LISALA, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of. - In the Belgian Congo, entrusted to the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Scheut Missionaries). It was erected on 3 Apr. 1919, under the name of the apostolic vicariate of New Antwerp, with a large territory detached from the apostolic vicariate of the Belgian Congo. It underwent changes in territory and boundaries owing to new divisions, and its name was changed to that of the apostolic vicariate of L. on 27 Jan. 1936.
It has an area of approximately 130,000 sq. km. and, according to the statistics of 1950, 750,000 inhabitants, of whom 317,528 are native Catholics and 551 foreigners, 8,173 catechumens, approximately 42,000 Protestants, 96 Muslims, and approximately 465,000 pagans. It is served by 112 regular priests and 9 native priests, distributed among 26 mission stations with 25 churches and 1,225 chapels. It has 2 male and 14 female congregations, 469 schools, 8 hospitals, 8 orphanages, and 1 leper colony. It publishes a periodical in 3,500 copies; many confraternities and associations of charity and Catholic Action flourish there. -Vedi tav. XCVI.