Diocese of

Port-Vila

Vanuatu

Continent: Oceania

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Port-Vila / Portus Vilen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Nouméa

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1901.02.09: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of New Hebrides / Isole Nouve Ebridi (Italiano) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Nouvelle-Calédonie)
1904.03.22: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of New Hebrides / Isole Nouve Ebridi (Italiano)
1966.06.21: Promoted as Diocese of Port-Vila / Portus Vilen(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Nouméa)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2009.11.18 – ...):

Bishop Jean Bosco Baremes, S.M. (64)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Port-Vila (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jean Bosco Baremes, S.M. (64)
(2009.11.18 – ...)

Bishop of Port-Vila (Vanuatu)

Chemin vers le Père

Born:	1960.08.30 (Han, Isola Carteret, Papua New Guinea)
Ordained Priest:	1987.12.04
Consecrated Bishop:	2010.02.14

Bishop of Port-Vila (Vanuatu) (2009.11.18 – ...)

Bishop Michel Visi
(1996.11.30 – 2007.05.19)

Born:	1954.10.24 (Vanuatu)
Ordained Priest:	1982.12.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1997.04.12
Died:	2007.05.19 († 52)

Bishop of Port-Vila (Vanuatu) (1996.11.30 – 2007.05.19)

Bishop Francis-Roland Lambert, S.M.
(1976.12.31 – 1996.11.30)

Born:	1921.02.07 (USA)
Ordained Priest:	1946.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.03.20
Died:	1997.10.22 († 76)

Bishop of Port-Vila (Vanuatu) (1976.12.31 – 1996.11.30)

President of Episcopal Conference of the Pacific (1987 – 1991)

Archbishop Pierre-Paul-Émile Martin, S.M.
(Apostolic Administrator 1976 – 1976)

Bishop Louis-Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Julliard, S.M.
(1966.06.21 – 1976.05.21)

Born:	1912.03.13 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1930.03.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1955.08.07
Died:	1984.02.13 († 71)

Titular Bishop of Vulturia (1955.01.01 – 1966.06.21)

Vicar Apostolic of New Hebrides (Vanuatu) (1955.01.01 – 1966.06.21)

Bishop of Port-Vila (Vanuatu) (1966.06.21 – 1976.05.21)

Vicars Apostolic of New Hebrides (Roman Rite)

Bishop Louis-Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Julliard, S.M.
(1955.01.01 – 1966.06.21)

(see above)

Bishop Jules Halbert, S.M.
(1939.07.11 – 1954.12)

Born:	1886.02.07 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1911.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1939.12.10
Died:	1955.02.04 († 68)

Vicar Apostolic of New Hebrides (Vanuatu) (1939.07.11 – 1954.12)

Titular Bishop of Archelaïs (1939.07.11 – 1955.02.04)

Bishop Isidore-Marie-Victor Douceré, S.M.
(1904.03.22 – 1939.05.12)

Born:	1857.04.03 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1881
Consecrated Bishop:	1904.07.10
Died:	1939.05.12 († 82)

Prefect Apostolic of New Hebrides (Vanuatu) (1901.02.09 – 1904.03.22)

Titular Bishop of Terenuthis (1904.03.22 – 1939.05.12)

Vicar Apostolic of New Hebrides (Vanuatu) (1904.03.22 – 1939.05.12)

Prefects Apostolic of New Hebrides (Roman Rite)

Fr. Isidore-Marie-Victor Douceré, S.M. (later Bishop)
(1901.02.09 – 1904.03.22)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale du Sacré-Cœur, Port-Vila

Honiara (↖), Auki (↖), Suva (→), Nouméa (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 11,870 km²

Population: 48,600 Catholics (15.2% of 319,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 20 parishes, 35 missions

Personnel: 29 priests (20 diocesan, 9 religious), 100 religious (48 brothers, 52 sisters), 3 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.01.27

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