Chronology of Catholic Dioceses:Notes on the Diocese of Bafatà, 2001
The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, has erected the Diocese of Bafatà, Guinea-Bissau with territory detached from the Diocese of Bissau.
The new diocese consists of the following civil districts: Bafatà, Gab, Quinara, Tombali and Bolama Island.
The reasons for the erections are these:
- the great distances
- the followers of the traditional religions exhibit openness to the Gospel
- there are numerous catechumens, especially in the are of the newly erected diocese
- to revive the missionary zeal
These are the statistics of the mother diocese and the new diocese of Bafatà:
|
BISSAU - before |
BAFATÀ |
BISSAU - after |
|
|
Area |
36.125 kmq. |
24.635 kmq. |
11.490 kmq. |
|
Population |
1.040.000 |
490.000 |
650.000 |
|
Catholics |
136.000 |
31.000 |
105.000 |
|
Parishes |
22 |
9 |
13 |
|
Diocesan priests |
13 |
4 |
9 |
|
Religious priests |
53 |
12 |
41 |
|
Brothers |
8 |
1 |
7 |
|
Religious |
83 |
30 |
53 |
|
Major seminarians |
12 |
- |
12 |
The diocese borders to Senegal in the North, to Conakry (Guinea) in the East and South and to Bissau and the Atlantic Ocean in the West.
The see is located in Bafatá, where the parochial church dedicated to Our Lady of Grace becomes the cathedral of the new diocese.
Source: Vatican Internet News Service, 30 March 2001
- CNy