Roman Catholic Diocese of Kimberley

Diocese of Kimberley Dioecesis Kimberleyensis
Location
Country	South Africa
Metropolitan	Bloemfontein
Statistics
Area	123,083 km2 (47,523 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2004) 1,740,000 117,335 (6.7%)
Information
Rite	Latin Rite
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Duncan Theodore Tsoke

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kimberley (Latin: Kimberleyen(sis)) is a diocese of the Catholic Church based in the city of Kimberley in the ecclesiastical province of Bloemfontein in South Africa. The seat of the bishop is the Cathedral of St. Mary in Kimberley.

History

• 4 June 1886: Established as Vicariate Apostolic of Kimberley in Orange from Apostolic Vicariate of Cape of Good Hope, Eastern District and Apostolic Vicariate of Natal
• 1918: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Kimberley in South Africa
• 11 January 1951: Promoted as Diocese of Kimberley

Bishops

• Vicar Apostolic of Kimberley in Orange (Roman rite)
  • Bishop Matteo Gaughren, O.M.I. (1902.01.13 – 1914.05.30)
• Vicar Apostolic of Kimberley in South Africa (Roman rite)
  • Bishop Herman Joseph Meysing, O.M.I. (1929.12.19 – 1951.01.11), appointed Archbishop of Bloemfontein
• Bishops of Kimberley (Roman rite)
  • Bishop John Boekenfoehr, O.M.I. (1953.03.24 – 1974.07.01)
  • Bishop Erwin Hecht, O.M.I. (1974.07.01 - 2009)
  • Bishop Abel Gabuza (23 December 2010 – 9 December 2018)
  • Bishop Duncan Theodore Tsoke (3 March 2021 – present)

Auxiliary Bishop

• Erwin Hecht, O.M.I. (1972–1974), appointed Bishop here

See also

• Roman Catholicism in South Africa

Sources

• GCatholic.org
• Catholic Hierarchy