Diocese of Keimoes–Upington, South Africa 🇿🇦

Continent: Southern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Keimoes–Upington / Keimœsan(us)–Upingtonen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Bloemfontein

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Immaculate Conception, Saint Francis de Sales

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1885.06.20: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Orange River / Fluminis Orangen(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Prefecture of Cape of Good Hope, Central District)
1898.05.02: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Orange River / Fluminis Orangen(sis) (Latin)
1909.07.07: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Great Namaqualand
1940.07.09: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Keimoes / Keimœsan(us) (Latin)
1951.01.11: Promoted as Diocese of Keimoes / Keimœsan(us) (Latin) (became suffragan of Bloemfontein)
1979: Gained territory from Diocese of Oudtshoorn
1985.02.08: Renamed as Diocese of Keimoes–Upington / Keimœsan(us)–Upingtonen(sis) (Latin)

Contact Info

Address: Bishop’s House, Hoofstraat 6, PO Box 323, Keimoes 8860, South Africa

Phone: (054) 461 1846

Present Prelates

Bishop:

vacant

Apostolic Administrator (2025.12.15 – ...):

Archbishop Zolile Peter Mpambani, S.C.I. (68)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bloemfontein (South Africa)

Vice-President of Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference

Ordinaries

Bishops of Keimoes–Upington (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Zolile Peter Mpambani, S.C.I. (68)
(Apostolic Administrator 2025.12.15 – ...)

Bishop Edward Gabriel Risi, O.M.I.
(2000.07.05 – 2025.12.04)

Die kruis bron van onse lewe

Born:	1949.01.06 (Johannesburg, South Africa)
Ordained Priest:	1974.07.12
Consecrated Bishop:	2000.10.14
Died:	2025.12.04 (Johannesburg, South Africa † 76)

Bishop of Keimoes–Upington (South Africa) (2000.07.05 – 2025.12.04)

Bishop John Baptist Minder, O.S.F.S.
(1985.02.08 – 2000.07.05)

Born:	1923.11.01 (Philadelphia, PA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1950.06.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1968.01.10
Died:	2009.08.13 († 85)

Bishop of Keimoes (South Africa) (1967.10.12 – 1985.02.08)

Bishop of Keimoes–Upington (South Africa) (1985.02.08 – 2000.07.05)

Bishops of Keimoes (Roman Rite)

Bishop John Baptist Minder, O.S.F.S.
(1967.10.12 – 1985.02.08)

(see above)

Bishop Francis Esser, O.S.F.S.
(1962.09.12 – 1966.12.08)

Born:	1908.10.08 (Opladen, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1937.03.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1949.03.30
Died:	1966.12.08 († 58)

Vicar Apostolic of Keetmanshoop (Namibia) (1949.01.13 – 1956)

Titular Bishop of Claneus (1949.01.13 – 1962.09.12)

Coadjutor Bishop of Keimoes (South Africa) (1956 – 1962.09.12)

Bishop of Keimoes (South Africa) (1962.09.12 – 1966.12.08)

Bishop Henry Joseph Thünemann, O.S.F.S.
(1951.01.11 – 1962.09.12)

Born:	1898.07.22 (Kalkputs, South Africa)
Ordained Priest:	1922.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1940.10.03
Died:	1965.08.18 († 67)

Titular Bishop of Adrasus (1940.07.09 – 1951.01.11)

Vicar Apostolic of Keimoes (South Africa) (1940.07.09 – 1951.01.11)

Bishop of Keimoes (South Africa) (1951.01.11 – 1962.09.12)

Titular Bishop of Corydala (1962.09.12 – 1965.08.18)

Vicars Apostolic of Keimoes (Roman Rite)

Bishop Henry Joseph Thünemann, O.S.F.S.
(1940.07.09 – 1951.01.11)

(see above)

Vicars Apostolic of Orange River (Roman Rite)

Bishop Odilon Fages, O.S.F.S.
(1932.11.21 – 1939.10.14)

Born:	1875.10.18 (La Capelle, France)
Ordained Priest:	1899.03.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1928.09.30
Died:	1939.10.14 († 63)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Orange River (South Africa) (1928.06.15 – 1932.11.21)

Titular Bishop of Mulia (1928.06.15 – 1939.10.14)

Vicar Apostolic of Orange River (South Africa) (1932.11.21 – 1939.10.14)

Bishop Jean-Marie Simon, O.S.F.S.
(1898.05.02 – 1932.11.21)

Born:	1858.12.06 (Lyon, France)
Consecrated Bishop:	1898.09.21
Died:	1932.11.21 († 73)

Prefect Apostolic of Orange River (South Africa) (1886 – 1898.05.02)

Titular Bishop of Thaumacus (1898.05.02 – 1932.11.21)

Vicar Apostolic of Orange River (South Africa) (1898.05.02 – 1932.11.21)

Prefects Apostolic of Orange River (Roman Rite)

Fr. Jean-Marie Simon, O.S.F.S. (later Bishop)
(1886 – 1898.05.02)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Francis Esser, O.S.F.S. (1956 – 1962.09.12)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Odilon Fages, O.S.F.S. (1928.06.15 – 1932.11.21)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Pella, Northern Cape
Co-Cathedral: Co-Cathedral of St. Augustine, Upington, Northern Cape

Keetmanshoop (↑), Gaborone (↗), Kimberley (→), De Aar (→), Oudtshoorn (↘), Cape Town (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 272,000 km²

Population: 70,276 Catholics (16.4% of 429,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 25 parishes

Personnel: 21 priests (15 diocesan, 6 religious), 1 deacon, 27 religious (7 brothers, 20 sisters), 2 seminarians