Archdiocese of Kananga


The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kananga is the Metropolitan See for the ecclesiastical province of Kananga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The episcopal cathedral is the Cathédrale Saint Joseph Mikalayi in Kazumba. The Pro-cathédrale Saint Clément is in Kananga.

History

In November 1891, when Père Emeri Cambier arrived at Luluabourg and established a mission. Other mission stations were subsequently founded at St-Trudon de Lusambo, St-Victorien at Bena Makima, St-Antoine de Lusambo, and elsewhere. A hospital was established, as well as, schools and orphanages. The prefecture was served by members of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Scheut, and by Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary from Ghent.
Prior to 1901, the area was part of the Apostolic Vicariate of Belgian Congo. Begun as a simple mission, on 20 August 1901 it was detached from the vicariate on 26 July 1901 and established as the Mission sui iuris of Upper Kassai. In 1904 it became the Apostolic Prefecture of Upper Kassai. Cambier was named Prefect Apostolic and was based at the mission of St. Joseph de Luluabourg, a few miles south of the Belgian station of Luluabourg. At the time of its creation, it comprised almost all the Lualaba-Kassai district. The King of Belgium later named Cambier an officer of the Royal Order of the Lion in recognition of his services in South Africa.
In 1908 the prefecture was enlarged by extending its boundaries on the east to the left bank of the Lualaba. The languages is use were those of the Bena Lulua, the Baluba, Bena Kanioka, the Batetela, the Bakuba, the Bakete, and the Balunda.
On 13 June 1917, the prefecture became the Apostolic Vicariate of Upper Kasai, hence entitled to a titular bishop The vicariate repeatedly lost territory with the creation of the Apostolic Prefecture of Lulua Katanga, the Apostolic Prefecture of Tshumbe, and the Apostolic Prefecture of Ipamu. Around 1926, Bishop Auguste Declercq established a program to train catechists. The name of the catechist in the local dialect is “mulami,” which means “guardian, shepherd.” On 10 March 1949 it was renamed the "Apostolic Vicariate of Luluabourg".
In March 1953 the vicariate lost territory to establish both the Apostolic Vicariate of Kabinda and the Apostolic Prefecture of Mweka. In April 1959, lost territory to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Luebo. On 10 November 1959 the Apostolic Vicariate of Upper Kasai was raised to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Luluabourg. In November 1963, it ceded territory to establish the then Apostolic Administration of Mbuji-Mayi.
In September 1967, it transferred territory the to Diocese of Luebo, and established the Diocese of Luiza
On 14 June 1972 the archdiocese was renamed the as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kananga.

Province

Its ecclesiastical province comprises the Metropolitan's own Archdiocese and the following Suffragan dioceses:
In February 2017, the seminary of Malole in Kananga was damaged by arson. In 2018, three convents in the Congo were attacked and robbed by armed men.
The Petit Séminaire Saint-Pie X is in Kabinda. St. Antoine Chapel in the village of Demba is named in honor of St. Anthony Parish in Davenport, Iowa which provided the funds to build the chapel in response to Pope Francis’ request to establish a permanent memorial of the Year of Mercy.

Leadership

; Apostolic Prefects of Upper Kasai
; Apostolic Vicars of Upper Kasai
  • Bishop Auguste Declercq, C.I.C.M., Titular Bishop of Thignica
  • Bishop Louis-Georges-Firmin Demol, C.I.C.M., Titular Bishop of Vescera ; succeeding as previous Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur
; Apostolic Vicar of Luluabourg
; Metropolitan Archbishops of Luluabourg
; Metropolitan Archbishops of Kananga
  • Martin-Léonard Bakole wa Ilunga
  • Godefroid Mukeng'a Kalond, C.I.C.M., previously Bishop of Lwiza
  • Marcel Madila Basanguka, previously Titular Bishop of Gigthi & Auxiliary Bishop of Kananga
  • Félicien Ntambue Kasembe

    Coadjutor vicar apostolic

  • Louis-Georges-Firmin Demol, C.I.C.M.

    Auxiliary bishops

  • Martin-Léonard Bakole wa Ilunga, appointed Archbishop here
  • Marcel Madila Basanguka, appointed Archbishop here

    Other priests of this diocese who became bishop

  • Pierre-Célestin Tshitoko Mamba, appointed Bishop of Luebo in 2006