Diocese of Alotau-Sideia

Dioecesis Alotauna-Sideiana
Coat of arms of Diocese
Location
CountryPapua New Guinea
MetropolitanArchdiocese of Port Moresby
Statistics
Area20,000 km2 (7,700 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2015)
294,919
57,327 (19.4%)
Parishes16
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
Established28 April 1975
CathedralSacred Heart of Jesus, Alotau, Milne Bay Province
Patron saintSacred Heart of Jesus
Secular priests25
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopRolando Crisostomo Santos, C.M., Bishop of Alotau-Sideia
Website
http://catholicdiocesealotau.com/

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Alotau-Sideia is a Latin suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port Moresby, yet remains dependent on the Roman Congregation for the Missions Propaganda Fide.

Its cathedral episcopal see is the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Alotau, Milne Bay Province.

History

  • It was erected as the Prefecture Apostolic of Samarai on 13 June 1946, on territory split off from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Papua.
  • Promoted on 11 November 1956 as Vicariate Apostolic of Samarai, hence entitled to a titular bishop.
  • Promoted on 15 November 1966 as Diocese of Sideia, ceasing to be an exempt pre-diocesan mission.
  • Its name was changed to the Diocese of Alotau-Sideia on 28 April 1975 (after the provincial capital transfer to Alotau).

Coat of arms

The new coat of arms of the Diocese was adopted in 2016. The proposal of coat of arms created Marek Sobola, a heraldic specialist from Slovakia.[1]

Ordinaries

(all Roman Rite, so far missionary members of Latin congregations)

Apostolic Prefects of Samarai
Apostolic Vicar of Samarai
  • Francis John Doyle, M.S.C. (see above 1956.11.11 – 1966.11.15 see below), Titular Bishop of Onuphis (1956.11.11 – 1966.11.15)
Diocesan Bishops of Sideia
Diocesan Bishops of Alotau-Sideia
  • Desmond Charles Moore, M.S.C. (see above 1975.04.28 – retired 2001.06.25)
  • Francesco Panfilo, Salesians (S.D.B.) (2001.06.25 – 2010.03.18), also President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands (2008.04 – 2011.05); later Coadjutor Archbishop of Rabaul (Papua New Guinea) (2010.03.18 – 2011.08.11) succeeding as Metropolitan Archbishop of Rabaul 2011.08.11 – ...)
  • Roland Santos, Lazarists (C.M.) (2011.04.06 – ...)

References

  • "Diocese of Alotau-Sideia". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved 2007-01-09.

10°18′51″S 150°27′25″E / 10.3143°S 150.4570°E / -10.3143; 150.4570


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.