CAROLINE and MARSHALL, apostolic vicariate of the islands. — The evangelization of the C. began in the 18th century through the work of the Jesuits. Annexed in 1883 to the vicariate of Western Oceania, they were incorporated in 1884 into the vicariate of Micronesia, which also included the M. and the Gilbert Islands. Subsequently, on 15 May 1886, they were constituted as two separate missions *sui iuris*; finally, they were united to form the apostolic prefecture of the Caroline Islands on 19 December 1905. From the union of the apostolic prefecture of the Caroline Islands with that of the Mariana Islands on 10 March 1911, there arose the vicariate of the Mariana and Caroline Islands.
The evangelization of the M. was undertaken in 1891 by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. This mission, detached from the vicariate of Micronesia, was erected on 20 September 1905 as the apostolic vicariate of the Marshall Islands. From the union of the vicariate of the Mariana and Caroline Islands with that of the Marshall Islands (1911), there originated the vicariate of the Mariana, Caroline, and Marshall Islands, which embraced the three archipelagos, except for the island of Guam, entrusted to the Jesuits. Finally, on 4 July 1946, with the transfer of all the Mariana Islands to the vicariate of Guam, the current designation of apostolic vicariate of the Caroline and Marshall Islands was established.
Area: 2,000 sq. km. Population: 47,411; Catholics: 15,717; Protestants: 23,577; Pagans: 7,658; 16 American Jesuit fathers, 9 coadjutor brothers, 12 sisters, who direct three colleges for girls. There are 32 sacred buildings; 5 elementary schools run by the mission.