Rabaul, Apostolic Vicariate of

RABAUL, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - In the northeast
of New Guinea. It originated on 10 May 1889
from the apostolic vicariate of Melanesia, divided into the apostolic
vicariate of New Guinea (v. PORT-MORESBY) and the apostolic
vicariate of New Britain, which on 8 Dec. 1890 was
called the apostolic vicariate of New Pomerania and on
14 Nov. 1922 became the apostolic vicariate of R. From it
were detached on 24 Febr. 1896 the apostolic prefecture
of Kaiser Wilhelmsland, on 17 July 1897 the apostolic
prefecture of the British Solomon Islands and on 23 May
1898 the apostolic prefecture of the German Solomon
Islands.

The first missionaries arrived at Matupis on 29 Sept. 1882.
The territory comprises the islands of New Britain,
New Ireland, the Admiralty Islands and the other nearby ones.
The customs of the natives, immigrants from the surrounding islands,
leave much to be desired. About 75 languages
and dialects are spoken there. The two lingua francas "Tok Pissin"
and "Pidgen English" are useful.

The islands have an area of about 45,000 sq km
with a population of about 150,000 inhabitants, of whom Catholics
63,372, catechumens 2967, Protestants 50,000, pagans 37.
Missionaries 58, brothers 45, sisters 120. Elementary schools
870, middle schools 7, higher schools 7. Two periodicals are printed there.
Catholic Action is well organized in the 45 principal stations
and 452 secondary ones.

Saverio Paventi