Honiara (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

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Bishop(s) Christopher Michael Cardone, O.P., Archbishop Adrian Thomas Smith, S.M., Archbishop Emeritus Suffragan Dioceses Auki Gizo

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese Elevated: 15 November 1978 Metropolitan See Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization Rite: Latin (or Roman) Country: Solomon Islands Square Kilometers: 10,918 (4,217 Square Miles) Cathederal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CatholicArchdioceseOfHoniara Mailing Address: Holy Cross, G.P.O. Box 237, Honiara, Solomon Islands Telephone: 22.387

Historical Details

• Prefecture Apostolic of English Solomon Islands
  • Erected: 27 July 1897
  • Country: Solomon Islands

• Prefecture Apostolic of Southern Solomon Islands
  • Name Changed: 21 January 1904
  • Country: Solomon Islands

• Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Solomon Islands
  • Latin Name: Insularum Salomonicarum Meridionalium
  • Elevated: 1 June 1912
  • Vicariate
  • Country: Solomon Islands

• Diocese of Honiara
  • Latin Name: Honiarana
  • Elevated: 15 November 1966
  • Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Rabaul
  • Country: Solomon Islands

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Julien Vidal, S.M. † (Jul 1897 Appointed - 1903 Resigned)
• Jean-Ephrem Bertreux, S.M. † (28 Aug 1903 Appointed - 4 Jan 1919 Died)
• Louis-Marie Raucaz, S.M. † (13 Jul 1920 Appointed - 22 Jul 1934 Died)
• Jean-Marie Aubin, S.M. † (8 Apr 1935 Appointed - 1958 Retired)
• Daniel Willem Stuyvenberg, S.M. † (27 Nov 1958 Appointed - 3 Dec 1984 Retired)
• Adrian Thomas Smith, S.M. (3 Dec 1984 Appointed - 22 Jun 2016 Retired)
• Christopher Michael Cardone, O.P. (22 Jun 2016 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of English Solomon Islands
27 July 1897	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of New Pomerania	Prefecture Apostolic of English Solomon Islands (erected)
Prefecture Apostolic of Southern Solomon Islands
21 January 1904	Name Changed	Prefecture Apostolic of English Solomon Islands	Prefecture Apostolic of Southern Solomon Islands
Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Solomon Islands
1 June 1912	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Southern Solomon Islands	Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Solomon Islands
11 June 1959	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Solomon Islands (Tresury, Shortlands and Choiseul and their neighbors, and Otong Java and their neighbors) Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Solomon Islands (Santa Isabel and the neighboring islands and New Georgia and the neighboring islands)	Vicariate Apostolic of Western Solomon Islands (erected)
Diocese of Honiara
15 November 1966	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Solomon Islands	Diocese of Honiara
Archdiocese of Honiara
15 November 1978	Elevated	Diocese of Honiara	Archdiocese of Honiara
17 December 1982	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Honiara (Malaita District)	Diocese of Auki (erected)

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Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Solomon Islands
1950	15,234	88,000	17.3%		22	22	692		31	44	13	ap1951
Diocese of Honiara
1970	28,075	128,439	21.9%	5	40	45	623		62	123	7	ap1971
Archdiocese of Honiara
1980	41,900	214,000	19.6%	5	24	29	1,444		44	100	18	ap1981
1990	33,345	156,359	21.3%	5	17	22	1,515		36	77	13	ap1991
1999	38,936	214,139	18.2%	9	19	28	1,390		36	69	13	ap2000
2000	32,083	190,563	16.8%	10	21	31	1,034		43	64	13	ap2001
2001	40,434	183,254	22.1%	8	15	23	1,758		30	56	13	ap2002
2002	42,633	196,639	21.7%	13	19	32	1,332		26	58	11	ap2003
2003	43,826	199,060	22.0%	11	19	30	1,460		27	63	13	ap2004
2004	45,053	204,633	22.0%	15	23	38	1,185		31	69	13	ap2005
2006	47,762	210,514	22.7%	19	21	40	1,194		36	75	13	ap2007
2013	57,312	260,902	22.0%	19	21	40	1,432		35	76	13	ap2014
2016	61,400	276,000	22.2%	22	26	48	1,279		44	56	13	ap2017
2019	68,500	280,000	24.5%	19	30	49	1,397		70	75	14	ap2020
2021	65,783	292,000	22.5%	15	20	35	1,879		53	70	14	ap2022
2023	73,283	303,000	24.2%	20	19	39	1,879		50	76	14	ap2024

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• Jean-Marie Aubin, S.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 8 Apr 1935 to 1958)
• Jean-Ephrem Bertreux, S.M. † (Prefect: 28 Aug 1903; Vicar Apostolic: 2 Jun 1912 to 4 Jan 1919)
• John Doaninoel, S.M. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 9 Jun 2011 to 7 Aug 2018)
• Peter Kurongku † (Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Nov 1978 to 3 Oct 1981)
• Louis-Marie Raucaz, S.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 13 Jul 1920 to 22 Jul 1934)
• Daniel Willem Stuyvenberg, S.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 27 Nov 1958; Bishop: 15 Nov 1966; Archbishop: 15 Nov 1978 to 3 Dec 1984)
• Julien Vidal, S.M. † (Prefect: Jul 1897 to 1903)

Source(s)

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