Catholic Church in Kiribati
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TheCatholic Church in Kiribatiis part of the worldwideCatholic Church,which, inspired by the life, death and teachings ofJesus Christ,and under the spiritual leadership of thePopeandRoman curiain theVatican City(in Rome) is the largestChristian churchin the world.Koru TitoisBishop of Tarawa and Nauru,with see inKiribati.
Demography[edit]
Kiribati is predominantlyChristianwith a population of 119,940 in 2020: 58% wereCatholicandProtestantsfrom bothKiribati Protestant ChurchandKiribati Uniting Churchwere 28%.[1]
TheConstitution of Kiribatiprovides forfreedom of religion.The Christian festivals ofChristmas,Easter,and National Gospel Day are official religious holidays.[2]
History[edit]
Lying halfway betweenHawaiiandAustralia,Kiribati consists of 32 low-lyingatollsand one raised island in a vast expanse of ocean comprising three main groupings: theGilbert Islands,Phoenix Islands,andLine Islands.
The original inhabitants of Kiribati are anAustronesianpeople who arrived more than 2000 BP. Invasions byFi gian sandTongansbroughtMelanesianandPolynesianinfluence. European contact began in the 16th century. In 1892, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands (nowTuvalu) became British protectorates. ABritish colonyfrom 1916, and scene of bitter fighting duringWorld War II,Kiribati became an independent nation in 1979.[3]
The first Catholics were locals who had returned from working inTahiti.They invited theMissionaries of the Sacred Heart(MSC) to come from France.[4]Upon the partition of theVicariate of Micronesia,the Gilbert Islands were created as a separate vicariate by the Catholic Church in 1897. Mgr.Joseph Leraywas placed at its head and, with other MSC priests, he began missionary work in the islands.[5]
In 1966, the vicariate of bishopPierre Guichetwas elevated to become theDiocese of Tarawa.In 1978, the name changed to Diocese of Tarawa, Nauru and Funafuti. This was split in 1982 into theMissionsui iurisof Funafutiand theDiocese of Tarawa and Nauru.[6]BishopPaul Mea,MSC, was ordained Bishop ofTarawa,NauruandFunafuti,Kiribati in 1979.[7]
TheSacred Heart Cathedralis inTeaoraereke,inSouth Tarawa,Kiribati.[8]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^United States Department of State
- ^United States Department of State
- ^United States Department of State
- ^"Some MSC history, mission in Kiribati".Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Australia.2017.Retrieved12 May2021.
- ^"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Gilbert Islands".
- ^"Diocese of Tarawa and Nauru".Catholic-Hierarchy.org.David M. Cheney.Retrieved21 January2015.
- ^"Bishop Paul Eusebius Mea Kaiuea, M.S.C."Catholic-Hierarchy.org.David M. Cheney.Retrieved21 January2015.
- ^"Cathedrals in Pacific Islands".