OUDTSHOORN, DIOCESE OF - In the Union of South Africa, a territory detached on 3 Aug. 1874 from the Apostolic Vicariate of the Western District of the Cape of Good Hope (now the Diocese of Cape Town) and erected as the Apostolic Prefecture of the Central District of the Cape of Good Hope, entrusted to the missionaries of the Lyon Seminary, now the Society of African Missions (q.v.). By virtue of a decree of 3 July 1879, this Society ceded it to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, receiving in exchange the Apostolic Prefecture of the Gold Coast and Ivory Coast.
In 1882 these missionaries were obliged to abandon it, and it was placed under the administration of the Apostolic Vicar of Cape Town, assisted by the secular clergy and the Oblates of St Francis de Sales. On 20 June 1885, several districts formed the Apostolic Prefecture of the Orange River (now the Diocese of Keimoes). In 1922, by a *vivae vocis oraculo*, it was entrusted to the Pious Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottine Fathers), as is evident from the rescript of 17 May 1923. On 16 March 1927, the civil district of Prieska was ceded to the Apostolic Vicariate of the Orange River, which in turn ceded the districts of Calvinia and Fraserburg.
On 28 June 1930, the districts of Worcester, Swellendam, Tulbagh, Ceres, Riversdale, Montagu and Robertson were annexed to it from the Apostolic Vicariate of Cape Town, which in 1934 ceded the island of St Helena. On 13 June 1939 it received its present name; on 9 Dec. 1948 it was raised to the status of an Apostolic Vicariate, and on 11 Jan. 1951, with the establishment of the hierarchy in the Union of South Africa, it was elevated to a diocese.
The area is about 185,000 sq. km., with a temperate and healthy climate. The principal towns are connected by rail. About half of the population, which numbers some 360,000, is of European origin, many being of mixed descent. The indigenous Hottentots, Bushmen and Bantu are few in number. English and Afrikaans are spoken.
There are 15 Pallottine missionaries and 3 diocesan priests, 12 brothers and 109 sisters, of whom 11 are natives. Native Catholics number 701, foreigners 950, mixed-race 2,129, catechumens 195. Protestants number 340,000; Jews about 2,500; Muslims about 3,000. Few are pagans. There are 15 primary stations, 9 secondary stations, 18 chapels, 7 dispensaries. Elementary schools number 13; secondary schools 1; vocational schools 2. A Catholic periodical is published with a circulation of about 1,500 copies. Catholic charitable and Action groups are flourishing.