Diocese of Kasongo, Congo-Kinshasa

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Kasongo / Kasongoën(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Bukavu

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1952.01.10: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Kasongo / Kasongoën(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Baudouinville and Apostolic Vicariate of Kivu)
1959.11.10: Promoted as Diocese of Kasongo / Kasongoën(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Bukavu)
1962.04.16: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Uvira

Present Prelates

Bishop (2014.03.11 – ...):

Bishop Placide Lubamba Ndjibu, M. Afr. (65)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Kasongo (Roman Rite)

Bishop Placide Lubamba Ndjibu, M. Afr. (65)
(2014.03.11 – ...)

Bishop of Kasongo (Congo-Kinshasa)

Born:	1959.10.26 (Lubumbashi, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1991.07.27
Consecrated Bishop:	2014.05.31

Bishop of Kasongo (Congo-Kinshasa) (2014.03.11 – ...)

Bishop Melchisedec Sikuli Paluku (73)
(Apostolic Administrator 2009 – 2014.03.11)

Bishop Théophile Kaboy Ruboneka (83)
(1995.11.02 – 2009.04.21)

Bishop emeritus of Goma (Congo-Kinshasa)

Pour que nous ayons la vie et que nous l’ayons en abondance

Born:	1941.02.27 (Bobandana, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1972.08.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.03.19

Bishop of Kasongo (Congo-Kinshasa) (1995.11.02 – 2009.04.21)

Apostolic Administrator of Kindu (Congo-Kinshasa) (2004.02.03 – 2007.04.25)

Coadjutor Bishop of Goma (Congo-Kinshasa) (2009.04.21 – 2010.03.18)

Bishop of Goma (Congo-Kinshasa) (2010.03.18 – 2019.04.23)

Bishop Christophe Munzihirwa Mwene Ngabo, S.J. (later Archbishop)
(1990.04.30 – 1995.03.14)

Born:	1926 (Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1958.08.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1986.11.09
Died:	1996.10.29 († 69)

Coadjutor Bishop of Kasongo (Congo-Kinshasa) (1986.03.10 – 1990.04.30)

Bishop of Kasongo (Congo-Kinshasa) (1990.04.30 – 1995.03.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bukavu (Congo-Kinshasa) (1995.03.14 – 1996.10.29)

Bishop Timothée Pirigisha Mukombe
(1966.09.29 – 1990.04.30)

Born:	1920.04.30 (Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1953.11.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1967.03.05
Died:	2004.02.10 († 83)

Bishop of Kasongo (Congo-Kinshasa) (1966.09.29 – 1990.04.30)

Bishop Noël Mala
(1963.04.05 – 1964.07.31)

Born:	1901.04.17
Ordained Priest:	1932.08.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1963.09.01
Died:	1964.07.31 († 63)

Bishop of Kasongo (Congo-Kinshasa) (1963.04.05 – 1964.07.31)

Bishop Richard Cleire, M. Afr.
(1959.11.10 – 1963.04.05)

Born:	1900.10.28 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1926.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1945.03.04
Died:	1968.01.08 († 67)

Vicar Apostolic of Kivu (Congo-Kinshasa) (1944.12.14 – 1952.01.10)

Titular Bishop of Claudiopolis in Isauria (1944.12.14 – 1959.11.10)

Vicar Apostolic of Kasongo (Congo-Kinshasa) (1952.01.10 – 1959.11.10)

Bishop of Kasongo (Congo-Kinshasa) (1959.11.10 – 1963.04.05)

Titular Bishop of Tadamata (1963.04.05 – 1968.01.08)

Vicars Apostolic of Kasongo (Roman Rite)

Bishop Richard Cleire, M. Afr.
(1952.01.10 – 1959.11.10)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Christophe Munzihirwa Mwene Ngabo, S.J. (later Archbishop) (1986.03.10 – 1990.04.30)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Saint-Charles-Borromée, Kasongo, Maniema

Kindu (↖), Goma (↗), Bukavu (↗), Uvira (→), Kalemie–Kirungu (↘), Kongolo (↓)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 75,365 km²

Population: 991,000 Catholics (32.2% of 3,077,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 16 parishes

Personnel: 50 priests (40 diocesan, 10 religious), 52 religious (16 brothers, 36 sisters), 47 seminarians