Diocese of

Buta

Congo-Kinshasa

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Buta / Butan(us) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Kisangani

Neighbouring Dioceses: Lolo (←), Bondo (↑), Isiro–Niangara (→), Wamba (↘), Kisangani (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1898.05.12: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Uélé (français) / Wellé (from Apostolic Vicariate of Congo Belge)
1910.06.16: Gained territory from Apostolic Vicariate of Central Africa
1911.12.18: Renamed as Apostolic Prefecture of Uélé Occidentale (français) / Western Uélé (English) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Uélé Orientale)
1924.04.15: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Uélé Occidentale (français) / Western Uélé (English)
1926.03.10: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Buta / Butan(us) (Latin) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Bondo)
1937.02.22: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Lolo
1959.11.10: Promoted as Diocese of Buta / Butan(us) (Latin) (became suffragan of Stanleyville)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2024.04.15 – ...):

Bishop Martin Banga Ayanyaki, O.S.A. (53)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Buta (Roman Rite)

Bishop Martin Banga Ayanyaki, O.S.A. (53)
(2024.04.15 – ...)

Bishop of Buta (Congo-Kinshasa)

Born:	1972.12.01 (Dungu, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	2003.08.28
Consecrated Bishop:	2024.07.07

Bishop of Buta (Congo-Kinshasa) (2024.04.15 – ...)

Bishop Jean-Bertin Nadonye Ndongo, O.F.M. Cap. (61)
(Apostolic Administrator 2021.05.17 – 2024.04.15)

Bishop Joseph Banga Bane (68)
(1996.09.27 – 2021.05.17)

Bishop emeritus of Buta (Congo-Kinshasa)

Christ notre paix

Born:	1957.05.19 (Miala, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1983.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.04.11

Vice-President of National Episcopal Conference of Congo (? – 2016.06.24)

Coadjutor Bishop of Buta (Congo-Kinshasa) (1995.12.15 – 1996.09.27)

Bishop of Buta (Congo-Kinshasa) (1996.09.27 – 2021.05.17)

Bishop Jacques Mbali
(1961.07.04 – 1996.09.27)

Born:	1921 (Aketi, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1947.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1961.11.12
Died:	2007.06.22 (Kinshasa, Congo-Kinshasa † 85)

Bishop of Buta (Congo-Kinshasa) (1961.07.04 – 1996.09.27)

Bishop Georges Désiré Raeymaeckers, O. Praem.
(1959.11.10 – 1960.10.10)

Born:	1899.01.21 (Gheel, Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1924.11.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1953.05.26
Died:	1960.10.10 (Buta, Congo-Kinshasa † 61)

Titular Bishop of Mariamme (1953.02.04 – 1959.11.10)

Vicar Apostolic of Buta (Congo-Kinshasa) (1953.02.04 – 1959.11.10)

Bishop of Buta (Congo-Kinshasa) (1959.11.10 – 1960.10.10)

Vicars Apostolic of Buta (Roman Rite)

Bishop Georges Désiré Raeymaeckers, O. Praem.
(1953.02.04 – 1959.11.10)

(see above)

Bishop Charles Alphonse Armand Vanuytven, O. Praem.
(1924.05.06 – 1952)

Born:	1880.04.25 (Gheel, Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1903.12.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1924.09.11
Died:	1969.03.18 (Tongerloo, Belgium † 88)

Vicar Apostolic of Buta (Congo-Kinshasa) (1924.05.06 – 1952)

Titular Bishop of Megara (1924.05.06 – 1969.03.18)

Prefects Apostolic of Uélé Occidentale (Roman Rite)

Fr. Léon Dérikx, O. Praem.
(1912 – 1924)

Born:	(Neerpelt, Belgium)
Died:	1933.12.21 (Antwerp, Belgium)

Prefect Apostolic of Uélé Occidentale (Congo-Kinshasa) (1912 – 1924)

Prefects Apostolic of Uélé (Roman Rite)

Fr. Jérôme van Hoof
(1899 – 1901)

Prefect Apostolic of Uélé (Congo-Kinshasa) (1899 – 1901)

Fr. Adrien Deckers
(1898 – 1899)

Prefect Apostolic of Uélé (Congo-Kinshasa) (1898 – 1899)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Joseph Banga Bane (68) (1995.12.15 – 1996.09.27)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Saint-Joseph, Buta, Bas-Uélé

Lolo (←), Bondo (↑), Isiro–Niangara (→), Wamba (↘), Kisangani (↓)

Statistics (2020.12.31)

Area: 60,000 km²

Population: 234,000 Catholics (57.8% of 405,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 29 parishes

Personnel: 10 priests (6 diocesan, 4 religious), 39 religious (4 brothers, 35 sisters), 3 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

© 2026 GCatholic.org