	3,640,000	52.7%	95	52	147	13,061		157	285	52	ap2003
2003	1,850,000	3,686,400	50.2%	89	54	143	12,937		165	298	52	ap2004
2004	2,004,852	3,809,220	52.6%	100	54	154	13,018		169	395	52	ap2005

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

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Affiliated Bishops

• Joseph Guffens, S.J. † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 24 Jul 1949 to Dec 1954)
• André Lefèbvre, S.J. † (Vicar Apostolic: 25 Feb 1955; Bishop: 10 Nov 1959 to 29 Nov 1967)
• Alexander Mbuka-Nzundu † (Priest: 11 Aug 1948; Auxiliary Bishop: 24 Jun 1961; Bishop: 29 Nov 1967 to 14 Oct 1985)
• Edouard Mununu Kasiala, O.C.S.O. (Auxiliary Bishop: 8 Nov 1984; Bishop: 10 Mar 1986)
• Sylvain van Hee, S.J. † (Vicar Apostolic: 28 Mar 1928 to 20 Feb 1936)
• Henri van Schingen, S.J. † (Vicar Apostolic: 17 Dec 1936 to 2 Jul 1954)
• Stanislao de Vos, S.J. † (Prefect: 1911 to 1928)