Bobo-Dioulasso, Apostolic Vicariate of

BOBO-DIULASSO, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of - The mission was established as an apostolic prefecture in December 1927 with territories detached from the immense vicariates of Bamako and Guagadougou (French West Africa), and still covers an area of 102,920 sq. km., with a population not reaching one million, consisting, apart from a few hundred Europeans, of an agglomeration of diverse races, none of which is predominant. Hence the multiplicity of dialects, which constitutes one of the chief difficulties of the apostolate.

The prefecture was entrusted to the White Fathers. In 1935 it numbered 8,857 Catholics, distributed among 10 principal and 60 secondary stations; in 1937 it was raised to an apostolic vicariate, and in 1939 it had its first indigenous priest, while the first Franciscan Missionaries of Mary arrived, settling at Dissen, among the Dagari. In that same year the mission took part in the Ivory Coast trade fair, promoted by the colonial government. In 1947, prefecture of Sikasso (v.) was erected from part of its territory.

According to the statistics of 1947, indigenous Catholics number 17,728, foreign and mixed-race Catholics 975, catechumens 2,505. Dissidents 53, Protestants approx. 500, Muslims approx. 80,000, pagans 828,000. Quasi-parishes 6, principal stations 4, secondary stations 84. Elementary schools 14, with 1,291 pupils; craft schools 2

Ust. Cesare Sartoretti