Diocese of

Butembo–Beni

Congo-Kinshasa

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Butembo–Beni / Butemben(sis)–Benen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Bukavu

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1934.04.09: Established as Mission sui juris of Beni in Belgian Congo / Beni nel Congo Belga (Italiano) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Stanley Falls)
1938.02.09: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Beni in Belgian Congo / Beni nel Congo Belga (Italiano)
1959.11.10: Promoted as Diocese of Beni in Congo / Beni nel Congo (Italiano) (became suffragan of Bukavu)
1960.07.07: Renamed as Diocese of Beni / Benen(sis) (Latin)
1967.02.07: Renamed as Diocese of Butembo–Beni / Butemben(sis)–Benen(sis) (Latin)

Present Prelates

Bishop (1998.04.03 – ...):

Bishop Melchisedec Sikuli Paluku (73)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Butembo–Beni (Roman Rite)

Bishop Melchisedec Sikuli Paluku (73)
(1998.04.03 – ...)

Bishop of Butembo–Beni (Congo-Kinshasa)

Fiat voluntas tua

Born:	1952.01.27 (Lukanga, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1978.08.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.08.02

Priest of Butembo–Beni (Congo-Kinshasa) (1978.08.21 – 1998.04.03)

Bishop of Butembo–Beni (Congo-Kinshasa) (1998.04.03 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Kasongo (Congo-Kinshasa) (2009 – 2014.03.11)

Bishop Emmanuel Kataliko (later Archbishop)
(1967.02.07 – 1997.03.03)

Duc in altum / Mater ecclesiæ

Born:	1932 (Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1958.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1966.10.11
Died:	2000.10.04 († 67)

Bishop of Beni (Congo-Kinshasa) (1966.05.17 – 1967.02.07)

Bishop of Butembo–Beni (Congo-Kinshasa) (1967.02.07 – 1997.03.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bukavu (Congo-Kinshasa) (1997.03.03 – 2000.10.04)

Bishops of Beni (Roman Rite)

Bishop Emmanuel Kataliko (later Archbishop)
(1966.05.17 – 1967.02.07)

(see above)

Bishop Henri Joseph Marius Piérard, A.A.
(1960.07.07 – 1966.05.17)

Trahe nos virgo assumpta

Born:	1893.06.21 (Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1925.07.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1938.11.21
Died:	1975.03.05 († 81)

Ecclesiastical Superior of Beni in Belgian Congo (Congo-Kinshasa) (1934 – 1938.02.09)

Titular Bishop of Andropolis (1938.02.09 – 1959.11.10)

Vicar Apostolic of Beni in Belgian Congo (Congo-Kinshasa) (1938.02.09 – 1959.11.10)

Bishop of Beni in Congo (Congo-Kinshasa) (1959.11.10 – 1960.07.07)

Bishop of Beni (Congo-Kinshasa) (1960.07.07 – 1966.05.17)

Titular Bishop of Molicunza (1966.05.17 – 1973.04.27)

Bishops of Beni in Congo (Roman Rite)

Bishop Henri Joseph Marius Piérard, A.A.
(1959.11.10 – 1960.07.07)

(see above)

Vicars Apostolic of Beni in Belgian Congo (Roman Rite)

Bishop Henri Joseph Marius Piérard, A.A.
(1938.02.09 – 1959.11.10)

(see above)

Ecclesiastical Superiors of Beni in Belgian Congo (Roman Rite)

Fr. Henri Joseph Marius Piérard, A.A. (later Bishop)
(1934 – 1938.02.09)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Mater Ecclesiae, Butembo, Nord-Kivu
Co-Cathedral: Cocathédrale Saint-Augustin, Beni, Nord-Kivu

Kisangani (←), Wamba (↖), Bunia (↑), Fort Portal (↗), Kasese (→), Goma (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 45,000 km²

Population: 2,304,740 Catholics (75.8% of 3,041,874 total)

Pastoral Centres: 80 parishes, 4 missions

Personnel: 417 priests (237 diocesan, 180 religious), 1,341 religious (490 brothers, 851 sisters), 221 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.01.27

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