KIMBERLEY, Diocese of. - The territory that today constitutes the diocese of K. was detached on 4 June 1886 from the apostolic vicariate of Natal, because it was too distant from the see of Maritzburg. Thus the apostolic vicariate of the Orange Free State was created, and the apostolate became more effective among the population drawn especially to Griqualand following the discovery of diamond mines in 1869. There were also many Irish Catholics. On 12 Jan. 1890 the western part of Griqualand, until then belonging to the apostolic prefecture of Cimbebasia, was also assigned to it. Further boundary changes occurred on 28 Jan. 1891 and in the following years. On 28 Nov. 1918 the vicariate received its present name. On 26 Nov. 1923 the apostolic prefecture, later the diocese of Kroonstad, was detached, and on 30 March 1930 territories of the apostolic vicariate of Transvaal were annexed to it.
The Oblates of Mary Immaculate have always worked there. The mission of Mafeking, carried out by the Fathers of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, failed in 1886. When the vicariate was erected, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate had already begun their missionary work in various centers. In 1899 the war against the Boers caused grave damage to the mission.
The area is 400,574 sq km and includes the central part of the Orange Free State with Bloemfontein, Griqualand with Kimberley, Bechuanaland and the districts of Rustenburg and Marico. The western and northern zone consists of the Bakalahari desert. The rest is poor in water and more suited to pastoralism. The natives belong to the Bantu race and are divided into various tribes. Besides English and Afrikaans, the native languages spoken there are Sechona, Sesotho, Sexosa, Zulu.
The European population is 142,948 inhabitants and the non-European 548,701. Catholics number 30,087, of whom 25,581 are natives, 3,108 foreign, 1,398 mixed, catechumens 3,424. Missionaries 37, all Oblates; brothers 41, sisters 150, catechists 40, churches 8, chapels 56. Hospitals 2 with 125 beds, pharmacies 8, orphanages 1 with 137 children, homes for the aged 1 with 44 residents. Elementary schools 52 with 6,656 pupils; middle 1 with 123 pupils, secondary 5 with 1,438 pupils, vocational 3 with 20 pupils.
On 11 Jan. 1951, with the establishment of the ecclesiastical hierarchy in the Union of South Africa, the apostolic vicariate of K. was elevated to a diocese and from its territory the southern districts of Bloemfontein, Tweespruit and Dewetsdorp were detached to form the archdiocese of Bloemfontein. This city is the capital of the Orange
Free State and is the seat of an Anglican archbishop. In its territory there are 6 churches, 12 primary stations, 26 secondary, 2 secondary schools. The other schools are numerous. The priests number 12 or will soon increase in number, helped by brothers and sisters of various institutes.
Bibliography2 works
Saverio Paventi