LITTLE SUNDA, Apostolic Vicariate of the Islands of the. - The territory, called "Kleine Sunda Eilanden," on Sept. 16, 1913 was detached from the apostolic vicariate of Batavia (today Djakarta) and erected into an apostolic prefecture of the S. of the S. The island of Flores with its annexed islands was, however, excluded from it. The following year the same prefecture was entrusted to the Society of the Divine Word, incorporating into it also the island of Flores.
On March 12, 1922 the mission was elevated to an apostolic vicariate. On May 25, 1936 Dutch Timor was detached from it and erected into a vicariate of the same name (today Atambua). On July 14, 1950 the two islands of Bali and Lombok were detached and erected into the apostolic prefecture of Den Pasar, from the name of the main city of Bali.
This circumscription comprises a territory of 10,538 sq. km. and a population of 2,500,000 inhabitants, of whom Catholics number 1,495 with 113 catechumens; Protestants 2,220; Muslims 1,000,000; pagans 1,495,000. On the island of Bali
(by courtesy of Msgr. A. P. Frutasi)
LITTLE WORK OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE - The Villaggio della Carità "D. Luigi Orione" at the Camaldoli, one of the ten sections of d. Orione's Piccolo Cottolengo in Genoa for the very poorest.
the inhabitants are for the most part Hindus and animists; in Lombok, on the other hand, Islam predominates. In 1935 a Verbit Father established his residence in Lombok. There are 10 Fathers of the Divine Word; 3 minor seminarians, 25 preparatory students; 5 catechists; 5 doctors; 9 sacred buildings; 2 hospitals; an orphanage; 3 elementary schools.
On 8 March 1951 the entire territory of the apostolic vicariate of the I. della P. S. was divided into three vicariates, namely: Endeh, Larantuka (v.), Ruteng (v.).
The beginnings of the evangelization of the I. della P. S. go back to 1556. From that date until 1860 they were under the care of the Portuguese Dominicans. However, from the beginning of the 18th century to the middle of the 19th century the missionary work remained almost paralyzed, because of Muslim oppression and the struggle of the Dutch Calvinists. In 1618 Father B. da Fortaleza was killed for the faith together with a confrere. From 1860 to 1914 these islands were under the care of the Dutch Jesuit Fathers. From 1914 to the present they have been administered by the Society of the Divine Word.
The apostolic vicariate of Endeh, so named from the city of residence of the Ordinary, situated in the central part of the island of Flores, comprises three civil districts: Ngada, Endeh and Maumore. The two islands of Sumba and Sunbawa remain temporarily annexed to it, until, once a new missionary Institute willing to take charge of those islands has been found, they are constituted as an independent circumscription. With an area of 34,000 sq. km., the population is 5,200,000 inhabitants, of whom 243,557 are Catholics, with 8078 catechumens; 10,700 are Protestants; 4,450,000 Muslims; 450,000 pagans (animists). There are 79 priests, of whom 10 are Indonesian, 31 brothers; 92 sisters, of whom 42 are Indonesian; 2 major and 100 minor seminarians; 982 catechists; 585 teachers; a hospital; 10 boarding schools; 204 elementary schools; 2 middle schools; 2 vocational schools; 3 teacher-training schools. Two newspapers are published there: Bentan with 3250 copies and Pandu Pendidikan with 2100 copies.