Bangueolo, Apostolic Vicariate of

BANGUEOLO, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - This vicariate, entrusted to the White Fathers, was erected on 28 Jan. 1913, its territory being detached from that of Nyassa (Northern Rhodesia). Its area is 135,000 sq km. The vicariate began with a little more than 700 Catholics and 16,446 catechumens out of a total of 600-700,000 souls.

The greatest difficulty was and still is the scourge of divorce, sometimes sanctioned by traditional superstitions. Another difficulty, which arose after the war of 1914-18 and worsened between 1927 and 1931, has been the emigration of many young people to the mines of Katanga, of South Africa and, nearer by, to Ndola, in Rhodesia itself: the phenomenon affects the mission, which is concerned about family morality, sorely tried by the prolonged absence of the male element. Another major question - moreover resolved favorably - is that of adapting the school equipment to the new government regulations: the government observes a perfect impartiality between Catholics and Protestants. In 1923, that is ten years after its creation, the vicariate already counted 31,501 Catholics and more than 20,000 catechumens, with 33 missionaries, 8 nuns and 316 catechists. In 1931-32, because of the economic crisis that caused the closure of several mines, the mission was able to see many emigrants return to their family hearth. In 1937 part of its territory passed to round out the apostolic vicariate of Lwangwa (v.). The vicariate, according to the statistics of 1947, has a population of ca. 500,000 inhabitants, of whom 126,358 are native Catholics and 16 foreign. The catechumens are 8,520. The Protestants 17,000, the Muslims 150 and the pagans 240,000. The priests are 59, the brothers 13, the nuns 36 and the catechists numerous. There are 142 elementary schools with 13,582 pupils; 19 middle schools with 862 pupils; 2 normal schools with 81 pupils.

Giovanni B. Tragella