Roman Catholic Diocese of Butembo-Beni

Diocese of Butembo-Beni Dioecesis Butembensis-Benensis
Location
Country	Democratic Republic of Congo
Metropolitan	Bukavu
Statistics
Area	45,000 km2 (17,000 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2006) 1,463,000 993,000 (67.9%)
Information
Rite	Latin Rite
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Melchisedec Sikuli Paluku

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Butembo-Beni (Latin: Butemben(sis) – Benen(sis)) is a diocese located in the cities of Butembo and Beni in the Ecclesiastical province of Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

History

• April 9, 1934: Established as Mission “sui iuris” of Beni in Belgian Congo from the Apostolic Vicariate of Stanley Falls
• February 9, 1938: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Beni in Belgian Congo
• November 10, 1959: Promoted as Diocese of Beni in Congo
• July 7, 1960: Renamed as Diocese of Beni
• February 7, 1967: Renamed as Diocese of Butembo-Beni

Bishops

Ordinaries, in reverse chronological order

• Bishops of Butembo-Beni (Latin Rite)
  • Bishop Melchisedec Sikuli Paluku (since 1998.04.03)
  • Bishop Emmanuel Kataliko (1966.05.17 – 1997.03.03), appointed Archbishop of Bukavu
• Bishop of Beni (Latin Rite)
  • Bishop Henri Joseph Marius Piérard, A.A. (1960.07.07 – 1966.05.17); see below
• Bishop of Beni in Congo (Roman rite)
  • Bishop Henri Joseph Marius Piérard, A.A. (1959.11.10 – 1960.07.07); see above & below
• Vicar Apostolic of Beni in Belgian Congo (Roman rite)
  • Bishop Henri Joseph Marius Piérard, A.A. (1938.02.09 – 1959.11.10); see above & below
• Ecclesiastical Superior of Beni in Belgian Congo (Roman rite)
  • Father Henri Joseph Marius Piérard, A.A. (1934 – 1938.02.09); see above

Other priest of this diocese who became bishop

• Charles Kambale Mbogha, A.A. (priest here, 1969-1972), appointed Bishop of Wamba in 1990

See also

• Roman Catholicism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Sources

• GCatholic.org
• Catholic Hierarchy