Diocese of

Kavieng

Papua New Guinea

Continent: Oceania

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Kavieng / 卡維恩 (正體中文) / Kaviengen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Rabaul

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1957.07.05: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Kavieng / 卡維恩 (正體中文) / Kaviengen(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Rabaul)
1966.11.15: Promoted as Diocese of Kavieng / 卡維恩 (正體中文) / Kaviengen(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Rabaul)

Contact Info

Address: Bishop’s House, P.O. Box 49, Kavieng 631, N.E.P., Papua New Guinea

Phone: 98.42.055

Present Prelates

Bishop (2023.06.24 – ...):

Bishop Roland Vunuvung (65)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Kavieng (Roman Rite)

Bishop Roland Vunuvung (65)
(2023.06.24 – ...)

Bishop of Kavieng (Papua New Guinea)

Born:	1959.08.11 (Vunapope, Papua New Guinea)
Ordained Priest:	1985.11.24
Consecrated Bishop:	2023.08.15

Priest of Rabaul (Papua New Guinea) (1985.11.24 – 2023.06.24)

Bishop of Kavieng (Papua New Guinea) (2023.06.24 – ...)

Archbishop Rochus Josef Tatamai, M.S.C. (62)
(Apostolic Administrator 2020.09.29 – 2023.06.24)

Bishop Rochus Josef Tatamai, M.S.C. (62) (later Archbishop)
(2018.06.22 – 2020.06.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Rabaul (Papua New Guinea)

God wantaim yumi

Born:	1962.09.24 (Raduna, Papua New Guinea)
Ordained Priest:	1989.11.26
Consecrated Bishop:	2005.09.29

Titular Bishop of Accia (2005.07.08 – 2007.11.29)

Auxiliary Bishop of Kerema (Papua New Guinea) (2005.07.08 – 2007.11.29)

Bishop of Bereina (Papua New Guinea) (2007.11.29 – 2018.06.22)

Vice-President of Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Oceania (2010 – 2014)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands (2017.05.03 – 2020.07.02)

Bishop of Kavieng (Papua New Guinea) (2018.06.22 – 2020.06.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Rabaul (Papua New Guinea) (2020.06.19 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Kavieng (Papua New Guinea) (2020.09.29 – 2023.06.24)

Bishop Ambrose Kiapseni, M.S.C.
(1991.01.21 – 2018.06.22)

Sevis got gut tumas

Born:	1945.10.16 (Masahet Island, Papua New Guinea)
Ordained Priest:	1975.01.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1991.05.12
Died:	2019.12.20 (Kopkop, Papua New Guinea † 74)

Bishop of Kavieng (Papua New Guinea) (1991.01.21 – 2018.06.22)

Bishop Karl Hesse, M.S.C. (later Archbishop)
(1980.10.24 – 1990.07.07)

Caritas et justitia

Born:	1936.08.15 (Wosswinkel, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1963.05.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1978.08.15
Died:	2023.05.14 (Vunapope, Papua New Guinea † 86)

Titular Bishop of Naratcata (1978.04.27 – 1980.10.24)

Auxiliary Bishop of Rabaul (Papua New Guinea) (1978.04.27 – 1980.10.24)

Bishop of Kavieng (Papua New Guinea) (1980.10.24 – 1990.07.07)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Rabaul (Papua New Guinea) (1990.07.07 – 2011.08.11)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands (1994 – 1996)

Apostolic Administrator sede plena of Bougainville (Papua New Guinea) (1995 – 1996.09.12)

Apostolic Administrator of Bougainville (Papua New Guinea) (1996.09.12 – 1999.04.19)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands (2002 – 2005)

Bishop Alfred Matthew Stemper, M.S.C.
(1966.11.15 – 1980.10.24)

Born:	1913.01.02 (USA)
Ordained Priest:	1940.06.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1957.10.28
Died:	1984.02.20 († 71)

Titular Bishop of Eleutheropolis in Palæstina (1957.07.05 – 1966.11.15)

Vicar Apostolic of Kavieng (Papua New Guinea) (1957.07.05 – 1966.11.15)

Bishop of Kavieng (Papua New Guinea) (1966.11.15 – 1980.10.24)

Vicars Apostolic of Kavieng (Roman Rite)

Bishop Alfred Matthew Stemper, M.S.C.
(1957.07.05 – 1966.11.15)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kavieng, New Ireland

Rabaul (↘), Bougainville (↘), Kimbe (↓)

Statistics (2018.12.31)

Area: 23,000 km²

Population: 115,000 Catholics (52.0% of 221,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 20 parishes, 2 missions

Personnel: 19 priests (diocesan), 26 religious (6 brothers, 20 sisters), 6 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.01.27

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