Diocese of

Mweka

Congo-Kinshasa

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Mweka / Mvekaën(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Kananga

Neighbouring Dioceses: Idiofa (←), Inongo (↖), Kole (↑), Tshumbe (→), Kananga (↘), Luebo (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1953.03.24: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Mweka / Mvekaën(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Luluabourg)
1964.09.29: Promoted as Diocese of Mweka / Mvekaën(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Luluabourg)
1972.08.24: Lost territory to Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kananga

Present Prelates

Bishop (2017.02.18 – ...):

Bishop Oscar Nkolo Kanowa, C.I.C.M. (68)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Mweka (Roman Rite)

Bishop Oscar Nkolo Kanowa, C.I.C.M. (68)
(2017.02.18 – ...)

Bishop of Mweka (Congo-Kinshasa)

Ut omnes unum sint

Born:	1957.09.08 (Mbuji-Mayi, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1987.07.19
Consecrated Bishop:	2017.05.28

Bishop of Mweka (Congo-Kinshasa) (2017.02.18 – ...)

Bishop Gérard Mulumba Kalemba
(1989.01.19 – 2017.02.18)

Born:	1937.07.08 (Kananga, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1967.08.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1989.07.09
Died:	2020.04.15 (Kinshasa, Congo-Kinshasa † 82)

Bishop of Mweka (Congo-Kinshasa) (1989.01.19 – 2017.02.18)

Died of COVID-19.

Archbishop Emery Kabongo Kanundowi (85)
(Apostolic Administrator 1988 – 1989.01.19)

Bishop Marcel Evariste van Rengen, C.I.
(1964.09.29 – 1988.03.15)

Born:	1914.02.23 (Mol, Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1939.08.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1964.12.03
Died:	1988.03.15 († 74)

Prefect Apostolic of Mweka (Congo-Kinshasa) (1957 – 1964.09.29)

Bishop of Mweka (Congo-Kinshasa) (1964.09.29 – 1988.03.15)

Prefects Apostolic of Mweka (Roman Rite)

Fr. Marcel Evariste van Rengen, C.I. (later Bishop)
(1957 – 1964.09.29)

(see above)

Bishop Bernard Mels, C.I.C.M. (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 1953 – 1957)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Saint-Martin, Mweka, Kasaï

Idiofa (←), Inongo (↖), Kole (↑), Tshumbe (→), Kananga (↘), Luebo (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 21,700 km²

Population: 467,000 Catholics (41.1% of 1,137,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 15 parishes, 32 missions

Personnel: 51 priests (39 diocesan, 12 religious), 31 religious (18 brothers, 13 sisters), 35 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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