LANLUNG [ANLONG], Diocese of. - In south-central China. Erected as an apostolic prefecture on 16 February 1922, with 9 civil sub-prefectures of the mission of Kweiyang (v.) in the province of Kweichow and 4 sub-prefectures of the mission of Nanning (v.) in the province of Kwangsi, on 27 April 1927 it was elevated to an apostolic vicariate and on 11 April 1946, with the establishment of the episcopal hierarchy in China, to a diocese suffragan of Kweiyang. It is entrusted to the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris.
It has an area of 45,000 sq km. As of 30 June 1949, out of a population of 1,500,000 inhabitants, Catholics numbered 11,429 and catechumens 5,314. Besides the bishop, there were 17 fathers of the Foreign Missions of Paris and 14 Chinese secular priests. In the preparatory seminary 20 students were studying, 9 in the minor seminary and 2 in the major seminary of Kweiyang. The auxiliary staff consisted of 33 sisters, of whom 26 were Chinese; 43 teachers; 54 catechists. The territory, divided into 19 stations with a resident missionary and 312 secondary stations, had 1 church and 41 public oratories. Among the works were 2 hospitals, 11 medicine dispensaries, 12 orphanages with 124 inmates, 1 home for the aged with 80 residents. The 20 elementary schools had 278 children, the 27 of prayer and first elements 802 listeners.
Father Müller, sent to L. in 1863 by Msgr. Faurie, apostolic vicar of Kweichow, founded a residence there, which was soon destroyed in a Muslim revolt and Father Müller himself was massacred; he was succeeded in 1873 by Father Renau, founder of several Christian communities. Father Aubry subsequently established other centers that gathered about 400 Christians and 2,000 catechumens. But the true founder of the mission among the Dioi (a primitive population that makes up three quarters of the inhabitants, numerous especially in the 4 civil sub-prefectures of the province of Kwangsi) was Father Alfonso Schotter (d. 1903), who in 15 years of apostolate opened more than 40 schools and laid the foundations of flourishing Christian communities. In 1910 there were 7,100 faithful.
Bibliography5 works
Adamo Pucci