Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger

Senegal

Portuguese explorers came to Senegal in the 15^th Century, but it was not until the 17^th Century that Senegal was colonized by France.  Senegal became part of French West Africa in 1895 and the capital of French West Africa—a colony now divided into 8 independent nations—was in Saint-Louis in Senegal.  The Capital moved to Dakar in 1902.  Senegal, then combined with Gambia into a nation called Senegambia, gained independence in 1960.  The Gambia split from Senegal in 1989.  Catholicism came with the Portuguese and the French and converts were made as early as the late 1400s.  Missionaries continued to visit over the next 300 years.  The Apostolic Prefecture of Senegal was created in 1763 in Saint-Louis and was assigned to the Holy Ghost Fathers, who were later assisted by the St. Joseph Sisters of Cluny.  Over 96 percent of Senegal’s 15 million people are Muslim.  Catholics number over 600,000 or 4 percent of the total.

Province of Dakar

The province consists of the nation of Senegal.  The Apostolic Vicariate of Senegambia was created in 1863 and was renamed Dakar in 1936.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dakar was created in 1955.  Our Lady of Victories Cathedral was consecrated in 1936.  Much of the building material is African—sandstone from Sudan, marble from Tunisia, and wood from Gabon.

 

The top picture is from pinterest and the bottom picture is from Wikipedia.

The Province has six suffragan dioceses.

• The Apostolic Prefecture of Ziguinchor was established in 1939, became an apostolic vicariate in 1952, before becoming the Diocese of Ziguinchor in 1955.
• The Apostolic Prefecture of Kaolack was established in 1957 and was promoted to a Diocese in 1965.
• The Apostolic Prefecture of Senegal was created in 1763 and became the Diocese of Saint-Louis du Senegal in 1966.
• The Diocese of Thies was established in 1969.
• Tambacounda was established as an apostolic prefecture in 1970 before being promoted to a Diocese in 1989.
• The Diocese of Kolda was established in 1999. 

Burkina Faso

France made a colony of what is now Burkina Faso in 1897.  Missionaries of Africa (formerly the White Fathers) established missions in Koupela in 1900 and in Ouagadougou in 1901.  The nation gained its independence from France in 1960.  Muslims make up over 60 percent of the population of Burkina Faso.  Catholics account for about 4.5 million people or 23 percent of the total population of 20 million.  Catholics are divided among three ecclesiastical provinces—Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso, and Koupela.

Province of Ouagadougou

The province consists of central Burkina Faso.  The Apostolic Vicariate of Ouagadougou was established in 1921 and was promoted to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Ouagadougou in 1955.  The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Ouagadougou was constructed between 1934 and 1936 with red mud bricks in a Romanesque style.  The Cathedral has an outdoor altar dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

From Wikipedia.

The Province has three suffragan dioceses.

• The Apostolic Vicariate of Koudougou was established in 1954 and was promoted to a diocese in 1955.
• The Diocese of Ouahigouya started as an apostolic prefecture in 1947 before becoming a diocese in 1958.
• The Diocese of Manga was established in 1997. 

Province of Bobo-Dioulasso

The province consists of western Burkina Faso.  The Apostolic Prefecture of Bobo-Dioulasso was created in 1927, became an apostolic vicariate in 1937, and a diocese in 1955.  It was promoted to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bobo-Dioulasso in 2000.  Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral in Bobo-Dioulasso was built between 1957 and 1961.  See cathedralebobo.bf.

From inspirock

The Province has five suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Nouna began as an apostolic prefecture in 1947 before becoming an apostolic vicariate in 1951.  It became a Diocese in 1955.
• The Diocese of Diebougou was established in 1968.
• The Diocese of Banfora was established in 1998.
• The Diocese of Dedougou was established in 2000.
• The Diocese of Gaoua was established in 2011. 

Province of Koupela

The province consists of eastern Burkina Faso.  The Diocese of Koupela was founded in 1956 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Koupela in 2000.  Our Lady of Graces Cathedral is in Koupela.

From Wikipedia.

The Province has four suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Fada N’Gourma was established as an apostolic prefecture in 1959 before being promoted to a Diocese in 1964.
• The Diocese of Kaya was established in 1969.
• The Diocese of Dori was established in 2004.
• The Diocese of Tenkodogo was established in 2012. 

Mali

Morocco governed what is now Mali for 300 years until the French gained control in the 19^th Century.  Mali became part of the Apostolic Prefecture of Sahara and Sudan in 1868, which became the Apostolic Vicariate of Sahara and Sudan in 1891.  Two groups of White Fathers (now Missionaries of Africa) were martyred by their local guides trying to reach Mali by crossing the Sahara Desert.  A third group entered Mali by way of what is now Senegal and established missions in Segou and Timbuctoo in 1895, but evangelization was hampered by many factors.  The French referred to their colony as French Sudan until granting greater political autonomy in 1958 leading to independence in 1960.  Senegal and Gambia, which were part of the colony, broke from Mali shortly after independence.  Muslims make up 95 percent of Mali’s population.  Catholics account for 280,000 or about 2 percent of the total population of 18 million.

Province of Bamako

The province consists of the nation of Mali.  The Apostolic Vicariate of Bamako was established in 1921 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bamako in 1955.  The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Bamako was constructed between 1927 and 1936 and replaced a mission church.

From Wikipedia.

The Province has five suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Segou was established in 1962.
• The Apostolic Prefecture of Kayes was established in 1947 and was promoted to the Diocese of Kays in 1963.
• The Apostolic Prefecture of Sikasso was established in 1947 and was promoted to the Diocese of Sikasso in 1963.
• The Apostolic Prefecture of Gao was established in 1942 and became the Diocese of Mopti in 1964.
• The Mission sui juris of San was established in 1962 and became the Diocese of San in 1964. 

Niger

Christianity came to Niger with French and German explorers in the late 1700s and Catholics established a mission in Niamey in 1831.  Niger became part of French West Africa in 1904 and gained its independence from France in 1960.  Almost all of the nation’s 19 million people are Muslim.  There are about 20,000 Catholics in Niger and a somewhat larger number of Protestants.

Province of Niamey

The province consists of the nation of Niger.  The Apostolic Prefecture of Niamey was established in 1942. It became a diocese in 1961 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Niamey in 2007.  Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral in Niamey was built as a parish church in 1931 before its dedication to Our Lady in 1948.

From Wikipedia.

The Province has one suffragan diocese.

• The Diocese of Maradi was created in 2001.

Definitions

The Catholic Church is mostly divided into ecclesiastical provinces—a province consists of a metropolitan archdiocese and one or more dioceses.  The province and the archdiocese are led by an archbishop.  Each of the dioceses is called a suffragan diocese and is led by a bishop.  Archbishops have some responsibilities for the province, but all bishops answer directly to the Pope.  There are also jurisdictions below the level of a diocese.  These include apostolic vicariates and apostolic prefectures.  Both are missionary territories below the level of a diocese.  The difference is that a vicar apostolic holds the rank of a bishop and the prefect apostolic is a priest, but not a bishop.  There is also a jurisdiction called a mission sui juris.  A mission sui juris may be part of a province and is often administered by a bishop of another diocese.