Diocese of

Polokwane

South Africa

Continent: Southern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Polokwane / Polokwanen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Pretoria

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Benedict of Norcia

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1910.12.22: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Northern Transvaal / Transvaal Settentrionale (Italiano) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Transvaal)
1939.06.13: Promoted as Territorial Abbacy of Pietersburg / Polokwane / Pietersburgen(sis) (Latin)
1951.01.11: Became suffragan of Pretoria
1962.12.27: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Louis Trichardt
1988.12.15: Promoted as Diocese of Pietersburg / Polokwane / Pietersburgen(sis) (Latin)
2009.09.04: Renamed as Diocese of Polokwane / Polokwanen(sis) (Latin)

Contact Info

Address: 8 Compensatie Street, Polokwane 0699, South Africa

Phone: (015) 295 8152

Present Prelates

Bishop (2013.06.10 – ...):

Bishop Jeremiah Madimetja Masela (66)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Polokwane (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jeremiah Madimetja Masela (66)
(2013.06.10 – ...)

Bishop of Polokwane (South Africa)

Born:	1958.06.28 (Bergzich, South Africa)
Ordained Priest:	1984.12.15
Consecrated Bishop:	2013.09.07

Priest of Polokwane (South Africa) (1984.12.15 – 2013.06.10)

Apostolic Administrator of Polokwane (South Africa) (2011.12.09 – 2013.06.10)

Bishop of Polokwane (South Africa) (2013.06.10 – ...)

Fr. Jeremiah Madimetja Masela (66) (later Bishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 2011.12.09 – 2013.06.10)

Bishop Mogale Paul Nkhumishe
(2009.09.04 – 2011.12.09)

In spe et unitate

Born:	1938.02.28 (South Africa)
Ordained Priest:	1967.06.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1982.02.14
Died:	2012.06.29 († 74)

Titular Bishop of Tigisi in Numidia (1981.11.05 – 1984.01.09)

Auxiliary Bishop of Lydenburg–Witbank (South Africa) (1981.11.05 – 1984.01.09)

Apostolic Administrator of Lydenburg–Witbank (South Africa) (1983 – 1984.01.09)

Bishop of Lydenburg–Witbank (South Africa) (1984.01.09 – 1987.11.10)

Bishop of Witbank (South Africa) (1987.11.10 – 2000.02.17)

Bishop of Pietersburg (South Africa) (2000.02.17 – 2009.09.04)

Bishop of Polokwane (South Africa) (2009.09.04 – 2011.12.09)

Bishops of Pietersburg (Roman Rite)

Bishop Mogale Paul Nkhumishe
(2000.02.17 – 2009.09.04)

(see above)

Bishop Fulgence Werner Le Roy, O.S.B. Subl.
(1988.12.15 – 2000.02.17)

Born:	1924.08.23 (Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1952.07.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1975.09.14
Died:	2017.10.14 († 93)

Apostolic Administrator of Pietersburg (South Africa) (1975.01.17 – 1975.07.10)

Titular Bishop of Ausafa (1975.07.10 – 1988.12.15)

Abbot Ordinary of Pietersburg (South Africa) (1975.07.10 – 1988.12.15)

Bishop of Pietersburg (South Africa) (1988.12.15 – 2000.02.17)

Abbot Ordinaries of Pietersburg (Roman Rite)

Bishop Fulgence Werner Le Roy, O.S.B. Subl.
(1975.07.10 – 1988.12.15)

(see above)

Fr. Fulgence Werner Le Roy, O.S.B. Subl. (later Bishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 1975.01.17 – 1975.07.10)

Bishop Francis Clement van Hoeck, O.S.B. Subl.
(1954.01.06 – 1975)

Born:	1903.06.28
Ordained Priest:	1927.10.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1954.05.01
Died:	1976.04.20 († 72)

Abbot Ordinary of Pietersburg (South Africa) (1954.01.06 – 1975)

Titular Bishop of Cissita (1954.01.06 – 1976.04.20)

Bishop Frederic Osterrath, O.S.B. Subl.
(1939.11.14 – 1952.10)

Born:	1882.11.04 (Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1906.03.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1940.03.03
Died:	1960.07.22 († 77)

Abbot Ordinary of Pietersburg (South Africa) (1939.11.14 – 1952.10)

Titular Bishop of Tingis (1939.11.14 – 1956.11.14)

Titular Bishop of Syedra (1956.11.14 – 1960.07.22)

Prefects Apostolic of Northern Transvaal (Roman Rite)

Fr. Salvatore van Nuffel, O.S.B. Subl.
(1922.03.21 – 1939)

Born:	1884.06.02
Ordained Priest:	1909.06.05
Died:	1939 († 55)

Prefect Apostolic of Northern Transvaal (South Africa) (1922.03.21 – 1939)

Fr. Ildefonso Lanslots, O.S.B. Subl.
(1911 – 1922)

Born:	1859
Ordained Priest:	1881
Died:	1941 († 82)

Prefect Apostolic of Northern Transvaal (South Africa) (1911 – 1922)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Polokwane, Limpopo

Rustenburg (↙), Francistown (↖), Tzaneen (→), Witbank (↘), Pretoria (↓)

Statistics (2020.12.31)

Area: 69,533 km²

Population: 26,700 Catholics (1.0% of 2,731,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 13 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 15 priests (diocesan), 26 religious (12 brothers, 14 sisters), 5 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.01.03

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