Diocese of Luiza, Congo-Kinshasa

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Luiza / Lwiza / Ludovican(us) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Kananga

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1967.09.26: Established as Diocese of Luiza / Lwiza / Ludovican(us) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Luluabourg and became suffragan of Luluabourg)
2022.03.25: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Tshilomba

Present Prelates

Bishop (2014.01.03 – ...):

Bishop Félicien Mwanama Galumbulula (64)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Luiza (Roman Rite)

Bishop Félicien Mwanama Galumbulula (64)
(2014.01.03 – ...)

Bishop of Luiza (Congo-Kinshasa)

Evangelii veritas

Born:	1960.10.26 (Tshibala, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1987.08.09
Consecrated Bishop:	2014.03.23

Priest of Luiza (Congo-Kinshasa) (1987.08.09 – 2014.01.03)

Bishop of Luiza (Congo-Kinshasa) (2014.01.03 – ...)

Bishop Léonard Kasanda Lumembu, C.I.C.M. (88)
(1998.04.03 – 2014.01.03)

Bishop emeritus of Luiza (Congo-Kinshasa)

Born:	1936.04.12 (Mikalayi, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1964.08.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.07.26

Bishop of Luiza (Congo-Kinshasa) (1998.04.03 – 2014.01.03)

Bishop Godefroy Mukeng’a Kalond, C.I.C.M. (94) (later Archbishop)
(1971.08.30 – 1997.03.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa)

Born:	1930.08.31 (Tshibingu-Mukese, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1958.03.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.12.05

Bishop of Luiza (Congo-Kinshasa) (1971.08.30 – 1997.03.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa) (1997.03.03 – 2006.05.03)

Fr. Charles De Wilde
(Apostolic Administrator 1970 – 1971.08.30)

Archbishop Bernard Mels, C.I.C.M.
(1967.09.26 – 1970.10.03)

Born:	1908.11.28 (Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1933.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1949.05.17
Died:	1992.11.01 († 83)

Titular Bishop of Belali (1949.03.10 – 1959.11.10)

Vicar Apostolic of Luluabourg (Congo-Kinshasa) (1949.03.10 – 1959.11.10)

Apostolic Administrator of Mweka (Congo-Kinshasa) (1953 – 1957)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Luluabourg (Congo-Kinshasa) (1959.11.10 – 1967.09.26)

Archbishop-Bishop of Luiza (Congo-Kinshasa) (1967.09.26 – 1970.10.03)

Titular Archbishop of Pulcheriopolis (1970.10.03 – 1986.05.17)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Saint-Vincent, Lwiza, Kasaï Central

Dundo (←), Luebo (↖), Kananga (↑), Mbujimayi (↗), Tshilomba (→), Kolwezi (↓)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 21,777 km²

Population: 1,055,000 Catholics (69.5% of 1,518,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 27 parishes, 2 missions

Personnel: 54 priests (45 diocesan, 9 religious), 265 religious (56 brothers, 209 sisters), 37 seminarians