Diocese of Aliwal, South Africa 🇿🇦

Continent: Southern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Aliwal / Alivalen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Cape Town

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Sacred Heart of Jesus

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1923.06.12: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Gariep (from Apostolic Vicariate of Cape of Good Hope, Eastern District and gained territory from Apostolic Vicariate of Kimberley in South Africa)
1934.04.09: Gained territory from Mission sui juris of Queenstown
1936.01.27: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Aliwal / Alivalen(sis) (Latin)
1951.01.11: Promoted as Diocese of Aliwal / Alivalen(sis) (Latin) (lost territory to establish Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bloemfontein and became suffragan of Cape Town)
1953.03.24: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of De Aar

Contact Info

Address: 53/55 Cathcart Street, PO Box 27, Aliwal North 9750, South Africa

Phone: (051) 633 2342

Present Prelates

Bishop (2019.11.15 – ...):

Bishop Joseph Kizito (58)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Aliwal (Roman Rite)

Bishop Joseph Kizito (58)
(2019.11.15 – ...)

Bishop of Aliwal (South Africa)

Born:	1967.07.02 (Kampala, Uganda)
Ordained Priest:	1997.09.27
Consecrated Bishop:	2020.02.15

Priest of Aliwal (South Africa) (1997.09.27 – 2019.11.15)

Bishop of Aliwal (South Africa) (2019.11.15 – ...)

Bishop Adam Leszek Musiałek, S.C.I. (68)
(Apostolic Administrator 2017.09.01 – 2019.11.15)

Bishop Michael Wüstenberg (71)
(2007.12.19 – 2017.09.01)

Bishop emeritus of Aliwal (South Africa)

Scarlet – White as snow

Born:	1954.07.19 (Dortmund, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1982.06.05
Consecrated Bishop:	2008.02.24

Priest of Hildesheim (Germany) (1982.06.05 – 2007.12.19)

Bishop of Aliwal (South Africa) (2007.12.19 – 2017.09.01)

Bishop Oswald Georg Hirmer
(Apostolic Administrator 2004.04.29 – 2007.12.19)

Bishop Fritz Lobinger
(1987.11.18 – 2004.04.29)

Born:	1929.01.22 (Passau, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1955.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.02.27
Died:	2025.08.03 (Presotia, South Africa † 96)

Priest of Regensburg (Germany) (1955.06.29 – 1987.11.18)

Apostolic Administrator of Aliwal (South Africa) (1986.05.19 – 1987.11.18)

Apostolic Administrator of De Aar (South Africa) (1987.11.18 – 1992.01.23)

Bishop of Aliwal (South Africa) (1987.11.18 – 2004.04.29)

Apostolic Administrator of Mthatha (South Africa) (1995 – 1997.04.21)

Fr. Fritz Lobinger (later Bishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 1986.05.19 – 1987.11.18)

Bishop Joseph Anthony De Palma, S.C.I.
(Apostolic Administrator 1981.09.11 – 1986)

Bishop Everardus Antonius M. Baaij, S.C.I.
(1973.12.17 – 1981.10.30)

Veni Creator

Born:	1921.03.24 (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1947.07.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1974.05.23
Died:	2012.01.31 († 90)

Bishop of Aliwal (South Africa) (1973.12.17 – 1981.10.30)

Bishop Johannes Baptist Lück, S.C.I.
(1951.01.11 – 1973.12.17)

Born:	1909.05.08 (Langförden, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1937.07.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1947.05.15
Died:	2000.10.06 († 91)

Apostolic Administrator of Aliwal (South Africa) (1946 – 1947.03.13)

Titular Bishop of Attuda (1947.03.13 – 1951.01.11)

Vicar Apostolic of Aliwal (South Africa) (1947.03.13 – 1951.01.11)

Bishop of Aliwal (South Africa) (1951.01.11 – 1973.12.17)

Vicars Apostolic of Aliwal (Roman Rite)

Bishop Johannes Baptist Lück, S.C.I.
(1947.03.13 – 1951.01.11)

(see above)

Fr. Johannes Baptist Lück, S.C.I. (later Bishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 1946 – 1947.03.13)

Bishop Franz Wolfgang Demont, S.C.I.
(1936.01.27 – 1944.02.03)

Born:	1880.11.22 (Burtscheid, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1905.04.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1936.03.22
Died:	1964.06.15 († 83)

Prefect Apostolic of Gariep (South Africa) (1923.07.27 – 1936.01.27)

Vicar Apostolic of Aliwal (South Africa) (1936.01.27 – 1944.02.03)

Titular Bishop of Usinaza (1936.01.27 – 1964.06.15)

Prefects Apostolic of Gariep (Roman Rite)

Fr. Franz Wolfgang Demont, S.C.I. (later Bishop)
(1923.07.27 – 1936.01.27)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Aliwal North, Eastern Cape

De Aar (←), Bloemfontein (↑), Mohale’s Hoek (↗), Qacha’s Nek (→), Mthatha (↘), Queenstown (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 31,200 km²

Population: 46,800 Catholics (7.2% of 649,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 2 parishes, 7 missions

Personnel: 10 priests (7 diocesan, 3 religious), 16 religious (3 brothers, 13 sisters), 1 seminarian