Metropolitan Archdiocese of Windhoek, Namibia

Continent: Southern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Windhoek / Vindhœkn(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Keetmanshoop, Rundu

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1892.08.01: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Lower Cimbebasia / Cimbebasia Inferiore (from Apostolic Prefecture of Cimbebasia)
1921.01.10: Renamed as Apostolic Prefecture of Cimbebasia
1926.05.11: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Windhoek / Vindhœkn(sis) (Latin)
1950.03.10: Lost territory to Apostolic Vicariate of Livingstone
1959.04.02: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Bechuanaland
1994.03.14: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Windhoek / Vindhœkn(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Keetmanshoop and Rundu and lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Rundu)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2004.09.21 – ...):

Archbishop Liborius Ndumbukuti Nashenda, O.M.I. (65)

President of Namibian Catholic Bishop’s Conference

President of Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Windhoek (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Liborius Ndumbukuti Nashenda, O.M.I. (65)
(2004.09.21 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Windhoek (Namibia)
President of Namibian Catholic Bishop’s Conference
President of Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa

Born:	1959.04.07 (Oshikuku, Namibia)
Ordained Priest:	1988.06.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1999.02.07

Titular Bishop of Pertusa (1998.11.05 – 2004.09.21)

Auxiliary Bishop of Windhoek (Namibia) (1998.11.05 – 2004.09.21)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Windhoek (Namibia) (2004.09.21 – ...)

President of Namibian Catholic Bishop’s Conference (2007.09 – ...)

Vice-President of Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa (2019.11 – 2022.09.26)

President of Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa (2022.09.26 – ...)

Archbishop Bonifatius Haushiku, S.C.P.
(1994.03.14 – 2002.06.12)

Justitiæ et pax

Born:	1935 (Namibia)
Ordained Priest:	1966.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1979.01.27
Died:	2002.06.12 († 66)

Auxiliary Bishop of Windhoek (Namibia) (1978.11.15 – 1980.11.29)

Titular Bishop of Troina (1978.11.15 – 1994.03.14)

Vicar Apostolic of Windhoek (Namibia) (1980.11.29 – 1994.03.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Windhoek (Namibia) (1994.03.14 – 2002.06.12)

President of Namibian Catholic Bishop’s Conference (1996 – 2002)

Vicars Apostolic of Windhoek (Roman Rite)

Bishop Bonifatius Haushiku, S.C.P. (later Archbishop)
(1980.11.29 – 1994.03.14)

(see above)

Bishop Rudolf Johannes Maria Koppmann, O.M.I.
(1961.03.20 – 1980.11.29)

In omnibus gentibus salutare tuum

Born:	1913.01.18 (Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1938.04.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1957.05.11
Died:	2007.06.24 († 94)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Windhoek (Namibia) (1957.01.26 – 1961.03.20)

Titular Bishop of Dalisandus in Pamphylia (1957.01.26 – 2007.06.24)

Vicar Apostolic of Windhoek (Namibia) (1961.03.20 – 1980.11.29)

Bishop Joseph Gotthardt, O.M.I.
(1926.05.11 – 1961.03.20)

Born:	1880.12.18 (Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1905.05.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1926.09.05
Died:	1963.08.03 († 82)

Prefect Apostolic of Cimbebasia (Namibia) (1921.02 – 1926.05.11)

Vicar Apostolic of Windhoek (Namibia) (1926.05.11 – 1961.03.20)

Titular Bishop of Mopsuestia (1926.05.11 – 1963.08.03)

Prefects Apostolic of Cimbebasia (Roman Rite)

Fr. Joseph Gotthardt, O.M.I. (later Bishop)
(1921.02 – 1926.05.11)

(see above)

Prefects Apostolic of Lower Cimbebasia (Roman Rite)

Fr. Eugenio Klaeyle, O.M.I.
(1892 – 1921)

Died:

1921

Prefect Apostolic of Lower Cimbebasia (Namibia) (1892 – 1921)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Rudolf Johannes Maria Koppmann, O.M.I. (1957.01.26 – 1961.03.20)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Liborius Ndumbukuti Nashenda, O.M.I. (65) (later Archbishop) (1998.11.05 – 2004.09.21)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Bonifatius Haushiku, S.C.P. (later Archbishop) (1978.11.15 – 1980.11.29)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Mary’s Cathedral, Windhoek

Ondjiva (↑), Menongue (↑), Rundu (↗), Francistown (→), Gaborone (↘), Keetmanshoop (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 560,158 km²

Population: 317,000 Catholics (12.0% of 2,642,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 77 parishes, 16 missions

Personnel: 74 priests (24 diocesan, 50 religious), 22 deacons, 415 religious (79 brothers, 336 sisters), 26 seminarians