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 far from the see of Maritzburg. Thus the apostolic vicariate of the Orange Free State was created, making the apostolate more effective among the population that had been drawn especially to Griqualand following the discovery of diamond mines in 1869. There were also many Irish Catholics. On 12 January 1890, the western part of Griqualand, until then belonging to the apostolic prefecture of Cimbebasia, was also assigned to II. Further boundary changes took place on 28 January 1891 and in subsequent years. On 28 November 1918 the vicariate received its present name. On 26 November 1923 the apostolic prefecture, later the diocese, of Kroonstad was detached from it, and on 30 March 1930 it received territories from the apostolic vicariate of Transvaal.
The Oblates of Mary Immaculate have always worked there. The mission of Mafeking, undertaken 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 centres. In 1899 the war against the Boers caused serious damage to the mission.
The area is 400,574 sq. km and comprises 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 remainder is poor in water and more suited to pastoralism. The indigenous inhabitants belong to the Bantu race and are divided into various tribes. In addition to English and Afrikaans, the indigenous languages Sechona, Sesotho, Sexosa, and Zulu are spoken there.
The European population is 142,948 and the non-European population 548,701. There are 30,087 Catholics, of whom 25,581 are indigenous, 3,108 foreign, and 1,398 of mixed origin; catechumens number 3,424. There are 37 missionaries, all Oblates; 41 brothers, 150 sisters, 40 catechists, 8 churches, and 56 chapels. There are 2 hospitals with 125 beds, 8 pharmacies, 1 orphanage with 137 children, and 1 home for the elderly with 44 residents. There are 52 elementary schools with 6,656 pupils; 1 middle school with 123 pupils, 5 secondary schools with 1,438 pupils, and 3 vocational schools with 20 pupils.
On 11 January 1951, with the establishment of the ecclesiastical hierarchy in the Union of South Africa, the apostolic vicariate of K. was raised to a diocese, and the southern districts of Bloemfontein, Tweespruit, and Dewetsdorp were detached from its territory to form the archdiocese of Bloemfontein. This city is the capital of the Orange
Free State and is the seat of an Anglican archbishop. Within its territory there are 6 churches, 12 primary stations, 26 secondary stations, and 2 secondary schools. There are numerous other schools. The priests number 12, or will soon increase, assisted by brothers and sisters from various institutes.
KIMBERLEY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of. – It was erected under the name of apostolic vicariate of Kimberley on 10 May 1887, with territory detached from the diocese, now archdiocese, of Perth, and entrusted to the Benedictines, who were never able to take charge of II. When the diocese of Geraldton was erected in 1898, it was provisionally annexed to that diocese.
In 1890 some Trappists had already opened a mission at Disaster Bay, which they later completed with Beagle Bay. At the beginning of this century the German Pallottines went there and, aided by the Sisters of St John of God, succeeded in obtaining good results among the Aboriginal population. During the World War it was administered by Fr Creight, a Redemptorist. From 1923 to 1928 the Salesians worked there; the Pallottines then returned permanently. In 1918 its name was changed to the present one. There are 5 mission stations, 7 churches, 6 religious priests, 9 brothers, 26 sisters, 1 leprosarium, 3 charitable institutions, and 3 elementary schools with 190 pupils. Of a population of 19,000, there are 1,100 Catholics, including Aboriginal people.