Eshowe (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Vacant
Wilfrid Fox Napier, O.F.M., Cardinal, Apostolic Administrator

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Elevated: 11 January 1951
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Durban
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: South Africa
Square Kilometers: 26,364 (10,183 Square Miles)
Description: Comprises Zululand proper (except the districts of Ingwavuma, Ubombo, and Hlabisa) and four Natal districts (Vryheid, Paulpietersburg, Ngotshe, and Babanango)
Official Web Site: http://eshowe.org/
Mailing Address: Bishop's House, 42-44 Webber Street, P.O. Box 488, Eshowe 3815, Zululand, South Africa
Telephone: (035)474.4141
Fax: 474.4644

Historical Details

Prefecture Apostolic of Zululand
- Erected: 27 August 1921
- Country: South Africa
Vicariate Apostolic of Eshowe
- Latin Name: Eshovensis
- Elevated: 11 December 1923
- Vicariate
- Country: South Africa
- Square Kilometers: 32,152 (12,418 Square Miles)

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of Zululand
27 August 1921	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Natal	Prefecture Apostolic of Zululand (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Eshowe
11 December 1923	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Natal (Mtunzini, Eshowe, NJcanshala, and Ugutu) Prefecture Apostolic of Zululand	Vicariate Apostolic of Eshowe
13 July 1938	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Eshowe (Tongaland) Prefecture Apostolic of Lydenburg (Piet Retief)	Prefecture Apostolic of Swaziland
Diocese of Eshowe
11 January 1951	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Eshowe	Diocese of Eshowe
12 November 1962	Territory Lost	Diocese of Eshowe (Hlabisa and Portions of Ubombo) Diocese of Manzini (Ingwavuma and Portions of Ubombo)	Prefecture Apostolic of Ingwavuma (erected)

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

Vicariate Apostolic of Eshowe

1950 15,765 442,906 3.6% 1 32 33 477 63 100 12 ap1951

Diocese of Eshowe

1970 42,091 720,000 5.8% 4 45 49 859 78 220 ap1971

1980 59,148 1,028,000 5.8% 5 33 38 1,556 61 209 25 ap1981

1990 66,514 1,355,000 4.9% 14 24 38 1,750 50 166 29 ap1991

1999 79,725 2,000,000 4.0% 22 17 39 2,044 35 154 29 ap2000

2000 79,950 2,200,000 3.6% 23 16 39 2,050 37 139 29 ap2001

2001 80,000 2,200,000 3.6% 21 18 39 2,051 31 125 29 ap2002

2002 80,000 2,200,000 3.6% 23 17 40 2,000 32 129 51 ap2003

2003 80,600 2,200,600 3.7% 24 15 39 2,066 30 125 28 ap2004

2004 81,000 2,200,600 3.7% 25 16 41 1,975 28 125 28 ap2005

2006 82,400 2,305,000 3.6% 29 14 43 1,916 27 118 29 ap2007

2013 83,100 2,596,000 3.2% 32 20 52 1,598 33 118 35 ap2014

2016 74,600 2,710,000 2.8% 35 16 51 1,462 39 113 32 ap2017

2019 77,930 2,827,940 2.8% 37 18 55 1,416 31 97 33 ap2020

2021 80,100 2,908,900 2.8% 41 15 56 1,430 29 100 34 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Eshowe
1950	15,765	442,906	3.6%	1	32	33	477	63	100	12	ap1951
Diocese of Eshowe
1970	42,091	720,000	5.8%	4	45	49	859	78	220		ap1971
1980	59,148	1,028,000	5.8%	5	33	38	1,556	61	209	25	ap1981
1990	66,514	1,355,000	4.9%	14	24	38	1,750	50	166	29	ap1991
1999	79,725	2,000,000	4.0%	22	17	39	2,044	35	154	29	ap2000
2000	79,950	2,200,000	3.6%	23	16	39	2,050	37	139	29	ap2001
2001	80,000	2,200,000	3.6%	21	18	39	2,051	31	125	29	ap2002
2002	80,000	2,200,000	3.6%	23	17	40	2,000	32	129	51	ap2003
2003	80,600	2,200,600	3.7%	24	15	39	2,066	30	125	28	ap2004
2004	81,000	2,200,600	3.7%	25	16	41	1,975	28	125	28	ap2005
2006	82,400	2,305,000	3.6%	29	14	43	1,916	27	118	29	ap2007
2013	83,100	2,596,000	3.2%	32	20	52	1,598	33	118	35	ap2014
2016	74,600	2,710,000	2.8%	35	16	51	1,462	39	113	32	ap2017
2019	77,930	2,827,940	2.8%	37	18	55	1,416	31	97	33	ap2020
2021	80,100	2,908,900	2.8%	41	15	56	1,430	29	100	34	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Aurelian (Josef) Bilgeri, O.S.B. † (Vicar Apostolic: 12 Jun 1947; Bishop: 11 Jan 1951 to 24 Jul 1973)
Mansuet Dela Biyase † (Bishop: 28 Feb 1975 to 1 Jul 2005)
Theodos (Peter) Schall, O.S.B. † (Apostolic Administrator: 14 May 1943 to 3 Aug 1947)
Thomas (Franz Xaver) Spreiter, O.S.B. † (Prefect: 29 Aug 1921; Vicar Apostolic: 26 Jan 1924 to 14 May 1943)

Source(s)

Vicariate Apostolic of Eshowe
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 16, Page 34, and Page 35
Diocese of Eshowe
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 43, Page 257, to Page 263

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Diocese of Eshowe

Dioecesis Eshovensis

Bishop(s)

General Information

Historical Details

Past and Present Ordinaries

Historical Summary

Statistics

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Source(s)