Diocese of

Tarawa and Nauru

Kiribati , Nauru

Continent: Oceania

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Tarawa and Nauru (English) / Taravan(us) et Naurun(us) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Suva

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1897.06.28: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Gilbert Islands (English) / Isole Gilbert (Italiano) / Insularum Gilbertinarum (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of New Pomerania)
1966.06.21: Promoted as Diocese of Tarawa / Taravan(us) (Latin) (became suffragan of Suva)
1978.11.15: Renamed as Diocese of Tarawa, Nauru and Funafuti (English) / Taravan(us), Naurun(us) et Funafutin(us) (Latin)
1982.09.10: Renamed as Diocese of Tarawa and Nauru (English) / Taravan(us) et Naurun(us) (Latin) (lost territory to establish Mission sui juris of Funafuti)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2024.05.02 – ...):

Bishop Simon Mani, M.S.C. (55)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Tarawa and Nauru (Roman Rite)

Bishop Simon Mani, M.S.C. (55)
(2024.05.02 – ...)

Bishop of Tarawa and Nauru (Kiribati)

Walking together in Christ / Te uaia ni mwananga inanon Kristo

Born:	1969.03.27 (Labasa, Fiji)
Ordained Priest:	1996.11.30
Consecrated Bishop:	2024.07.27

Bishop of Tarawa and Nauru (Kiribati) (2024.05.02 – ...)

Msgr. Koru Tito
(2020.06.29 – 2022.08.06 not possessed)

Born:	1960.09.30 (Tabiteuea, Kiribati)
Ordained Priest:	1987.06.20
Died:	2022.08.06 (South Tarawa, Kiribati † 61)

Priest of Tarawa and Nauru (Kiribati) (1987.06.20 – 2022.08.06)

Bishop of Tarawa and Nauru (Kiribati) (2020.06.29 – 2022.08.06 not possessed)

Bishop Paul Eusebius Mea Kaiuea, M.S.C.
(1982.09.10 – 2020.06.29)

To serve in the islands

Born:	1939.12.16 (Nuku Beru, Kiribati)
Ordained Priest:	1969.01.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1979.02.10
Died:	2021.06.24 (Nawerewere, Kiribati † 81)

Bishop of Tarawa, Nauru and Funafuti (Kiribati) (1978.11.15 – 1982.09.10)

Bishop of Tarawa and Nauru (Kiribati) (1982.09.10 – 2020.06.29)

Bishops of Tarawa, Nauru and Funafuti (Roman Rite)

Bishop Paul Eusebius Mea Kaiuea, M.S.C.
(1978.11.15 – 1982.09.10)

(see above)

Bishops of Tarawa (Roman Rite)

Bishop Pierre-Auguste-Antoine-Marie Guichet, M.S.C.
(1966.06.21 – 1978.11.15)

Born:	1915.01.21 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1946.03.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1961.11.18
Died:	1997.10.03 († 82)

Titular Bishop of Stectorium (1961.07.19 – 1966.06.21)

Vicar Apostolic of Gilbert Islands (Kiribati) (1961.07.19 – 1966.06.21)

Bishop of Tarawa (Kiribati) (1966.06.21 – 1978.11.15)

Vicars Apostolic of Gilbert Islands (Roman Rite)

Bishop Pierre-Auguste-Antoine-Marie Guichet, M.S.C.
(1961.07.19 – 1966.06.21)

(see above)

Bishop Octave-Marie Terrienne, M.S.C.
(1937.12.02 – 1961.02.28)

Born:	1902.09.09 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1929.01.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1938.06.25
Died:	1994.03.04 († 91)

Vicar Apostolic of Gilbert Islands (Kiribati) (1937.12.02 – 1961.02.28)

Titular Bishop of Menelaites (1937.12.02 – 1994.03.04)

Fr. Joseph Lebeau, M.S.C.
(Apostolic Administrator 1933 – 1937)

Bishop Joseph Bach, M.S.C.
(1927.01.26 – 1933.12.27)

Born:	1872.09.01 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1896.05.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1927.05.29
Died:	1943.05.22 († 70)

Vicar Apostolic of Gilbert Islands (Kiribati) (1927.01.26 – 1933.12.27)

Titular Bishop of Eriza (1927.01.26 – 1943.05.22)

Bishop Joseph-Marie Leray, M.S.C.
(1897.07.27 – 1927)

Born:	1854.01.25 (France)
Consecrated Bishop:	1898.06.26
Died:	1929.10.17 († 75)

Vicar Apostolic of Gilbert Islands (Kiribati) (1897.07.27 – 1927)

Titular Bishop of Remesiana (1897.07.27 – 1929.10.17)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Tarawa Atoll, Kiribati

Auki (↙), Caroline Islands (←), Marshall Islands (↑), Honolulu (↗), Funafuti (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 832 km²

Population: 67,988 Catholics (53.4% of 127,237 total)

Pastoral Centres: 23 parishes, 18 missions

Personnel: 32 priests (24 diocesan, 8 religious), 1 deacon, 87 religious (14 brothers, 73 sisters), 14 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.01.03

© 2025 GCatholic.org