Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kananga

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kananga (Archidioecesis Kanangana) is the Metropolitan See for the ecclesiastical province of Kananga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The episcopal cathedral is the Cathédrale Saint Joseph Mikalayi in Kazumba. The Pro-cathédrale Saint Clément is in Kananga.

History
In November 1891, when Père Emeri Cambier arrived at Luluabourg and established a mission. Other mission stations were subsequently founded at St-Trudon de Lusambo, St-Victorien at Bena Makima, St-Antoine de Lusambo, and elsewhere. A hospital was established, as well as, schools and orphanages. The prefecture was served by members of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Scheut (Brussels), and by Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary from Ghent.

Prior to 1901, the area was part of the Apostolic Vicariate of Belgian Congo. Begun as a simple mission, on 20 August 1901 it was detached from the vicariate on 26 July 1901 and established as the Mission sui juris of Upper Kassai (Kasaï Supérieur). In 1904 it became the Apostolic Prefecture of Upper Kassai. Cambier was named Prefect Apostolic and was based at the mission of St. Joseph de Luluabourg, a few miles south of the Belgian station of Luluabourg. At the time of its creation, it comprised almost all the Lualaba-Kassai district. The King of Belgium later named Cambier an officer of the Royal Order of the Lion in recognition of his services in South Africa.

In 1908 the prefecture was enlarged by extending its boundaries on the east to the left bank of the Lualaba. The languages is use were those of the Bena Lulua, the Baluba, Bena Kanioka, the Batetela, the Bakuba, the Bakete, and the Balunda.

On 13 June 1917, the prefecture became the Apostolic Vicariate of Upper Kasai, hence entitled to a titular bishop The vicariate repeatedly lost territory with the creation of the Apostolic Prefecture of Lulua Katanga (1922), the Apostolic Prefecture of Tshumbe (1936), and the Apostolic Prefecture of Ipamu (1937). Around 1926, Bishop Auguste Declercq established a program to train catechists. The name of the catechist in the local dialect is “mulami,” which means “guardian, shepherd.” On 10 March 1949 it was renamed the "Apostolic Vicariate of Luluabourg".

In March 1953 the vicariate lost territory to establish both the Apostolic Vicariate of Kabinda and the Apostolic Prefecture of Mweka. In April 1959, lost territory to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Luebo. On 10 November 1959 the Apostolic Vicariate of Upper Kasai was raised to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Luluabourg. In November 1963, it ceded territory to establish the then Apostolic Administration of Mbuji-Mayi.

In September 1967, it transferred territory the to Diocese of Luebo (as transfer), and established the Diocese of Luiza On 14 June 1972 the archdiocese was renamed the as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kananga.

Province
Its ecclesiastical province comprises the Metropolitan's own Archdiocese and the following Suffragan dioceses:
 * Roman Catholic Diocese of Kabinda
 * Roman Catholic Diocese of Kole
 * Roman Catholic Diocese of Luebo
 * Roman Catholic Diocese of Luiza
 * Roman Catholic Diocese of Mbujimayi
 * Roman Catholic Diocese of Mweka
 * Roman Catholic Diocese of Tshilomba
 * Roman Catholic Diocese of Tshumbe

Present day
In February 2017, the seminary of Malole in Kananga was damaged by arson. In 2018, three convents in the Congo were attacked and robbed by armed men.

The Petit Séminaire Saint-Pie X is in Kabinda. St. Antoine Chapel in the village of Demba is named in honor of St. Anthony Parish in Davenport, Iowa which provided the funds to build the chapel in response to Pope Francis’ request to establish a permanent memorial of the Year of Mercy.

Leadership

 * Apostolic Prefects of Upper Kasai
 * Fr. Emeri Cambier, C.I.C.M. (Scheutists) (1904 – 1913)
 * Fr. Egide de Boeck, C.I.C.M. (1913 – 1916), later Apostolic Vicar of Nieuw-Antwerpen (Congo-Kinshasa) (4 January 1921 – 27 January 1936), Titular Bishop of Azotus (10 March 1921  – 20 December 1944), Apostolic Vicar of Lisala (Congo-Kinshasa) (27 January 1936  – 20 December 1944)
 * Fr. Ernest Handekijn (1916 – 13 June 1917)


 * Apostolic Vicars of Upper Kasai
 * Bishop Auguste Declercq, C.I.C.M. (24 August 1918 – 29 October 1938), Titular Bishop of Thignica (24 August 1918  – 29 October 1938)
 * Bishop Louis-Georges-Firmin Demol, C.I.C.M. (29 October 1938 – 22 April 1948), Titular Bishop of Vescera (27 January 1936  – 2 July 1969); succeeding as previous Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (23 January 1936  – 29 October 1938)


 * Apostolic Vicar of Luluabourg
 * Bishop Bernard Mels, C.I.C.M. (10 March 1949 – 10 November 1959 see below), Titular Bishop of Belali (10 March 1949  – 10 November 1959); also Apostolic Administrator of Mweka (Congo-Kinshasa) (1953 – 1957)


 * Metropolitan Archbishops of Luluabourg
 * Bernard Mels, C.I.C.M. (see above 10 November 1959 – 26 September 1967); later Archbishop-Bishop of Lwiza (Congo-Kinshasa) (26 September 1967  – 3 October 1970), finally Titular Archbishop of Pulcheriopolis (3 October 1970  – 17 May 1986)
 * Martin-Léonard Bakole wa Ilunga (26 September 1967 – 14 June 1972 see below), previously Titular Bishop of Sullectum (21 June 1966  – 26 September 1967) & Auxiliary Bishop of Luluabourg (21 June 1966  – 26 September 1967)


 * Metropolitan Archbishops of Kananga
 * Martin-Léonard Bakole wa Ilunga (see above 14 June 1972 – 3 March 1997)
 * Godefroid Mukeng'a Kalond, C.I.C.M. (3 March 1997 – 3 May 2006), previously Bishop of Lwiza (30 August 1971  – 3 March 1997)
 * Marcel Madila Basanguka (9 December 2006 - 21 December 2022), previously Titular Bishop of Gigthi (27 February 2004 – 9 December 2006) & Auxiliary Bishop of Kananga (27 February 2004  – 9 December 2006)
 * Félicien Ntambue Kasembe (19 March 2024 – )

Coadjutor vicar apostolic

 * Louis-Georges-Firmin Demol, C.I.C.M. (1936-1938)

Auxiliary bishops

 * Martin-Léonard Bakole wa Ilunga (1966-1967), appointed Archbishop here
 * Marcel Madila Basanguka (2004-2006), appointed Archbishop here

Other priests of this diocese who became bishop

 * Pierre-Célestin Tshitoko Mamba, appointed Bishop of Luebo in 2006