Diocese of Oudtshoorn, South Africa

Continent: Southern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Oudtshoorn / Oudtshoornen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Cape Town

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Immaculate Heart of Mary

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1874.08.11: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Cape of Good Hope, Central District / Capo di Buona Speranza, Distretto Centrale (Italiano) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Cape of Good Hope, Western District)
1885.06.20: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Orange River
1934.04.09: Lost territory to Apostolic Vicariate of Cape of Good Hope, Western District
1939.06.13: Renamed as Apostolic Prefecture of Oudtshoorn / Oudtshoornen(sis) (Latin)
1948.12.09: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Oudtshoorn / Oudtshoornen(sis) (Latin)
1951.01.11: Promoted as Diocese of Oudtshoorn / Oudtshoornen(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Cape Town)
1979: Lost territory to Diocese of Keimoes

Contact Info

Address: 44 St Saviour Street, Oudtshoorn 6625, South Africa

Phone: (044) 279 1715

Present Prelates

Bishop (2020.05.04 – ...):

Bishop Noel Andrew Rucastle (56)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Oudtshoorn (Roman Rite)

Bishop Noel Andrew Rucastle (56)
(2020.05.04 – ...)

Bishop of Oudtshoorn (South Africa)

Born:	1968.04.22 (Kimberley, South Africa)
Ordained Priest:	2000.07.14
Consecrated Bishop:	2020.08.08

Priest of Cape Town (South Africa) (2000.07.14 – 2020.05.04)

Bishop of Oudtshoorn (South Africa) (2020.05.04 – ...)

Bishop Francisco Fortunato De Gouveia (72)
(2010.05.28 – 2018.07.02)

Bishop emeritus of Oudtshoorn (South Africa)

Unum ut mundus credat

Born:	1951.06.11 (Cape Town, South Africa)
Ordained Priest:	1976.01.11
Consecrated Bishop:	2010.07.17

Priest of Cape Town (South Africa) (1976.01.11 – 2010.05.28)

Bishop of Oudtshoorn (South Africa) (2010.05.28 – 2018.07.02)

Bishop Edward Robert Adams (89)
(1983.05.02 – 2010.05.28)

Bishop emeritus of Oudtshoorn (South Africa)

Semper utique

Born:	1934.05.24 (Retreat, South Africa)
Ordained Priest:	1966.01.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1983.07.16

Bishop of Oudtshoorn (South Africa) (1983.05.02 – 2010.05.28)

Bishop Manfred Gottschalk, S.A.C.
(1969.03.06 – 1982.04.20)

Born:	1932.01.16 (Poland)
Ordained Priest:	1960.07.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1969.06.11
Died:	1982.04.20 († 50)

Bishop of Oudtshoorn (South Africa) (1969.03.06 – 1982.04.20)

Fr. John Baptist Rosner, S.A.C. (later Bishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 1968 – 1969.03.06)

Bishop Bruno-Augustin Hippel, S.A.C.
(1951.01.11 – 1968.10.02)

Born:	1907.02.08 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1936.03.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1949.02.13
Died:	1970.11.07 († 63)

Titular Bishop of Abora (1948.12.09 – 1951.01.11)

Vicar Apostolic of Oudtshoorn (South Africa) (1948.12.09 – 1951.01.11)

Bishop of Oudtshoorn (South Africa) (1951.01.11 – 1968.10.02)

Titular Bishop of Vardimissa (1968.10.02 – 1970.11.07)

Vicars Apostolic of Oudtshoorn (Roman Rite)

Bishop Bruno-Augustin Hippel, S.A.C.
(1948.12.09 – 1951.01.11)

(see above)

Prefects Apostolic of Oudtshoorn (Roman Rite)

Fr. Teodoro Koenig, S.A.C.
(1939.06.13 – 1947)

Died:

1947

Prefect Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Central District (South Africa) (1934.01.12 – 1939.06.13)

Prefect Apostolic of Oudtshoorn (South Africa) (1939.06.13 – 1947)

Prefects Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Central District (Roman Rite)

Fr. Teodoro Koenig, S.A.C.
(1934.01.12 – 1939.06.13)

(see above)

Bishop Francis Hennemann, S.A.C.
(1922.06.26 – 1933.06.30)

Born:	1882.10.27 (Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1907.06.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1914.04.26
Died:	1951.01.17 († 68)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Cameroun (Cameroon) (1913.07.16 – 1914.11.07)

Titular Bishop of Coptus (1913.07.16 – 1951.01.17)

Vicar Apostolic of Cameroun (Cameroon) (1914.11.07 – 1922.06.26)

Prefect Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Central District (South Africa) (1922.06.26 – 1933.06.30)

Vicar Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District (South Africa) (1933.06.30 – 1939.06.13)

Vicar Apostolic of Cape Town (South Africa) (1939.06.13 – 1949)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Saviour’s Cathedral, Oudtshoorn, Western Cape

Cape Town (←), Keimoes–Upington (↖), De Aar (↗), Port Elizabeth (→)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 113,000 km²

Population: 36,000 Catholics (3.6% of 1,005,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 14 parishes

Personnel: 23 priests (11 diocesan, 12 religious), 1 deacon, 39 religious (12 brothers, 27 sisters), 2 seminarians