BULAWAYO, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of. — The city of B., at approximately 1,362 m on the plateau, is situated along the route of the great railway from the Cape to the Congo, in a region with a healthy climate. It has 30,000 inhabitants, of whom more than 12,000 are Whites. The mission of B. was established in 1931 Salisbury (v.), and entrusted to the Missionaries of Mariannhill, who had already been working in the region for several years. It was then elevated to a prefecture in 1932 and to an apostolic vicariate in 1937.
The vicariate comprises the southwestern region of Southern Rhodesia, together with a large part of the Bechuanaland Protectorate: its area is 367,298 sq km, with a population of approximately 362,000, hence the difficulty for the missionary of covering the great distances.
Alongside and in support of direct evangelization, the fathers, who are particularly well equipped, place great emphasis on cultural and socio-economic activity. In 1934 the first Carmelites (English) were welcomed with great celebrations; they founded a convent there, which soon attracted indigenous vocations. The Dominicans (already 50 in 1935) devote themselves to schools for the European population. The mission’s progress, however, is slow: in 1935 the Catholics numbered 4,854, including 1,200 Europeans. In 1938 the governor of Southern Rhodesia paid a visit to the mission, expressing his appreciation for the work accomplished both in the schools and in the hospitals. According to the latest statistics, from 1948, there are 12,115 Catholics and 1,616 catechumens, served by 13 fathers and 7 lay brothers, assisted by 101 sisters from three different Congregations. There are 9 primary stations and 91 secondary stations; 105 elementary schools with 4,379 pupils, 56 middle schools with 2,260 pupils, 17 higher schools with 601 pupils, 2 vocational schools with 67 pupils, and 1 normal school with 60 pupils. Various periodicals are published there, with very small print runs.