Metropolitan Archdiocese of Madang, Papua New Guinea

Continent: Oceania

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Madang / 馬當 (正體中文) / Madangan(us) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Aitape, Lae, Vanimo, Wewak

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: September 10

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1896.02.24: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land (from Apostolic Vicariate of New Pomerania)
1913.07.25: Renamed as Apostolic Prefecture of Eastern Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land (lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Western Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land)
1922.11.23: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Eastern New Guinea / Novæ Guineæ Orientalis (Latin)
1952.05.15: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Alexishafen / Portus Alexii (Latin)
1959.06.18: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Goroka, Apostolic Vicariate of Lae and Apostolic Vicariate of Mount Hagen
1966.11.15: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Madang / 馬當 (正體中文) / Madangan(us) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Aitape, Goroka, Lae, Mendi, Mount Hagen, Vanimo and Wewak)
1982.03.18: Lost suffragan sees Goroka, Mendi and Mount Hagen

Contact Info

Address: Archbishop’s Residence, P.O. Box 750, Madang 511, Papua New Guinea

Phone: 422.2599

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2019.07.26 – ...):

Archbishop Anton Bal (60)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Madang (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Anton Bal (60)
(2019.07.26 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madang (Papua New Guinea)
President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands

Mi wantaim yi i sios i stap laip long kraist

Born:	1963.11.29 (Yuri, Papua New Guinea)
Ordained Priest:	1991.12.17
Consecrated Bishop:	2007.09.10

Priest of Kundiawa (Papua New Guinea) (1991.12.17 – 2007.06.05)

Titular Bishop of Tamalluma (2007.06.05 – 2009.01.12)

Auxiliary Bishop of Kundiawa (Papua New Guinea) (2007.06.05 – 2009.01.12)

Bishop of Kundiawa (Papua New Guinea) (2009.01.12 – 2019.07.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madang (Papua New Guinea) (2019.07.26 – ...)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands (2020.07.02 – ...)

Archbishop Stephen Joseph Reichert, O.F.M. Cap. (80)
(2010.11.30 – 2019.07.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Madang (Papua New Guinea)

Laikim God na ol manneri

Born:	1943.05.14 (Leoville, KS, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1969.09.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1995.05.07

Bishop of Mendi (Papua New Guinea) (1995.02.03 – 2010.11.30)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands (1999 – 2002)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madang (Papua New Guinea) (2010.11.30 – 2019.07.26)

Apostolic Administrator of Wewak (Papua New Guinea) (2013.09.20 – 2015.02.06)

Vice-President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands (2014.05 – 2020.07.02)

Archbishop William Joseph Kurtz, S.V.D.
(2001.07.24 – 2010.11.30)

To evangelize

Born:	1935.05.28 (Kepa, Poland)
Ordained Priest:	1962.01.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1982.09.08
Died:	2023.02.14 (Kundiawa, Papua New Guinea † 87)

Bishop of Kundiawa (Papua New Guinea) (1982.06.08 – 1999.10.15)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Madang (Papua New Guinea) (1999.10.15 – 2001.07.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madang (Papua New Guinea) (2001.07.24 – 2010.11.30)

Archbishop Benedict To Varpin
(1987.12.31 – 2001.07.24)

Got I lait bilong mi

Born:	1936.07.24 (Volavolo, Papua New Guinea)
Ordained Priest:	1971.01.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1980.03.19
Died:	2020.09.08 (Rabaul, Papua New Guinea † 84)

Bishop of Bereina (Papua New Guinea) (1979.10.30 – 1987.01.26)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Madang (Papua New Guinea) (1987.01.26 – 1987.12.31)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madang (Papua New Guinea) (1987.12.31 – 2001.07.24)

Archbishop Leo Clement Andrew Arkfeld, S.V.D.
(1975.12.19 – 1987.12.31)

Born:	1912.02.04 (Butte, NE, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1943.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1948.11.30
Died:	1999.08.21 (Madang, Papua New Guinea † 87)

Vicar Apostolic of Central New Guinea (Papua New Guinea) (1948.07.08 – 1952.05.15)

Titular Bishop of Bucellus (1948.07.08 – 1966.11.15)

Vicar Apostolic of Wewak (Papua New Guinea) (1952.05.15 – 1966.11.15)

Bishop of Wewak (Papua New Guinea) (1966.11.15 – 1975.12.19)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands (1969 – 1973)

Apostolic Administrator of Wewak (Papua New Guinea) (1975.12.19 – 1980.04.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madang (Papua New Guinea) (1975.12.19 – 1987.12.31)

Archbishop Adolph Alexander Noser, S.V.D.
(1966.11.15 – 1975.12.19)

Born:	1900.07.04 (Belleville, IL, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1925.09.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1947.08.22
Died:	1981.04.15 († 80)

Prefect Apostolic of Accra (Ghana) (1944 – 1947.06.12)

Titular Bishop of Capitolias (1947.06.12 – 1950.04.18)

Vicar Apostolic of Accra (Ghana) (1947.06.12 – 1950.04.18)

Bishop of Accra (Ghana) (1950.04.18 – 1953.01.08)

Titular Bishop of Hierpiniana (1953.01.08 – 1966.11.15)

Vicar Apostolic of Alexishafen (Papua New Guinea) (1953.01.08 – 1966.11.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madang (Papua New Guinea) (1966.11.15 – 1975.12.19)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands (1967 – 1969)

Vicars Apostolic of Alexishafen (Roman Rite)

Bishop Adolph Alexander Noser, S.V.D. (later Archbishop)
(1953.01.08 – 1966.11.15)

(see above)

Vicars Apostolic of Eastern New Guinea (Roman Rite)

Bishop Stephen Anthony Appelhans, S.V.D.
(1948.07.08 – 1951.07.16)

Born:	1905.12.27 (USA)
Ordained Priest:	1932.05.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1948.11.30
Died:	1951.07.16 († 45)

Titular Bishop of Catula (1948.07.08 – 1951.07.16)

Vicar Apostolic of Eastern New Guinea (Papua New Guinea) (1948.07.08 – 1951.07.16)

Fr. Wilhelm van Baar, S.V.D.
(Apostolic Administrator 1944.08 – 1948.07.08)

Bishop Franz Wolf, S.V.D.
(1922.11.24 – 1944.02.23)

Born:	1876.02.02 (Borbeck, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1899.02.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1914.06.29
Died:	1944.02.23 († 68)

Vicar Apostolic of Togo (Togo) (1914.03.16 – 1921.01)

Titular Bishop of Byblus (1914.03.16 – 1944.02.23)

Vicar Apostolic of Eastern New Guinea (Papua New Guinea) (1922.11.24 – 1944.02.23)

Apostolic Administrator of Central New Guinea (Papua New Guinea) (1923 – 1928)

Prefects Apostolic of Eastern Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land (Roman Rite)

Fr. Andreas Puff, S.V.D.
(Apostolic Administrator 1915 – 1922.11.24)

Fr. Eberhard Limbrock, S.V.D.
(1913.07.25 – 1914.09.09)

Born:	1859.05.23 (Ahlen, Germany)
Died:	1931.05.31 (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia † 72)

Prefect Apostolic of Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land (Papua New Guinea) (1896.03.24 – 1913.07.25)

Prefect Apostolic of Eastern Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land (Papua New Guinea) (1913.07.25 – 1914.09.09)

Prefects Apostolic of Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land (Roman Rite)

Fr. Eberhard Limbrock, S.V.D.
(1896.03.24 – 1913.07.25)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop William Joseph Kurtz, S.V.D. (1999.10.15 – 2001.07.24)
Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Benedict To Varpin (1987.01.26 – 1987.12.31)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Holy Spirit Cathedral, Madang, Madang

Kundiawa (↙), Mount Hagen (↙), Wabag (←), Wewak (↖), Lae (↘), Goroka (↓)

Statistics (2018.12.31)

Area: 28,886 km²

Population: 190,000 Catholics (34.7% of 548,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 29 parishes

Personnel: 60 priests (18 diocesan, 42 religious), 124 religious (53 brothers, 71 sisters), 9 seminarians