Samoa-Apia (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Mosese Vitolio Tui, S.D.B., Archbishop

Suffragan Dioceses

Samoa-Pago Pago
Tokelau (Mission "Sui Iuris")

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Split: 26 June 1992
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Samoa
Region: Pacific (Oceania)
Square Kilometers: 2,830 (1,093 Square Miles)
Mailing Address: Archbishop's House, St. Anne Building, Mulivai; P.O. Box 532, Apia, Samoa
Telephone: 20.402

Historical Details

Vicariate Apostolic of Archipelago of the Navigators {Arcipelago dei Navigatori}
- Latin Name: Arcipelagi Navigatorum
- Erected: 20 August 1850
- Vicariate
- Country: American Samoa
- Region: Pacific (Oceania)
Vicariate Apostolic of Isole Samoa e Tokelau
- Name Changed: 4 January 1957
- Vicariate
- Country: American Samoa
- Region: Pacific (Oceania)
Diocese of Apia
- Latin Name: Apiana
- Elevated: 21 June 1966
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Suva
- Country: American Samoa
- Region: Pacific (Oceania)
Diocese of Apia o Samoa and Tokelau
- Latin Name: Apiana seu Samoana et Tokelauna
- Name Changed: 10 August 1974
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Suva
- Country: American Samoa
- Region: Pacific (Oceania)
Diocese of Samoa and Tokelau
- Latin Name: Samoana et Tokelauna
- Name Changed: 3 December 1975
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Suva
- Country: Samoa
- Region: Pacific (Oceania)
Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia and Tokelau
- Latin Name: Samoa-Apianae et Tokelaunae
- Elevated: 10 September 1982
- Metropolitan See
- Country: Samoa
- Region: Pacific (Oceania)

Past and Present Ordinaries

Guillaume Marie Douarre, S.M. † (20 Aug 1850 Appointed - 27 Jun 1853 Died)
Pierre Jean Broyer, S.M. † (30 Mar 1896 Appointed - 29 Oct 1918 Died)
Joseph Darnand, S.M. † (4 Aug 1919 Appointed - 1953 Retired)
Jean Baptiste Dieter, S.M. † (16 Nov 1953 Appointed - 28 Jun 1955 Died)
George Hamilton Pearce, S.M. † (29 Feb 1956 Appointed - 22 Jun 1967 Appointed, Archbishop of Suva, Fiji)
Pio Taofinu’u, S.M. † (11 Jan 1968 Appointed - 16 Nov 2002 Retired)
Alapati Lui Mata’eliga † (16 Nov 2002 Appointed - 25 Apr 2023 Died)
Mosese Vitolio Tui, S.D.B. (12 Jun 2024 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Archipelago of the Navigators {Arcipelago dei Navigatori}
20 August 1850	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Central Oceania	Vicariate Apostolic of Archipelago of the Navigators {Arcipelago dei Navigatori} (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Isole Samoa e Tokelau
4 January 1957	Name Changed	Vicariate Apostolic of Archipelago of the Navigators {Arcipelago dei Navigatori}	Vicariate Apostolic of Isole Samoa e Tokelau
Diocese of Apia
21 June 1966	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Isole Samoa e Tokelau	Diocese of Apia
Diocese of Apia o Samoa and Tokelau
10 August 1974	Name Changed	Diocese of Apia	Diocese of Apia o Samoa and Tokelau
Diocese of Samoa and Tokelau
3 December 1975	Name Changed	Diocese of Apia o Samoa and Tokelau	Diocese of Samoa and Tokelau
10 September 1982	Territory Lost	Diocese of Samoa and Tokelau (American Samoa)	Diocese of Samoa-Pago Pago (erected)
Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia and Tokelau
10 September 1982	Elevated	Diocese of Samoa and Tokelau	Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia and Tokelau (and name changed)
Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia
26 June 1992	Split	Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia and Tokelau	Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia Mission "Sui Iuris" of Tokelau

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 Archipelago of the Navigators {Arcipelago dei Navigatori}

1950 20,000 5 20 25 800 14 69 14 ap1951

Vicariate Apostolic of Isole Samoa e Tokelau

Diocese of Apia

1970 36,521 173,264 21.1% 5 29 34 1,074 57 107 21 ap1971

Diocese of Apia o Samoa and Tokelau

Diocese of Samoa and Tokelau

1976 34,472 183,814 18.8% 10 27 37 931 60 138 24 ap1977

1980 36,224 188,651 19.2% 10 29 39 928 68 121 24 ap1981

Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia and Tokelau

1990 37,237 166,069 22.4% 17 23 40 930 4 46 96 22 ap1991

Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia

1999 42,117 182,221 23.1% 25 17 42 1,002 25 32 76 28 ap2000

2000 49,199 182,221 27.0% 24 17 41 1,199 22 33 117 38 ap2001

2001 30,336 183,000 16.6% 29 21 50 606 24 46 71 29 ap2002

2002 31,096 181,000 17.2% 27 20 47 661 24 44 72 29 ap2003

2003 42,473 182,379 23.3% 28 21 49 866 21 56 63 29 ap2004

2004 35,452 180,402 19.7% 26 22 48 738 17 35 69 32 ap2005

2010 42,500 189,000 22.5% 35 15 50 850 30 33 73 38 ap2011

2014 36,437 187,820 19.4% 42 21 63 578 52 31 22 47 ap2015

2017 31,221 187,820 16.6% 51 21 72 433 48 31 22 49 ap2018

2020 33,100 199,243 16.6% 46 21 67 494 55 29 50 49 ap2021

2022 37,000 198,000 18.7% 52 22 74 500 91 30 50 60 ap2023

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 Archipelago of the Navigators {Arcipelago dei Navigatori}
1950	20,000			5	20	25	800		14	69	14	ap1951
Vicariate Apostolic of Isole Samoa e Tokelau
Diocese of Apia
1970	36,521	173,264	21.1%	5	29	34	1,074		57	107	21	ap1971
Diocese of Apia o Samoa and Tokelau
Diocese of Samoa and Tokelau
1976	34,472	183,814	18.8%	10	27	37	931		60	138	24	ap1977
1980	36,224	188,651	19.2%	10	29	39	928		68	121	24	ap1981
Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia and Tokelau
1990	37,237	166,069	22.4%	17	23	40	930	4	46	96	22	ap1991
Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia
1999	42,117	182,221	23.1%	25	17	42	1,002	25	32	76	28	ap2000
2000	49,199	182,221	27.0%	24	17	41	1,199	22	33	117	38	ap2001
2001	30,336	183,000	16.6%	29	21	50	606	24	46	71	29	ap2002
2002	31,096	181,000	17.2%	27	20	47	661	24	44	72	29	ap2003
2003	42,473	182,379	23.3%	28	21	49	866	21	56	63	29	ap2004
2004	35,452	180,402	19.7%	26	22	48	738	17	35	69	32	ap2005
2010	42,500	189,000	22.5%	35	15	50	850	30	33	73	38	ap2011
2014	36,437	187,820	19.4%	42	21	63	578	52	31	22	47	ap2015
2017	31,221	187,820	16.6%	51	21	72	433	48	31	22	49	ap2018
2020	33,100	199,243	16.6%	46	21	67	494	55	29	50	49	ap2021
2022	37,000	198,000	18.7%	52	22	74	500	91	30	50	60	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Pierre Jean Broyer, S.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 30 Mar 1896 to 29 Oct 1918)
Joseph Darnand, S.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 4 Aug 1919 to 1953)
Jean Baptiste Dieter, S.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 16 Nov 1953 to 28 Jun 1955)
Guillaume Marie Douarre, S.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 20 Aug 1850 to 27 Jun 1853)
Aloys Elloy, S.M. † (Apostolic Administrator: 1870 to 22 Nov 1878)
Patrick Vincent Hurley, C.Ss.R. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 5 Nov 1981 to 22 May 1992)
Jean-Amand Lamaze, S.M. † (Apostolic Administrator: 23 May 1879 to 1896)
Alapati Lui Mata’eliga † (Priest: 5 Jul 1977; Archbishop: 16 Nov 2002 to 25 Apr 2023)
George Hamilton Pearce, S.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 29 Feb 1956; Bishop: 21 Jun 1966 to 22 Jun 1967)
Pio Taofinu’u, S.M. † (Priest: 8 Dec 1954 to 8 Sep 1962; Bishop: 11 Jan 1968; Archbishop: 10 Sep 1982 to 16 Nov 2002)

Source(s)

Diocese of Apia
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 59, Page 201, to Page 203
Diocese of Apia o Samoa and Tokelau
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 66, Page 503
Diocese of Samoa and Tokelau
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 68, Page 234
Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia and Tokelau
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 75, Page 7, and Page 8

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