Roman Catholic Diocese of Kigoma
| Diocese of Kigoma Dioecesis Kigomaënsis | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Tanzania |
| Metropolitan | Tabora |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 42,000 km2 (16,000 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2004) 1,680,009 409,900 (24.4%) |
| Information | |
| Rite | Latin Rite |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Joseph R. Mlola, ALCP/OSS (Bishop-designate) |
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kigoma (Latin: Dioecesis Kigomaënsis) is a diocese located in Kigoma in the Ecclesiastical province of Tabora in Tanzania. Since the appointment of Bishop Protase Rugambwa as an Archbishop "ad personam" (given the personal title of archbishop with the position of Deputy Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and President of the Pontifical Mission Societies) by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on Tuesday, June 26, 2012, the Diocese has been a vacant see (sede vacante). However, on Thursday, July 10, 2014, Pope Francis appointed the Reverend Father Joseph P. Mlola, ALCP/OSS (born on January 9, 1966, in Mashati Rombo, Moshi, Tanzania, and ordained to the Catholic priesthood on July 12, 1997), who until then had been serving as Rector of the Inter-diocesan Major Seminary St. Paul in Kipalapala, Tabora, Tanzania, as the Bishop-designate of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kigoma.[1]
History
- 27 September 1880: Established as the Apostolic Vicariate of Tanganyika from the Apostolic Vicariate of Central Africa in Sudan
- 10 May 1946: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Kigoma
- 25 March 1953: Promoted as the Diocese of Kigoma
Leadership
- Vicars Apostolic of Tanganika (Latin rite)
- Jean-Baptiste-Frézal Charbonnier, M. Afr. (1887.01.14 – 1888.03.16)
- Léonce Bridoux, M. Afr. (1888.06.15 – 1890.10.21)
- Adolphe Lechaptois, M. Afr. (1891.06.19 – 1917.11.30)
- Joseph-Marie Birraux, M. Afr. (1920.04.22 – 1936.04.22)
- John van Sambeek, M. Afr. (1936.11.19 – 1946.05.10)
- John van Sambeek, M. Afr. (1946.05.10 – 1953.03.25)
- Vicars Apostolic of Kigoma (Latin rite)
- John van Sambeek, M. Afr. (1953.03.25 – 1957.11.22)
- James Holmes-Siedle, M. Afr. (1958.08.05 – 1969.12.15)
- Alphonse Daniel Nsabi (1969.12.15 – 1989.08.16)
- Bishops of Kigoma (Latin rite)
- Paul R. Ruzoka (1989.11.10 – 2006.11.25); named Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tabora
- Protase Rugambwa (2008.01.18 - 2012.06.26); named Archbishop (President of the Pontifical Mission Societies and Adjunct Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples)
- Joseph P. Mlola, ALCP/OSS, (2014.07.10 - present)