The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kayes ( la, Kayesen(sis)) is a
diocese
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associa ...
located in the city of
Kayes
Kayes ( Bambara: ߞߊߦߌ tr. ''Kayi'', Soninké: ''Xaayi'') is a city in western Mali on the Sénégal River with a population of 127,368 at the 2009 census. Kayes is the capital of the administrative region of the same name. The name "Kayes ...
in the
ecclesiastical province
An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction in Christian Churches with traditional hierarchical structure, including Western Christianity and Eastern Christianity. In general, an ecclesiastical province consists of seve ...
of
Bamako
Bamako ( bm, ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬ ''Bàmakɔ̌'', ff, 𞤄𞤢𞤥𞤢𞤳𞤮 ''Bamako'') is the capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2009 population of 1,810,366 and an estimated 2022 population of 2.81 million. It is located on the Niger Rive ...
in
Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mal ...
.
On Thursday, January 31, 2013,
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the soverei ...
appointed the Reverend Father
Jonas Dembélé, up until then serving (as a member of the clergy of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of San in
San, Mali
San ( Bambara: ߛߊߣ tr. San) is an urban commune, town and capital of the Cercle of San in the Ségou Region of Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Ren ...
) as a pastor and as secretary of the
National Union of Priests of Mali, as the bishop-elect of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kayes, in
Kayes, Mali, succeeding Bishop
Joseph Dao, who retired in 2011.
History
* June 12, 1947: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Kayes from the Apostolic Vicariate of Bamako
* July 6, 1963: Promoted as Diocese of Kayes
Leadership
* Prefects Apostolic of Kayes (Roman rite)
** Bishop Etienne-Marie-Félix Courtois, M. Afr. (1947.11.07 – 1963.07.06 ''see below'')
*
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...
s of Kayes (Roman rite)
** Bishop
Etienne-Marie-Félix Courtois,
M. Afr. (''see above'' 1963.07.06 – 1978.07.11)
** Bishop
Joseph Dao (1978.09.12 – 2011.06.11)
** Bishop
Jonas Dembélé (2013.01.31 - present)
Jonas Dembélé
The Rev. Fr. Jonas Dembélé was born on May 15, 1963, in
Sokoura, Mali, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of San. After finishing primary and secondary school, he entered the Major
Seminary
A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy ...
of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bamako
The Archdiocese of Bamako is the Metropolitan bishop, Metropolitan Episcopal See, Archdiocesan See for the Ecclesiastical province which covers all and only Mali, yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
...
, in
Bamako, Mali
Bamako ( bm, ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬ ''Bàmakɔ̌'', ff, 𞤄𞤢𞤥𞤢𞤳𞤮 ''Bamako'') is the capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2009 population of 1,810,366 and an estimated 2022 population of 2.81 million. It is located on the Niger Rive ...
, for courses in
philosophy, and afterwards attended the Seminary of
Koumi, Burkina Faso (in the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bobo-Dioulasso) for studies in
theology
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
. Bishop-designate Dembélé was ordained a priest on July 12, 1992. After ordination, he held the following positions: from 1992 to 1996: Vicar in the parish of
Saint John Bosco of
Touba, Mali; from 1996 to 2008: Pastor of the
Cathedral of Notre Dame de Lourdes; from 2002 to 2008: Secretary General of the Union of the Clergy of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San and of the National Union of the Clergy of Mali (UPM); from 2008 to 2010: Studies at the
Institute of Pastoral Theology Lumen Vitae in
Brussels, Belgium, with a '
maitrise' in
Practical Theology
Practical theology is an academic discipline that examines and reflects on religious practices in order to understand the theology enacted in those practices and in order to consider how theological theory and theological practices can be more full ...
of Société et Dévelomment (Society and Development); since 2011: Pastor of the Parish of
Yasso, Mali, which is under construction. He will be ordained a bishop and installed as Bishop of Kayes in separate ceremonies in the near future.
(He was consecrated and installed on May 11, 2013.)
See also
*
Roman Catholicism in Mali
Sources
GCatholic.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kayes
Kayes
Kayes
Kayes ( Bambara: ߞߊߦߌ tr. ''Kayi'', Soninké: ''Xaayi'') is a city in western Mali on the Sénégal River with a population of 127,368 at the 2009 census. Kayes is the capital of the administrative region of the same name. The name "Kayes ...
Christian organizations established in 1947
Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century
1947 establishments in French Sudan
Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Bamako