WAMBA, VICARIATE APOSTOLIC of. — Situated in the north-eastern part of the Belgian Congo, it borders on the apostolic vicariates of Buta, Niangara, Lake Albert, and Beni in the Belgian Congo, and Stanleyville.
It embraces the entire region watered by the Nepoko River and lies between the 27th degree of west longitude, the 29th degree of east longitude, and the Ituri River. The apostolic vicariate of W. was erected on 10 March 1949 by division of the apostolic vicariate of Stanley Falls (now Stanleyville) and entrusted to the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. With an area of 35,321 sq km, it has a population of approximately 192,000 inhabitants. Among the tribes living in the vicariate, those of the Wabudu, Walika, and Wales stand out in number and importance. There are 23,988 Catholics and 76,129 catechumens; approximately 8,650 Protestants, 1,112 Muslims, and the remainder pagans; 1 indigenous priest, 18 foreign missionaries of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; 5 major seminarians, 60 minor seminarians, 8 foreign lay brothers, 16 indigenous sisters of the indigenous religious Congregation of the Holy Family, and 20 foreign sisters; 8 principal mission stations and 312 secondary ones; numerous elementary, vocational, normal, and secondary schools, with more than 12,000 pupils. There are also works providing sound social and health care. The average number of conversions, from 1949 to the present, has remained almost constant at around 2,000 annually.
The principal obstacle to more fruitful evangelization is polygamy, which, despite the prohibition decree issued by the Belgian government on 4 April 1950, remains a custom widely prevalent among the indigenous population of the vicariate.
WANDRILLE, ABBEY of St.: V. ROUEN, ARCHDIOCESE of.