Fort Victoria, Apostolic Vicariate of
It was erected on 14 November 1946 with territory detached from the Apostolic Vicariate of Salisbury in Southern Rhodesia and entrusted to the Society of Foreign Missions of Bethlehem (Switzerland). The Fathers of the aforementioned society had been there since 1939 to begin missionary work.
The area is 87,685 sq. km. with a population of about 600,000, of whom about half a million are natives. The Catholic population is 2,483. There are 6,102 catechumens. Protestants number 400,000 and pagans about 530,000. There are 10 primary stations and 22 secondary ones. Catechists number 195; elementary schools, 44 with 938 pupils; professional schools, 10 with 28 pupils; normal schools, 2 with 62 pupils.
There are 28 priests, 4 brothers, and 42 sisters, of whom 16 are natives. There are 4 hospitals with 48 beds, 6 dispensaries, and 4 orphanages with 41 children. The work of evangelization is in its early stages, and despite the fierce opposition of Protestants, the Catholic Church enjoys the esteem of the natives. Indeed, the conversion movement is in full development.