Roman Catholic Diocese of Bambari

Diocese of Bambari

*Dioecesis Bambaritana*
Diocese of Bambari; Dioecesis Bambaritana
Bishopric
Location
Country	Central African Republic
Ecclesiastical province	Bangui
Metropolitan	Bangui
Statistics
Area	173,000 km2 (67,000 sq mi)
Population; - Total; - Catholics	(as of 2014); 429755; 104129 (24.2%)
Parishes	14
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	December 18, 1965
Cathedral	Cathédrale Saint Joseph, Bambari, Ouaka
Secular priests	25
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Bertrand Guy Richard Appora-Ngalanibé, O.P
Metropolitan Archbishop	Dieudonné Nzapalainga, C.S.Sp.
Bishops emeritus	Jean-Claude Rembanga
Map

The Diocese of Bambari (Latin: Dioecesis Bambaritana) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in the Central African Republic. The diocese is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Bangui, which covers the Central African Republic, but depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

The diocese's episcopal see is Bambari. Its cathedral and is Cathédrale Saint Joseph, dedicated to Saint Joseph, in Bambari, Ouaka.

History

Established on December 18, 1965, as Diocese of Bambari, on territory split off from its Metropolitan, the Archdiocese of Bangui.

Statistics

As of 2014^[update], it pastorally served 104,129 Catholics (24.2% of 429,755 total) on 173,000 km² in 14 parishes and 4 missions with 25 priests (23 diocesan, 2 religious), 22 lay religious (2 brothers, 20 sisters) and 7 seminarians.

Bishops

Apostolic Administrators

Apostolic administrator Joachim N’Dayen (1970–1978) while Archbishop of Bangui (Central African Republic) (September 16, 1970 – July 26, 2003), President of Central African Episcopal Conference (1970 – 1997), later President of Association of Episcopal Conferences of the Central Africa Region (1989 – 1994); previously Titular Archbishop of Culusi (September 5, 1968 – September 16, 1970) as Coadjutor Archbishop of Bangui (September 5, 1968 – succession September 16, 1970)
Apostolic Administrator Father Michel Marie Joseph Maître, Spiritans (C.S.Sp.) (born France) (1978 – June 19, 1981, see below)

Bishops

Michel Marie Joseph Maître, C.S.Sp. (see above June 19, 1981 – death February 20, 1996)
Jean-Claude Rembanga (February 29, 1996 – retired November 6, 2004)
Édouard Mathos (November 6, 2004 – died April 28, 2017), also President of Central African Episcopal Conference (February 2010 – July 2013); previously Titular Bishop of Giufi (August 28, 1987 – November 6, 2004), first as Auxiliary Bishop of Diocese of Bossangoa (Central African Republic) (August 28, 1987 – January 26, 1991), then as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Bangui (Central African Republic (January 26, 1991 – November 6, 2004)
Bertrand Guy Richard Appora-Ngalanibé, Dominican Order (O.P.) (April 28, 2017 - ...), succeeding as previous coadjutor-bishop (December 10, 2016 – April 28, 2017)