Diocese of Meru

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Bishop(s) Salesius Mugambi, Bishop

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese Elevated: 7 May 1953 Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Nyeri Rite: Latin (or Roman) Country: Kenya Square Kilometers: 9,546 (3,687 Square Miles) Description: Meru and TharakaNithi Official Web Site: https://catholicdioceseofmeru.org Mailing Address: Bishop's House, P.O. Box 16, 60200 Meru, Kenya Telephone: 721.491.149; 733.607.660 Fax: (064)30.524

Historical Details

• Prefecture Apostolic of Meru
  • Latin Name: de Meru
  • Erected: 10 March 1926
  • Country: Kenya

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Giovanni Balbo, I.M.C. † ( 1926 Appointed - 1929 Resigned)
• Carlo Re, I.M.C. † ( 1930 Appointed - 1936 Resigned)
• José Nepote-Fus, I.M.C. † (16 Sep 1936 Appointed - 7 Aug 1948 Appointed, Apostolic Administrator of Rio Branco)
• Lorenzo Bessone, I.M.C. † (3 Mar 1954 Appointed - 7 Apr 1976 Died)
• Silas Silvius Njiru † (9 Dec 1976 Appointed - 18 Mar 2004 Retired)
• Salesius Mugambi (18 Mar 2004 Succeeded - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of Meru
10 March 1926	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Kenya	Prefecture Apostolic of Meru (erected)
Diocese of Meru
7 May 1953	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Meru	Diocese of Meru
14 June 1954	Territory Added		Diocese of Meru Diocese of Nyeri
20 February 1956	Territory Lost	Diocese of Meru Archdiocese of Nairobi	Prefecture Apostolic of Kitui (erected) (Kitui)
25 January 1965	Territory Lost	Diocese of Meru (Eastern Part of Marsabit)	Diocese of Marsabit
25 October 1967	Territory Added	Archdiocese of Nairobi (Garissa)	Diocese of Meru
25 October 1967	Territory Added	Diocese of Mombasa (Tana River)	Diocese of Meru
12 January 1973	Territory Lost	Diocese of Meru (Ekarakara) Diocese of Nyeri (Ithanga Hills)	Diocese of Machakos
31 August 1973	Territory Added	Diocese of Nyeri (Timau (except near Nanyuki and west of Oltulili river))	Diocese of Meru
22 September 1973	Territory Added	Diocese of Nyeri (Isiolo)	Diocese of Meru
9 December 1976	Territory Lost	Diocese of Mombasa (Tana River and Lamu) Diocese of Meru (North Eastern Province)	Prefecture Apostolic of Garissa (erected)
9 June 1986	Territory Lost	Diocese of Meru (Embu)	Diocese of Embu (erected)
21 May 1990	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Meru (from Nairobi)
15 December 1995	Territory Lost	Diocese of Meru (Isiolo)	Vicariate Apostolic of Isiolo (erected)

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Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Prefecture Apostolic of Meru
1949	11,873	308,000	3.9%		22	22	539		29	37	9	ap1951
Diocese of Meru
1970	142,300	1,043,600	13.6%	20	44	64	2,223		57	121	26	ap1971
1980	262,705	1,118,000	23.5%	21	36	57	4,608		54	131	29	ap1981
1990	466,285	1,398,856	33.3%	26	38	64	7,285		56	153	30	ap1991
1999	676,252	2,018,250	33.5%	41	47	88	7,684		65	272	31	ap2000
2000	689,777	2,623,725	26.3%	69	48	117	5,895		66	272	34	ap2001
2001	710,470	1,950,000	36.4%	82	41	123	5,776		59	285	36	ap2002
2002	713,550	1,950,585	36.6%	80	38	118	6,047		57	291	38	ap2003
2003	720,685	2,050,000	35.2%	83	41	124	5,811		62	237	38	ap2004
2004	737,821	2,152,535	34.3%	93	45	138	5,346		69	283	40	ap2005
2013	846,000	2,724,000	31.1%	127	41	168	5,035		58	398	60	ap2014
2016	906,554	2,920,091	31.0%	154	44	198	4,578		71	402	64	ap2017
2019	984,100	3,166,900	31.1%	136	32	168	5,857		59	402	77	ap2020
2021	1,036,855	3,336,685	31.1%	143	44	187	5,544		71	369	80	ap2022

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

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Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Salesius Mugambi (Priest: 10 Dec 1977; Coadjutor Bishop: 1 Dec 2001; Bishop: 18 Mar 2004)
• John Njue (Priest: 6 Jan 1973 to 9 Jun 1986)

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• Giovanni Balbo, I.M.C. † (Prefect: 1926 to 1929)
• Lorenzo Bessone, I.M.C. † (Bishop: 3 Mar 1954 to 7 Apr 1976)
• José Nepote-Fus, I.M.C. † (Prefect: 16 Sep 1936 to 7 Aug 1948)
• Silas Silvius Njiru † (Priest: 17 Dec 1955; Auxiliary Bishop: 2 Oct 1975; Bishop: 9 Dec 1976 to 18 Mar 2004)
• Carlo Re, I.M.C. † (Prefect: 1930 to 1936)

Source(s)

Prefecture Apostolic of Meru Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 18, Page 374 Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 45, Page 705, to Page 710 Diocese of Meru Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 46, Page 33, to Page 35 Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 47, Page 154, and Page 155 Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 59, Page 1,066, and Page 1,067 Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 65, Page 509 Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 65, Page 608, and Page 609 Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 82, Page 938

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