Roman Catholic Diocese of Berbérati
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Berbérati (Latin: Berberaten(sis)) is a Latin suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangui, both in the Central African Republic. However it remains under the authority of the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Its episcopal see is the cathedral in Berbérati, in the Mambéré-Kadéï Prefecture (southwest, formerly Haute-Sangha). The city also has the former cathedral dedicated to Saint Anna.
Statistics
[edit]As per 2014, it pastorally served 214,000 Catholics (48.3% of 443,000 total) on 44,000 km2 in 16 parishes and 7 missions, with 30 priests (24 diocesan, 6 religious), 34 lay religious (10 brothers, 24 sisters) and 33 seminarians .
History
[edit]- Established on May 28, 1940 as Apostolic Prefecture of Berbérati, on territories split off from the Apostolic Vicariate of Foumban (also in Cameroon) and the Apostolic Vicariate of Oubangui Chari (now Central African Republic). Lost territory 1947.01.09 to establish the then Apostolic Prefecture of Fort-Lamy (in Chad)
- Promoted on March 13, 1952 as Apostolic Vicariate of Berbérati, hence entitled to a (titular) bishop
- September 14, 1955: Promoted as Diocese of Berbérati
- Lost territories on:
- February 9, 1959 to establish the Apostolic Prefecture of Bossangoa and
- February 27, 1978 to establish the Diocese of Bouar.
Ordinaries
[edit](all Roman rite; so far all members of missionary congregations)
- Apostolic Prefect of Berbérati
- Father Pietro Alcantara da Habas, OFMCap (March 28, 1941 – death 1952)
- Apostolic Vicar of Berbérati
- Alphonse-Célestin-Basile Baud, OFMCap (April 10, 1954 – September 14, 1955 see below), Titular Bishop of Risinium (April 10, 1954 – September 14, 1955), French
- Suffragan Bishops of Berbérati
- Alphonse-Célestin-Basile Baud, OFMCap (see above September 14, 1955 – retired June 2, 1979, died 1981), French
- Jérôme-Michel-Francis Martin, OFMCap (October 3, 1987 – retired June 17, 1991, died 2009), French
- Agostino Giuseppe Delfino, OFMCap (June 17, 1991 – retired June 17, 2010), Italian
- Dennis Kofi Agbenyadzi, SMA (May 14, 2012 - ...), first native ordinary