Catholic Church

in

Republic of Sierra Leone (Sierra Leone)

Sierra Leone

Also known as: Sierra Leona (español), la Sierra Leone (français), Sierra Leone (Deutsch, Italiano, polski), Serra Leoa (Português), 塞拉利昂 (正體中文), シエラレオネ (日本語), Mons Leoninus (latine)

By Type (5)

Metropolitan Sees (Archdioceses) Metr. Archdiocese (1)

Episcopal Sees (Dioceses) Diocese (4)


By Rite

Roman Rite (4): Bo, Freetown, Kenema, Makeni

Maronite Church (1): Annunciation of Ibadan


by Type | by Name | by Ecclesiastical Province
Changes in Dioceses | Vacant Dioceses | Former Dioceses


Apostolic Nunciature: Sierra Leone Archbishop Walter Erbì (56)

Conference of Bishops: Inter-territorial Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Gambia and Sierra Leone (ITCABIC) Bishop Natale Paganelli, S.X. (67)

International Meeting of Bishops’ Conferences: Symposium des Conférences Episcopales d’Afrique et de Madagascar (S.C.E.A.M.) Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, O.F.M. Cap. (64)

International Meeting of Bishops’ Conferences: Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (R.E.C.O.W.A.) Bishop Alexis Touabli Youlo (65)

BishopsBishops

By Age

By Name

By Precedence

Jubilarians

Recent Events

Special Churches

Cathedrals Cathedrals (4)

Celebrations

Saints: 1 Blessed

Documents Text


Geography

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Capital: Freetown

Area: 71,620 km²

Population: 6,163,195

Neighbouring Countries: Guinea Guinea, → Liberia Liberia

Cultural Summary

Religions: Muslim 78.6%, Christian 20.8%, other 0.3%, unspecified 0.2%

Languages: English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)

Ethnic Groups: Temne 35.5%, Mende 33.2%, Limba 6.4%, Kono 4.4%, Fullah 3.4%, Loko 2.9%, Koranko 2.8%, Sherbro 2.6%, Mandingo 2.4%, Creole 1.2% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century; also known as Krio), other Sierra Leone 4.7%, other foreign 0.3% (includes refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, and small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians), unspecified 0.2%

Motto: Unity, freedom, justice (English)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 71,740 km²

Catholic Population: 345,000 Catholics (4.2% of 8,298,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 71 parishes, 322 mission stations (1 with resident priest, 321 without resident priest), 121 other centres

Clergy: 6 bishops (3 diocesan, 3 titular), 189 priests (112 diocesan, 77 religious)

Non-Clergy: 152 religious (41 brothers, 111 sisters), 65 major seminarians, 578 catechists

Population

Pastoral Centres

Bishops

Priests

Deacons

Consecrated Persons (Not Ordained)

Seminarians

Lay Missionaries

Catechists

Last updated on 2024.12.16

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