KROONSTAD, DIOCESE OF. - It is located in the Orange Free State and was erected as the Apostolic Prefecture of K. on 26 Nov. 1923, with territory taken from the Apostolic Vicariate of Kimberley, and entrusted to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. Previously, missionary work had been carried out sporadically and almost exclusively in favor of foreign Catholics. At the time of the erection of the Apostolic Prefecture, there were 700 foreign Catholics and 300 indigenous Catholics, along with a few catechumens.
On 8 Apr. 1935, it was elevated to an Apostolic Vicariate, which on 12 Feb. 1948 was divided into two parts: the northern part, under the name of K., was entrusted to the Dominicans, while the southern part was established as the Apostolic Vicariate of Bethlehem, which remained under the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. With the establishment of the ecclesiastical hierarchy in the Union of South Africa on 11 Jan. 1951, it was elevated to a diocese. The indigenous population belongs to various tribes with different languages; parishes speak Afrikaans and English. Eighty percent of the Europeans are descendants of Huguenots who immigrated there.
It has a surface area of approximately 29,808 sq. km. with approximately 245,000 inhabitants, of whom 9,317 are indigenous Catholics, 713 foreign Catholics, 213 of mixed race; there are 1,840 catechumens; 162,000 Protestants; 1,650 Jews; and 71 pagans. There are 12 Dominican missionaries, 8 brothers, 45 sisters, and 27 catechists working in the diocese. There are almost 1 parish, 4 primary stations, 39 secondary stations, 3 churches, and 14 chapels. There are 9 elementary schools with 1,978 pupils, 2 middle schools with 162 pupils, and 1 vocational school with 75 girls. Various works flourish, including associations of Catholic Action.