BUTA, Apostolic Vicariate of. — Formerly the Apostolic Vicariate of the Western Uellè in the Belgian Congo, it was established under this name as an Apostolic Prefecture in 1898 and elevated to a vicariate in 1924; it is entrusted to the Premonstratensian Fathers of the Abbey of Tongerloo (Belgium). In 1926, the northern part of the Uellè was detached (v. BONDO) from the vicariate, which was thereafter limited to the area south of the river. In 1932, Protestants penetrated the mission, but their results have been quite modest. The Catholic mission is making steady progress, aided especially in the educational and charitable sectors by the Marist Brothers and by four congregations of sisters. Several Premonstratensian Fathers and Brothers are graduates in tropical medicine. Professional and agricultural education is highly developed (each central school also includes agronomy in its curriculum); the indigenous literary production of the missionaries, whether religious or purely educational, is also rich.
As of 1948, the vicariate (covering an area of 60,000 sq. km.) has a population of 245,000, of whom 41,697 are Catholics and 7,338 catechumens, with approximately 1,000 Protestants and 203,000 pagans. There are 43 priests, four of whom are indigenous, 41 Brothers, 74 Sisters, and 381 catechists. A vast network of charitable works and pious associations facilitates the apostolate.