Diocese of Vanimo

Diocese of Vanimo

*Dioecesis Uanimitana*
Diocese of Vanimo; Dioecesis Uanimitana
	Coat of arms
Location
Country	Papua New Guinea
Territory	West Sepik
Metropolitan	Archdiocese of Madang
Statistics
Area	26,000 km2 (10,000 sq mi)
Population Total; Catholics;	(as of 2015); 111,000; 37,765 (7.6%);
Parishes	13
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	15 November 1966
Cathedral	Holy Cross Pro-Cathedral
Patron saint	The Holy Cross
Secular priests	26
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Bishop	Francis Meli, JCL
Bishops emeritus	Cesare Bonivento, P.I.M.E.

The Diocese of Vanimo is a Latin Catholic suffragan diocese of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Madang in Papua New Guinea, and depends on the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Its cathedral episcopal see is the Holy Cross Pro-cathedral, in Vanimo in the province of West Sepik (Sandaun).

Statistics

As per 2015, it pastorally served 37,765 Catholics (34.0% of 111,000 total population) on 26,000 km² in 13 parishes and 96 missions with 26 priests (8 diocesan, 18 religious), 43 lay religious (20 brothers, 23 sisters) and 14 seminarians.

History

It was erected in 1963.09.13 as Apostolic Vicariate of Vanimo / Uanimitanus (Latin adjective), on territory split off from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Aitape (now a diocese)
Promoted on 1966.11.15 as Diocese of Vanimo / Uanimitan(us) (Latin).

Ordinaries

(all Roman rite, initially foreign members of missionary congregations)

Apostolic Prefect of Vanimo

Paschal Sweeney, Passionists (C.P.) (born Australia) (1963.09.20 – 1966.11.15 see below)

Suffragan Bishops of Vanimo

Paschal Sweeney, C.P. (see above 1966.11.15 – retired 1979.09.22), died 1981
John Etheridge, C.P. (born Australia) (1980.04.24 – retired 1989.02.07), died 2002
- Apostolic Administrator Father David Wilkie, C.P. (1989 – 1991.12.21), no other prelature
Cesare Bonivento, Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (P.I.M.E.) (born Italy) (1991.12.21 – retired 2018.02.05)
Francis Meli (first native incumbent) (2018.02.05 – ...).