KEIMOES, Diocese of. - In the South African Union. The ancient mission began in 1873 through the work of the Fathers of the Society of African Missions of Lyon, who ceded it to the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales in 1882. These worked for three years under the jurisdiction of the vicar apostolic who resided in Cape Town. By decree of 20 June 1885 it was erected as the apostolic prefecture of Orange River and on 2 May 1898 it became an apostolic vicariate. On 21 July 1940 it was changed to its present one. On 11 Jan. 1951, with the establishment of the ecclesiastical hierarchy in the Union, it was elevated to a diocese.
The territory is about 152,696 sq km in size, and is for the most part desert with very scant rainfall. The means of communication are few and difficult. The European population is 40,660 and the non-European 60,956, consisting of coloureds and natives of the Damara and Hottentot race. The Europeans for the most part descend from the Dutch and are wealthy pastoralists. The natives are very poor and the young speak Afrikaans. Catholics number 15,233 in all, of whom only 681 are foreigners. The catechumens are 358. The Protestants number 84,400 and are generally very active. The missionaries are 24, brothers 11, sisters 60, catechists 67. Primary stations 15, secondary 23, churches 8, chapels 20. Hospitals 1 with 10 beds, orphanages 14 with 1217 children, printing press 1, elementary schools 26 with 3643 pupils, middle schools 1 with 26 pupils, vocational schools 2 with 30 pupils.
Bibliography3 works
Saverio Paventi