Diocese of Kerema, Papua New Guinea

Continent: Oceania

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Kerema / 凱里馬 (正體中文) / Kereman(us) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Port Moresby

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1971.01.16: Established as Diocese of Kerema / 凱里馬 (正體中文) / Kereman(us) (Latin) (from Diocese of Bereina and Diocese of Mendi and became suffragan of Port Moresby)

Contact Info

Address: Catholic Church, P.o. Box 90, Kerema 311, Gulf Province, Papua New Guinea

Phone: 64.81.012

Present Prelates

Bishop (2017.01.20 – ...):

Bishop Pedro Baquero, S.D.B. (54)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Kerema (Roman Rite)

Bishop Pedro Baquero, S.D.B. (54)
(2017.01.20 – ...)

Bishop of Kerema (Papua New Guinea)

Caritate et misericordia

Born:	1970.09.15 (Manila, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1999.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	2017.03.25

Bishop of Kerema (Papua New Guinea) (2017.01.20 – ...)

Bishop Patrick Taval, M.S.C.
(2010.03.13 – 2013.04.29)

Born:	1956.05.04 (Papua New Guinea)
Ordained Priest:	1984.01.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1999.10.02
Died:	2013.04.29 († 56)

Titular Bishop of Thimida (1999.06.22 – 2007.12.06)

Auxiliary Bishop of Rabaul (Papua New Guinea) (1999.06.22 – 2007.12.06)

Coadjutor Bishop of Kerema (Papua New Guinea) (2007.12.06 – 2010.03.13)

Bishop of Kerema (Papua New Guinea) (2010.03.13 – 2013.04.29)

Bishop Paul John Marx, M.S.C.
(1988.12.06 – 2010.03.13)

Witness the faith

Born:	1935.03.12 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1963.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1985.12.13
Died:	2018.06.19 († 83)

Coadjutor Bishop of Kerema (Papua New Guinea) (1985.05.03 – 1988.12.06)

Bishop of Kerema (Papua New Guinea) (1988.12.06 – 2010.03.13)

Archbishop Virgil Patrick Copas, M.S.C.
(1976.05.24 – 1988.12.06)

Born:	1915.03.19 (Australia)
Ordained Priest:	1944.07.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1960.04.27
Died:	1993.10.03 († 78)

Titular Bishop of Bennefa (1959.12.19 – 1966.11.15)

Vicar Apostolic of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) (1959.12.19 – 1966.11.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) (1966.11.15 – 1975.12.19)

Apostolic Administrator of Bereina (Papua New Guinea) (1973 – 1976.03.01)

Archbishop-Bishop of Kerema (Papua New Guinea) (1976.05.24 – 1988.12.06)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Patrick Taval, M.S.C. (2007.12.06 – 2010.03.13)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Paul John Marx, M.S.C. (1985.05.03 – 1988.12.06)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Rochus Josef Tatamai, M.S.C. (62) (later Archbishop) (2005.07.08 – 2007.11.29)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Holy Spirit Cathedral, Kerema, Gulf

Daru–Kiunga (←), Mendi (↖), Kundiawa (↖), Goroka (↑), Lae (↗), Bereina (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 34,472 km²

Population: 23,400 Catholics (14.3% of 163,385 total)

Pastoral Centres: 11 parishes, 10 missions

Personnel: 11 priests (6 diocesan, 5 religious), 21 religious (7 brothers, 14 sisters), 1 seminarian