Laghouat (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Diego Ramón Sarrió Cucarella, M. Afr., Bishop
John (Gordon) MacWilliam, M. Afr., Bishop Emeritus
Claude Jean Narcisse Rault, M. Afr., Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Elevated: 14 September 1955
Immediately Subject to the Holy See
Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Algeria
Square Kilometers: 2,107,708 (814,102 Square Miles)
Mailing Address: Eveche, B.P. 62, 47008 Ghardaia, Algerie
Telephone: (029)28.74.02

Historical Details

Prefecture Apostolic of Ghardaïa
- Latin Name: Ghardaiensis
- Erected: 19 July 1901
- Country: Algeria
Prefecture Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara
- Latin Name: Ghardaiensis in Sahara
- Name Changed: 10 January 1921
- Country: Algeria
Vicariate Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara
- Latin Name: Ghardaiensis in Sahara
- Elevated: 10 June 1948
- Vicariate
- Country: Algeria

Past and Present Ordinaries

Charles Guérin † ( 1901 Appointed - 19 Mar 1910 Died)
Henri Bardou, M. Afr. † (3 Jan 1911 Appointed - 1916 Resigned)
Louis David † ( 1916 Appointed - 1919 Resigned)
Gustave-Jean-Marie Nouet, M. Afr. † (8 Apr 1919 Appointed - 1941 Resigned)
Georges-Louis Mercier, M. Afr. † (13 Jun 1941 Appointed - 11 Jan 1968 Resigned)
Jean-Marie Michel Arthur Alix Zacharie Raimbaud, M. Afr. † (11 Jan 1968 Appointed - 25 Jun 1989 Died)
Michel-Joseph-Gérard Gagnon, M. Afr. † (4 Feb 1991 Appointed - 1 Jun 2004 Died)
Claude Jean Narcisse Rault, M. Afr. (26 Oct 2004 Appointed - 16 Mar 2017 Retired)
John (Gordon) MacWilliam, M. Afr. (16 Mar 2017 Appointed - 25 Jan 2025 Retired)
Diego Ramón Sarrió Cucarella, M. Afr. (25 Jan 2025 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of Ghardaïa
19 July 1901	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Sahara and Sudan	Prefecture Apostolic of Ghardaïa (erected)
2 July 1920	Territory Added	Diocese of Oran (Southern part)	Prefecture Apostolic of Ghardaïa
Prefecture Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara
10 January 1921	Name Changed	Prefecture Apostolic of Ghardaïa	Prefecture Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara
28 April 1942	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Dahomey Vicariate Apostolic of Foumban Prefecture Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara Prefecture Apostolic of Jos Prefecture Apostolic of Kaduna Vicariate Apostolic of Khartoum Vicariate Apostolic of Ouagadougou	Prefecture Apostolic of Niamey (erected)
9 June 1942	Territory Added	Vicariate Apostolic of Ouagadougou	Prefecture Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara
Vicariate Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara
10 June 1948	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara	Vicariate Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara
5 July 1954	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara (Sahara (subject to the Spaniards)) Vicariate Apostolic of Marocco o Marruecos (Ifni)	Prefecture Apostolic of Spanish Sahara and Ifni {Sahara Español e Ifni} (erected)
Diocese of Laghouat
14 September 1955	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara	Diocese of Laghouat

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 Ghardaïa nel Sahara

1950 12,241 963,477 1.3% 48 48 255 3 129 12 ap1951

Diocese of Laghouat

1970 2,837 1,053,319 .3% 2 52 54 52 60 124 4 ap1971

1980 2,540 1,702,540 .1% 26 26 97 33 93 10 ap1981

1990 140 2,686,627 .0% 2 26 28 5 32 59 10 ap1991

1998 800 3,583,400 .0% 17 17 47 24 35 10 ap2001

2001 1,500 3,726,736 .0% 16 16 93 23 39 10 ap2002

2002 2,000 3,782,635 .1% 1 18 19 105 27 35 11 ap2003

2003 2,000 3,883,035 .1% 1 14 15 133 22 37 10 ap2004

2004 2,000 3,883,035 .1% 1 15 16 125 24 37 10 ap2005

2013 1,200 4,324,000 .0% 3 11 14 85 16 32 11 ap2014

2016 2,000 4,605,712 .0% 3 13 16 125 22 36 10 ap2017

2019 2,080 4,902,760 .0% 3 11 14 148 20 26 10 ap2020

2021 2,160 5,103,660 .0% 2 8 10 216 14 22 9 ap2022

2023 2,240 5,292,800 .0% 2 12 14 160 19 23 9 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara
1950	12,241	963,477	1.3%		48	48	255	3	129	12	ap1951
Diocese of Laghouat
1970	2,837	1,053,319	.3%	2	52	54	52	60	124	4	ap1971
1980	2,540	1,702,540	.1%		26	26	97	33	93	10	ap1981
1990	140	2,686,627	.0%	2	26	28	5	32	59	10	ap1991
1998	800	3,583,400	.0%		17	17	47	24	35	10	ap2001
2001	1,500	3,726,736	.0%		16	16	93	23	39	10	ap2002
2002	2,000	3,782,635	.1%	1	18	19	105	27	35	11	ap2003
2003	2,000	3,883,035	.1%	1	14	15	133	22	37	10	ap2004
2004	2,000	3,883,035	.1%	1	15	16	125	24	37	10	ap2005
2013	1,200	4,324,000	.0%	3	11	14	85	16	32	11	ap2014
2016	2,000	4,605,712	.0%	3	13	16	125	22	36	10	ap2017
2019	2,080	4,902,760	.0%	3	11	14	148	20	26	10	ap2020
2021	2,160	5,103,660	.0%	2	8	10	216	14	22	9	ap2022
2023	2,240	5,292,800	.0%	2	12	14	160	19	23	9	ap2024

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

John (Gordon) MacWilliam, M. Afr. (Bishop: 16 Mar 2017 to 25 Jan 2025; Apostolic Administrator: 25 Jan 2025 to 16 May 2025)
Claude Jean Narcisse Rault, M. Afr. (Bishop: 26 Oct 2004 to 16 Mar 2017)
Diego Ramón Sarrió Cucarella, M. Afr. (Bishop: 25 Jan 2025 - )

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Henri Bardou, M. Afr. † (Prefect: 3 Jan 1911 to 1916)
Louis David † (Prefect: 1916 to 1919)
Michel-Joseph-Gérard Gagnon, M. Afr. † (Bishop: 4 Feb 1991 to 1 Jun 2004)
Charles Guérin † (Prefect: 1901 to 19 Mar 1910)
Georges-Louis Mercier, M. Afr. † (Prefect: 13 Jun 1941; Vicar Apostolic: 21 Jun 1948; Bishop: 14 Sep 1955 to 11 Jan 1968)
Gustave-Jean-Marie Nouet, M. Afr. † (Prefect: 8 Apr 1919 to 1941)
Jean-Marie Michel Arthur Alix Zacharie Raimbaud, M. Afr. † (Bishop: 11 Jan 1968 to 25 Jun 1989)

Source(s)

Prefecture Apostolic of Ghardaïa
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 12, Page 327, and Page 328

Vicariate Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara

Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 40, Page 534, and Page 535

Diocese of Laghouat

Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 48, Page 113, to Page 119

About Catholic-Hierarchy

Terminology/Site Help

Copyright David M. Cheney, 1996-2025
Code: web_d, v3.4.9, 15 Sep 2024; Data: 18 May 2025

✠

Diocese of Laghouat

Dioecesis Laghuatensis