BUEA, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. — Formerly a prefecture (from 1923) and since 1939 an apostolic vicariate, this mission comprises all and only the Cameroons under British mandate. The fathers of the Society of St. Joseph of Mill Hill work there. In 1936 the first English clauses opened a cloister in the mission.
At present there are 55 fathers and 16 sisters (Franciscan tertiaries of Bressanone) and missionary sisters of St. Joseph. The area of the mission is 81,600 sq. km. with a population of 415,000 inhabitants, the great majority of whom are pagans. The latest report of 1947 records 44,392 Catholics and 7,076 catechumens (Protestants number 30-35,000). In the 103 elementary schools, 7,097 boys and 1,103 girls are educated; in the single middle school there are 130 pupils. There are 18 primary stations and 295 secondary stations. There are two hospitals with 50 beds, two orphanages with 44 children, and various dispensaries.
Giovanni B. Tragella