Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mwanza, Tanzania

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2019.02.11 – ...):

Archbishop Renatus Leonard Nkwande (57)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Mwanza (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Renatus Leonard Nkwande (57)
(2019.02.11 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Mwanza (Tanzania)

Born:	1965.11.12 (Mantare, Tanzania)
Ordained Priest:	1995.07.02
Consecrated Bishop:	2011.02.20

Bishop of Bunda (Tanzania) (2010.11.27 – 2019.02.11)

Apostolic Administrator of Geita (Tanzania) (2014.05.18 – 2016.04.28)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Mwanza (Tanzania) (2019.02.11 – ...)

Archbishop Jude Thaddaeus Ruwa’ichi, O.F.M. Cap. (69)
(2010.11.10 – 2018.06.21)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania)

Born:	1954.01.30 (Mulo-Kilema, Tanzania)
Ordained Priest:	1981.11.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1999.05.16

Bishop of Mbulu (Tanzania) (1999.02.09 – 2005.01.15)

Bishop of Dodoma (Tanzania) (2005.01.15 – 2010.11.10)

President of Tanzania Episcopal Conference (2006 – 2012.07)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Mwanza (Tanzania) (2010.11.10 – 2018.06.21)

Apostolic Administrator of Shinyanga (Tanzania) (2013 – 2015.02.02)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania) (2018.06.21 – 2019.08.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania) (2019.08.15 – ...)

Archbishop Anthony Mayala
(1987.11.18 – 2009.08.19)

Born:	1940.04.25 (Tanzania)
Ordained Priest:	1970.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1979.04.22
Died:	2009.08.19 († 69)

Bishop of Musoma (Tanzania) (1979.01.12 – 1987.11.18)

President of Tanzania Episcopal Conference (1982 – 1988)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Mwanza (Tanzania) (1987.11.18 – 2009.08.19)

Bishops of Mwanza (Roman Rite)

Bishop Renatus Lwamosa Butibubage
(1966.01.15 – 1987.11.18)

Born:	1918.04.03 (Tanzania)
Ordained Priest:	1948.08.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1960.05.08
Died:	1998.10.02 († 80)

Titular Bishop of Casius (1959.12.19 – 1966.01.15)

Auxiliary Bishop of Mwanza (Tanzania) (1959.12.19 – 1966.01.15)

Bishop of Mwanza (Tanzania) (1966.01.15 – 1987.11.18)

Bishop Joseph Blomjous, M. Afr.
(1953.03.25 – 1965.10.15)

Born:	1908.02.10 (Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1934.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1946.10.06
Died:	1992.11.03 († 84)

Vicar Apostolic of Musoma-Maswa (Tanzania) (1946.04.11 – 1950.06.24)

Titular Bishop of Bubastis (1946.04.11 – 1950.06.27)

Vicar Apostolic of Mwanza (Tanzania) (1950.06.25 – 1953.03.25)

Apostolic Administrator of Maswa (Tanzania) (1950.06.27 – 1953.03.25)

Bishop of Mwanza (Tanzania) (1953.03.25 – 1965.10.15)

Titular Bishop of Cabarsussi (1965.10.15 – 1977.05.13)

Vicars Apostolic of Mwanza (Roman Rite)

Bishop Joseph Blomjous, M. Afr.
(1950.06.25 – 1953.03.25)

(see above)

Bishop Antoon Oomen, M. Afr.
(1929.03.18 – 1948.06.13)

Born:	1876.02.16
Ordained Priest:	1901.03.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1929.07.21
Died:	1957.08.19 († 81)

Vicar Apostolic of Mwanza (Tanzania) (1929.03.18 – 1948.06.13)

Titular Bishop of Zattara (1929.03.18 – 1957.08.19)

Vicars Apostolic of Victoria-Nyanza (Roman Rite)

Bishop Joseph Sweens, M. Afr.
(1915 – 1928.11.15)

Born:	1858.05.22 (Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1882
Consecrated Bishop:	1910.01.20
Died:	1950.04.12 († 91)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Southern Victoria-Nyanza (Tanzania) (1910.01.01 – 1912.12.12)

Titular Bishop of Capsa (1910.01.01 – 1950.04.12)

Vicar Apostolic of Southern Victoria-Nyanza (Tanzania) (1912.12.12 – 1915)

Vicar Apostolic of Victoria-Nyanza (Tanzania) (1915 – 1928.11.15)

Vicars Apostolic of Southern Victoria-Nyanza (Roman Rite)

Bishop Joseph Sweens, M. Afr.
(1912.12.12 – 1915)

(see above)

Bishop Jean-Joseph Hirth, M. Afr.
(1894.07.13 – 1912.12.12)

Born:	1854.03.24 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1878.09.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1890.05.25
Died:	1931.01.06 († 76)

Vicar Apostolic of Victoria-Nyanza (Uganda) (1889.12.04 – 1894.07.13)

Titular Bishop of Theveste (1889.12.04 – 1931.01.06)

Vicar Apostolic of Southern Victoria-Nyanza (Tanzania) (1894.07.13 – 1912.12.12)

Vicar Apostolic of Kivu (Rwanda) (1912.12.12 – 1920.10.25)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Joseph Sweens, M. Afr. (1910.01.01 – 1912.12.12)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Renatus Lwamosa Butibubage (1959.12.19 – 1966.01.15)

Contact Info

Website:

Statistics

Area: 19,062 km²

Population: 494,970 Catholics (15.7% of 3,156,741 total) (2020)

Statistics: 46 parishes, 2 missions, 146 priests (95 diocesan, 51 religious), 428 lay religious (67 brothers, 361 sisters), 74 seminarians (2020)

History

1894.07.13: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Victoria-Nyanza / Victoria-Nyanza Meridionale (Italiano) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Victoria-Nyanza)
1912.12.12: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Kivu
1915.01.15: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Victoria-Nyanza
1929.04.08: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Bubuka
1929.04.10: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Mwanza / Mvanzaën(sis) (Latin)
1946.04.11: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Musoma-Maswa
1953.03.25: Promoted as Diocese of Mwanza / Mvanzaën(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Tabora)
1984.11.08: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Geita
1987.11.18: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mwanza / Mvanzaën(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Bukoba, Geita, Musoma, Rulenge and Shinyanga)
2008.08.14: Gained suffragan see Kayanga
2010.11.27: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Bunda and gained suffragan see Bunda

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1990.09)