Diocese of

Inongo

Congo-Kinshasa

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Inongo / Inongoën(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Kinshasa

Neighbouring Dioceses: Kinshasa (↙), Brazzaville (↙), Gamboma (←), Mbandaka–Bikoro (↑), Kole (→), Mweka (↘), Idiofa (↘), Kikwit (↓), Kenge (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1953.06.29: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Inongo / Inongoën(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Léopoldville)
1959.11.10: Promoted as Diocese of Inongo / Inongoën(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Léopoldville)
1975.04.12: Gained territory from the suppressed Diocese of Bikoro

Present Prelates

Bishop (2018.03.31 – ...):

Bishop Donatien Bafuidinsoni Maloko-Mana, S.J. (63)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Inongo (Roman Rite)

Bishop Donatien Bafuidinsoni Maloko-Mana, S.J. (63)
(2018.03.31 – ...)

Bishop of Inongo (Congo-Kinshasa)

Born:	1962.12.11 (Mai Ndombe, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1993.07.18
Consecrated Bishop:	2015.06.07

Titular Bishop of Gemellæ in Byzacena (2015.03.31 – 2018.03.31)

Auxiliary Bishop of Kinshasa (Congo-Kinshasa) (2015.03.31 – 2018.03.31)

Bishop of Inongo (Congo-Kinshasa) (2018.03.31 – ...)

Bishop Philippe Nkiere Kena, C.I.C.M.
(2005.07.27 – 2018.03.31)

Regnat Christus Dominus

Born:	1938.02.21 (Bokoro, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1965.08.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1992.01.06
Died:	2024.11.06 (Kinshasa, Congo-Kinshasa † 86)

Coadjutor Bishop of Bondo (Congo-Kinshasa) (1991.04.15 – 1992.11.13)

Bishop of Bondo (Congo-Kinshasa) (1992.11.13 – 2005.07.27)

Bishop of Inongo (Congo-Kinshasa) (2005.07.27 – 2018.03.31)

Bishop Léon Lesambo Ndamwize
(1967.06.12 – 2005.07.27)

Born:	1929.06.21 (Mushie, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1956.07.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1967.10.15
Died:	2017.11.19 (Kinshasa, Congo-Kinshasa † 88)

Bishop of Inongo (Congo-Kinshasa) (1967.06.12 – 2005.07.27)

President of National Episcopal Conference of Congo (1970 – 1975)

Bishop Jan van Cauwelaert, C.I.C.M.
(1959.11.10 – 1967.06.12)

Born:	1914.04.12 (Antwerpen, Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1939.08.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1954.03.25
Died:	2016.08.18 († 102)

Titular Bishop of Metropolis in Asia (1954.01.06 – 1959.11.10)

Vicar Apostolic of Inongo (Congo-Kinshasa) (1954.01.06 – 1959.11.10)

Bishop of Inongo (Congo-Kinshasa) (1959.11.10 – 1967.06.12)

Titular Bishop of Uccula (1967.06.12 – 1976.10.12)

Vicars Apostolic of Inongo (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jan van Cauwelaert, C.I.C.M.
(1954.01.06 – 1959.11.10)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya (later Cardinal) (1980.02.13 – 1981.04.07)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Saint-Albert, Inongo, Mai-Ndombe

Kinshasa (↙), Brazzaville (↙), Gamboma (←), Mbandaka–Bikoro (↑), Kole (→), Mweka (↘), Idiofa (↘), Kikwit (↓), Kenge (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 100,000 km²

Population: 1,445,936 Catholics (45.8% of 3,157,561 total)

Pastoral Centres: 24 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 74 priests (72 diocesan, 2 religious), 168 religious (6 brothers, 162 sisters), 43 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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