BAHR EL-GHAZAL, Apostolic Vicariate of. - A vicariate since 1917, a prefecture since 1913 through the division of Khartoum (v.), this mission, directed by the Fathers of the African Missions of Verona, today comprises the southern part of Sudan, between the Bahr el-'Arab and the Bahr el-Gebel, excluding however the province of the Upper Nile. Its area is 300,000 sq km, its population 592,000 inhabitants, of various tribes, among which the principal ones are the Denca, pastoralists, and the Azande (or Niam-Niam), farmers; besides these two predominant races, there are also other minor tribes, among them the Giur, the Belanda, the Bongo, the Kresh, the Ndogo. Religion: animism in the south and east, strongly Arabized animism among the north-western tribes. At its creation the mission was much larger than now, including also the province of Mongalla, the Upper Nile and northern Uganda.
The first missionary activity took place in the two centers of Wau in the north and Gulu in the south; the former was very reluctant, indeed hostile, given the Muslim predominance (that station was set on fire twice), while the latter was more responsive. But at Wau the constancy and enterprise of the mission, especially in the educational sector, overcame the environment, and in the south the apostolate developed in a consoling manner. Around the central residence (Wau), with the station of Kayango the Golo and the Ndago are evangelized; with that of Kajok the Denca, with that of Demziber and Ring the Kresh; that of Mbili attempts to win over the Giur, who are difficult; and that of Yubu-Camp the Azande; for the Madi, further east, Polaro is opened, and among the Belanda the village of liberty (Raffili) is founded for liberated slaves. At Yubu in 1930 a normal school was opened for the training of catechists of all races.
In the south and south-east, in the more properly Nilotic region of northern Uganda, the apostolate had easier and swifter results; the center of irradiation was the station of Gulu, among the Acioli, where a school of arts and crafts was opened and then a normal school for catechists (1919). Other stations of this sector, often opened amid lively opposition from the Protestants, were those of Ngal among the Aluro, Kitgum among the Acioli and the Baganda, Moyo among the Madi, Arna among the Loguara, Torit among the Letuko, Rejaf among the Bari. In 1922 this whole zone, far more promising than that of the north, was detached from the vicariate to constitute the new prefecture (now vicariate) of the Equatorial Nile (v.). In 1932 the mission began the publication of a small newspaper (The Messenger) for the Catholic civil servants of the three provinces of southern Sudan and the elementary teachers of the mission stations: in 1934 the seminary was opened.
At present (1948, latest report) the vicariate has 40 Fathers, plus 3 native priests, 20 brothers, 41 sisters (Pie Madri della Nigrizia, since 1919); the mission employs 402 catechists and catechist women, and 275 teachers and teacher women. The elementary schools are 103 with 5,934 pupils, 1 middle school with 118, 5 vocational schools with 98 apprentices. The works of charity are represented by 13 dispensaries, 6 orphanages, 2 homes for the aged, 3 small leprosariums. The Catholics number 38,387.
Bibliography4 works
Giovanni B. Tragella