Purwokerto, Apostolic Vicariate of

PURWOKERTO, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - Located in the central part of the island of Java (Indonesia), it comprises the civil districts of Tegal, Pekalongan, Wonosobo, Bagelen, and northern and southern Banjumas. In Dec. 1926 the missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus arrived there. Between 1927 and 1939 they founded several mission stations, while the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and the Ursulines opened schools there.

Before that time, for about a century, the Jesuits of Batavia had periodically visited those localities, limiting themselves to the administration of the Sacraments to the Catholics scattered here and there. On 25 Apr. 1932 the mission was erected as a prefecture, its territory being detached from the apostolic vicariate of Batavia (today Djakarta), and on 15 Oct. 1941 it was elevated to a vicariate. It has an area of 14,466 sq km and a population of 6,500,000 inhabitants. Catholics number 4,389 with 589 catechumens; Protestants 5,000; Muslims 4,000,000; pagans 2,480,000. There are 13 priests, of whom 3 are Indonesian; 20 brothers; 60 sisters, of whom 6 are Indonesian; 2 major and 8 minor seminarians; 24 catechists; 31 teachers; one hospital; 2 pharmacies; 7 orphanages; 17 elementary schools; 10 middle schools; one high school; 4 vocational schools; 2 teachers' colleges; 15 sacred buildings; 10 primary and 9 secondary stations. The associations of Catholic Action are well organized there.

Edoardo Pecoraro