Diocese of

Lae

Papua New Guinea

Continent: Oceania

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Lae / 萊城 (正體中文) / Laën(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Madang

Neighbouring Dioceses: Kerema (↙), Goroka (←), Madang (↖), Kimbe (↗), Alotau–Sideia (↘), Port Moresby (↓), Bereina (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1959.06.18: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Lae / 萊城 (正體中文) / Laën(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Alexishafen)
1966.11.15: Promoted as Diocese of Lae / 萊城 (正體中文) / Laën(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Madang)

Contact Info

Address: Bishop’s House, P.O. Box 3, Lae, Morobe Province 411, Papua New Guinea

Phone: 472.51.30

Present Prelates

Bishop (2018.10.10 – ...):

Bishop Rozario Menezes, S.M.M. (56)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands

Ordinaries

Bishops of Lae (Roman Rite)

Bishop Rozario Menezes, S.M.M. (56)
(2018.10.10 – ...)

Bishop of Lae (Papua New Guinea)
President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands

To Jesus through Mary

Born:	1969.08.30 (Virajpet, India)
Ordained Priest:	1999.11.04
Consecrated Bishop:	2018.12.15

Bishop of Lae (Papua New Guinea) (2018.10.10 – ...)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands (2026.04.28 – ...)

Bishop Christian Conrad Blouin, C.M.M.
(2007.01.15 – 2018.10.10)

Born:	1941.11.01 (Saint-Sébastien, QC, Canada)
Ordained Priest:	1969.05.03
Consecrated Bishop:	2007.05.05
Died:	2019.01.12 (Lae, Papua New Guinea † 77)

Bishop of Lae (Papua New Guinea) (2007.01.15 – 2018.10.10)

Bishop Henry Anthony A. van Lieshout, C.M.M.
(1966.11.15 – 2007.01.15)

Born:	1932.03.19 (Venlo, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1959.07.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1967.03.05
Died:	2009.12.24 (Lae, Papua New Guinea † 77)

Bishop of Lae (Papua New Guinea) (1966.11.15 – 2007.01.15)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands (1975 – 1978)

Bishop Bernard Schilling, S.V.D.
(Apostolic Administrator 1959.12.19 – 1966.11.15)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St Mary’s Cathedral, Lae, Morobe

Kerema (↙), Goroka (←), Madang (↖), Kimbe (↗), Alotau–Sideia (↘), Port Moresby (↓), Bereina (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 36,968 km²

Population: 49,000 Catholics (6.7% of 728,880 total)

Pastoral Centres: 24 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 25 priests (5 diocesan, 20 religious), 34 religious (25 brothers, 9 sisters), 10 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.08.04

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