Roman Catholic Diocese of Caroline Islands

Diocese of Caroline Islands Dioecesis Carolinensium
Location
Country	Federated States of Micronesia Republic of Palau
Territory	Caroline Islands
Ecclesiastical province	Agaña
Statistics
Area
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2006) 128,718 68,500 (53.2%)
Parishes	27
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	19 December 1905 (118 years ago)
Cathedral	Immaculate Heart of Mary Cathedral
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Amando Samo
Map
File:LocationMicronesia.png

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Caroline Islands (Latin: Dioecesis Carolinensium) is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Federated States of Micronesia and in the Republic of Palau. It is a suffragan diocese of the Ecclesiastical Province of Agaña. The Diocese of Caroline Islands is led by a bishop who pastors the mother church, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

History

The diocese was established on 19 December 1905, as the Apostolic Prefecture (missionary jurisdiction) of Caroline Islands, uniting the Mission sui iuris of Eastern Carolines and Mission sui iuris of Western Carolines, both of which had been split from the Apostolic Prefecture of Micronesia in 1886.

It became the Apostolic Vicariate (higher missionary stage jurisdiction, entitled to a titular bishop) of Marianne and Caroline Islands on 1 March 1911. It grew to become the Apostolic Vicariate of Marianne, Caroline and Marshall Islands on 4 May 1923. It changed its name to become the Apostolic Vicariate of Caroline and Marshall Islands on 4 July 1946.

It was elevated to become the Diocese Carolines-Marshalls by promotion on 3 May 1979.

The diocese was split on 23 April 1993 by Pope John Paul II, resulting in the creation of the present-day Diocese of Caroline Islands and the Apostolic Prefecture of the Marshall Islands.

Ordinaries

• Salvador-Pierre Walleser (1912–1919)
• Vacant (1920–1922)
• Santiago López de Rego y Labarta S.J. (1923–1938)
• Vacant (1939–1951)
• Thomas John Feeney S.J. (1951-1955)
• Vincent Ignatius Kennally S.J. (1956–1971)
• Martin Joseph Neylon S.J. (1971–1995)
• Amando Samo (1995 - )

See also

• Catholic Church by country
• Catholic Church in the United States
• List of Catholic dioceses (alphabetical) (including archdioceses)
• List of Catholic dioceses (structured view) (including archdioceses)
• Ecclesiastical Province of Agaña
• Global organisation of the Catholic Church
• List of Roman Catholic archdioceses (by country and continent)
• List of the Catholic dioceses of the United States

External links

• Catholic Hierarchy Profile of the Diocese of Caroline Islands