Roman Catholic Diocese of Kikwit

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kikwit (Kikuiten(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Kikwit in the ecclesiastical province of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

History

 * Established 18 April 1893 as Mission sui iuris of Kwango (or Koango), on territory split off from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Léopoldville
 * Promoted on 31 January 1903 as Apostolic Prefecture of Kwango
 * Gained territory in March 1921 from the Apostolic Vicariate of Upper Kasai
 * Promoted on 28 March 1928 to Apostolic Vicariate of Kwango, hence entitled to a titular bishop
 * Lost territory repeatedly:
 * On 1 April 1931 to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Kisantu,
 * On 28 January 1935 to the same;
 * On 13 April 1937 to establish the Apostolic Prefecture of Ipamu
 * On 25 April 1939 to the same.
 * On 24 May 1950: to the Apostolic Vicariate of Léopoldville
 * Renamed on 21 February 1955 as the Apostolic Vicariate of Kikwit
 * Lost territory on 5 July 1957 to establish the Apostolic Prefecture of Kenge
 * Promoted on 10 November 1959 as Diocese of Kikwit

Bishops
(all Roman rite, mostly missionary members of Latin congregations)

Ordinaries
(not available -- 1893-1903)
 * Ecclesiastical superiors of the mission sui iuris of Kwango (Koango)


 * Apostolic Prefects of Kwango
 * Julien Banckaert (1903 – 1911)
 * Stanislas de Vos, Society of Jesus (S.J.) (1911 – 1928)


 * Apostolic Vicars of Kwango
 * Silvain van Hee, S.J. (28 March 1928 – 20 February 1936), Titular Bishop of Possala (28 March 1928  – 26 March 1960)
 * Enrico van Schingen, S.J. (17 December 1936 – 2 July 1954), Titular Bishop of Phelbes (17 December 1936  – 2 July 1954)


 * Apostolic Vicar of Kikwit
 * André Lefèbvre, S.J. (25 February 1955 – 10 November 1959 see below), Titular Bishop of Raphanea (25 February 1955  – 10 November 1959)

Auxiliary Bishop of Kikwit (24 June 1961 – 29 November 1967)
 * Bishops of Kikwit
 * André Lefèbvre, S.J. (see above 10 November 1959 – 29 November 1967), later Titular Bishop of Thucca Terebenthina (29 November 1967  – 15 September 1976)
 * Alexander Mbuka-Nzundu (29 November 1967 – 14 October 1985), previously Titular Bishop of Cataquas &
 * Édouard Mununu Kasiala, O.C.S.O. (10 March 1986 – 19 November 2016), also Apostolic Administrator of Popokabaka (Congo-Kinshasa) (1991 – 22 April 1996); previously Titular Bishop of Aquæ Flaviæ & Auxiliary Bishop of Kikwit (8 November 1984  – 10 March 1986)
 * Timothée Bodika Mansiyai, P.S.S. (19 November 2016 - )

Coadjutor vicars apostolic

 * Charles Dauvin, S.J. (1948), died without being consecrated
 * Joseph Guffens, S.J. (1949-1954)

Auxiliary bishops

 * Alexander Mbuka-Nzundu (1961-1967), appointed Bishop here
 * Edouard Mununu Kasiala, O.C.S.O. (1984-1986), appointed Bishop here

Sources and external links

 * GCatholic.org, with incumbent biography links
 * Catholic Hierarchy