Bougainville (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Dariusz Piotr Kałuża, M.S.F., Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Elevated: 15 November 1966
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Rabaul
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Papua New Guinea
Square Kilometers: 10,660 (4,117 Square Miles)
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 85, Buka, North Solomons Province, Papua New Guinea
Telephone: 973.90.44
Fax: 973.90.43

Historical Details

Prefecture Apostolic of German Solomon Islands
- Erected: 23 May 1898
- Country: Papua New Guinea
Prefecture Apostolic of Northern Solomon Islands
- Name Changed: 21 January 1904
- Country: Papua New Guinea
Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Solomon Islands
- Latin Name: Insularum Salomonicarum Septemtrionalium
- Elevated: 31 May 1930
- Vicariate
- Country: Papua New Guinea

Past and Present Ordinaries

Giuseppe Forestier, S.M. † ( 1898 Appointed - 1918 Died)
Maurice Boch, S.M. † (18 May 1920 Appointed - 9 Jun 1930 Resigned)
Thomas James Wade, S.M. † (3 Jul 1930 Appointed - 14 Jun 1960 Resigned)
Leo Lemay, S.M. † (14 Jun 1960 Appointed - 1 Jul 1974 Resigned)
Gregory Singkai † (1 Jul 1974 Appointed - 12 Sep 1996 Died)
Henk Kronenberg, S.M. † (19 Apr 1999 Appointed - 15 Dec 2009 Retired)
Bernard Unabali † (15 Dec 2009 Appointed - 10 Aug 2019 Died)
Dariusz Piotr Kałuża, M.S.F. (12 Sep 2020 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of German Solomon Islands
23 May 1898	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of New Pomerania	Prefecture Apostolic of German Solomon Islands (erected)
Prefecture Apostolic of Northern Solomon Islands
21 January 1904	Name Changed	Prefecture Apostolic of German Solomon Islands	Prefecture Apostolic of Northern Solomon Islands
Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Solomon Islands
31 May 1930	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Northern Solomon Islands	Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Solomon Islands
11 June 1959	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Solomon Islands (Tresury, Shortlands and Choiseul and their neighbors, and Otong Java and their neighbors) Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Solomon Islands (Santa Isabel and the neighboring islands and New Georgia and the neighboring islands)	Vicariate Apostolic of Western Solomon Islands (erected)
Diocese of Bougainville
15 November 1966	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Solomon Islands	Diocese of Bougainville

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Bougainville

1970 60,585 78,800 76.9% 5 31 36 1,682 69 95 1 ap1971

1980 84,000 102,850 81.7% 5 26 31 2,709 1 62 90 27 ap1981

1990 124,000 131,800 94.1% 8 25 33 3,757 60 62 ap1991*

1999 135,100 175,000 77.2% 10 10 20 6,755 25 37 32 ap2000

2000 160,000 190,000 84.2% 10 14 24 6,666 19 36 31 ap2001

2001 165,069 196,000 84.2% 10 13 23 7,176 33 39 31 ap2002

2002 145,380 175,600 82.8% 14 11 25 5,815 40 45 31 ap2003

2003 146,475 177,200 82.7% 14 9 23 6,368 36 44 32 ap2004

2004 147,350 180,000 81.9% 15 8 23 6,406 22 46 32 ap2005

2006 149,200 183,500 81.3% 10 14 24 6,216 30 48 31 ap2007

2012 143,583 219,294 65.5% 17 13 30 4,786 34 54 31 ap2012

2015 147,000 236,000 62.3% 25 13 38 3,868 29 58 33 ap2016

2018 157,000 251,000 62.5% 28 13 41 3,829 29 58 33 ap2019

2020 223,386 319,123 70.0% 25 6 31 7,206 19 51 34 ap2021

2022 266,444 337,000 79.1% 23 12 35 7,612 27 51 35 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Bougainville
1970	60,585	78,800	76.9%	5	31	36	1,682		69	95	1	ap1971
1980	84,000	102,850	81.7%	5	26	31	2,709	1	62	90	27	ap1981
1990	124,000	131,800	94.1%	8	25	33	3,757		60	62		ap1991*
1999	135,100	175,000	77.2%	10	10	20	6,755		25	37	32	ap2000
2000	160,000	190,000	84.2%	10	14	24	6,666		19	36	31	ap2001
2001	165,069	196,000	84.2%	10	13	23	7,176		33	39	31	ap2002
2002	145,380	175,600	82.8%	14	11	25	5,815		40	45	31	ap2003
2003	146,475	177,200	82.7%	14	9	23	6,368		36	44	32	ap2004
2004	147,350	180,000	81.9%	15	8	23	6,406		22	46	32	ap2005
2006	149,200	183,500	81.3%	10	14	24	6,216		30	48	31	ap2007
2012	143,583	219,294	65.5%	17	13	30	4,786		34	54	31	ap2012
2015	147,000	236,000	62.3%	25	13	38	3,868		29	58	33	ap2016
2018	157,000	251,000	62.5%	28	13	41	3,829		29	58	33	ap2019
2020	223,386	319,123	70.0%	25	6	31	7,206		19	51	34	ap2021
2022	266,444	337,000	79.1%	23	12	35	7,612		27	51	35	ap2023

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Maurice Boch, S.M. † (Prefect: 18 May 1920 to 9 Jun 1930)
Giuseppe Forestier, S.M. † (Prefect: 1898 to 1918)
Karl Bernhard Hesse, M.S.C. † (Apostolic Administrator: 16 Jun 1995 to 12 Sep 1996)
Henk Kronenberg, S.M. † (Bishop: 19 Apr 1999 to 15 Dec 2009)
Peter Kurongku † (Priest: 21 Dec 1966 to 15 Nov 1978)
Leo Lemay, S.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 14 Jun 1960; Bishop: 15 Nov 1966 to 1 Jul 1974)
Gregory Singkai † (Priest: 17 Dec 1966; Bishop: 1 Jul 1974 to 12 Sep 1996)
Bernard Unabali † (Priest: 14 Dec 1985; Auxiliary Bishop: 1 Jun 2006; Bishop: 15 Dec 2009 to 10 Aug 2019)
Thomas James Wade, S.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 3 Jul 1930 to 14 Jun 1960)

Source(s)

Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Solomon Islands
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 22, Page 513, and Page 514
Diocese of Bougainville
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 59, Page 480, to Page 482

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Diocese of Bougainville

Dioecesis Buganvillensis