Diocese of Polokwane

Diocese of Polokwane Dioecesis Polokwanensis
Location
Country	South Africa
Metropolitan	Pretoria
Statistics
Area	69,533 km2 (26,847 sq mi)
Population Total Catholics	(as of 2004) 2,500,000 86,268 (3.5%)
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Cathedral	Sacred heart cathedral
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Bishop	Jeremiah Madimetja Masela
Vicar General	Selemela Clement

The Diocese of Polokwane (Latin: Polokwanen(sis)) is a Latin Catholic diocese located in the city of Polokwane in the ecclesiastical province of Pretoria in South Africa.

History

• December 22, 1910: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Northern Transvaal from the Apostolic Vicariate of Transvaal
• June 13, 1939: Promoted as Territorial Prelature of Pietersburg
• December 15, 1988: Promoted as Diocese of Pietersburg
• September 4, 2009: Name changed - Diocese of Polokwane

Special churches

• The Sacred Heart Cathedral on Biccard Street is the seat of the Bishop

.

Leadership

• Prefects Apostolic of Northern Transvaal (Roman rite)
  • Fr. Ildefonso Lanslots, O.S.B. (1911 – 1922)
  • Fr. Salvatore van Nuffel, O.S.B. (1922.03.21 – 1939)
• Prelates of Pietersburg (Roman rite)
  • Bishop Frederic Osterrath, O.S.B. (1939.11.14 – 1952)
  • Bishop Francis Clement van Hoeck, O.S.B. (1954.01.06 – 1975)
  • Bishop Fulgence Werner Le Roy, O.S.B. (1975.07.10 – 1988.12.15 see below)
• Bishops of Pietersburg (Roman rite)
  • Bishop Fulgence Werner Le Roy, O.S.B. (see above 1988.12.15 – 2000.02.17)
  • Bishop Mogale Paul Nkhumishe (2000.02.17 - 2009.09.04 see below)
• Bishops of Polokwane (Roman rite)
  • Bishop Mogale Paul Nkhumishe (see above 2009.09.04 - 2011.12.09)
  • Bishop Jeremiah Madimetja Masela (2013.06.10 - present)

See also

• Roman Catholicism in South Africa
• Pietersburg Abbey

Canonical status and jurisdiction

Roman Catholic Diocese of Polokwane is a diocese of the catholic church of the Catholic Church.

• Part of: Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Pretoria

Bibliography

• GCatholic.org ^{[self-published]}
• Catholic Hierarchy ^{[self-published]}

23°54′00″S 29°27′00″E / 23.9000°S 29.4500°E