Roman Catholic Diocese of Vanimo

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

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	Roman Catholic
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.

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 – ...).

See also

• List of Catholic Dioceses in Papua New Guinea