The Roman Catholic Diocese of Port-Vila (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

: ''Dioecesis Portus Vilensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Port-Vila'') in

Vanuatu Vanuatu ( or ; ), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (french: link=no, République de Vanuatu; bi, Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is east of no ...

is a suffragan diocese of the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nouméa The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nouméa (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Numeanus''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Nouméa'') is a Metropolitan Archdiocese in New Caledonia. It is responsible for the suffragan dioceses of Port-Vila and Wallis et Fut ...

History

The first Catholic mission in Vanuatu was started in 1887 at

Mele Mele () is a ''Comune'' (Municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Genoa in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa. Mele borders the following municipalities: Genoa, Masone Masone ( or ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the ...

Efate Efate (french: Éfaté) is an island in the Pacific Ocean which is part of the Shefa Province in Vanuatu. It is also known as Île Vate. Geography It is the most populous (approx. 66,000) island in Vanuatu. Efate's land area of makes it Vanua ...

, by the Marist Father Le Forestier, three other Marist priests and a brother. The greatest growth of Catholic converts took place in the north, where the French influence was strong. This was especially true in

Espiritu Santo Espiritu Santo (, ; ) is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of and a population of around 40,000 according to the 2009 census. Geography The island belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region o ...

and

Malekula Malakula Island, also spelled Malekula, is the second-largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, formerly the New Hebrides, in Melanesia, a region of the Pacific Ocean. Location Malakula is separated from the islands of Espiritu Santo and Malo by t ...

. In 1901 it was first erected as the

Prefecture Apostolic An apostolic prefect or prefect apostolic is a priest who heads what is known as an apostolic prefecture, a 'pre-diocesan' missionary jurisdiction where the Catholic Church is not yet sufficiently developed to have it made a diocese. Although it ...

of New Hebrides, with Victor Douceré as apostolic prefect. In 1904 it became a Vicariate Apostolic. In 1966, it was elevated as the Diocese of Port-Vila. Tropical

Cyclone Pam Severe Tropical Cyclone Pam was the second most intense tropical cyclone of the South Pacific Ocean in terms of sustained winds and is regarded as one of the worst natural disasters in the history of Vanuatu. A total of 15–16 people lost ...

, of March 2015, was the second

most Most or Möst or ''variation'', may refer to: Places * Most, Kardzhali Province, a village in Bulgaria * Most (city), a city in the Czech Republic ** Most District, a district surrounding the city ** Most Basin, a lowland named after the city ** A ...

intense

tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...

of the south Pacific Ocean in terms of sustained winds and is regarded as one of the worst

natural disasters A natural disaster is "the negative impact following an actual occurrence of natural hazard in the event that it significantly harms a community". A natural disaster can cause loss of life or damage property, and typically leaves some econo ...

in the history of

. Bishop John Bosco Baremes worked with the Diocesan Disaster Committee and Caritas to identify and address key needs such as shelter, food, clean water, and protection of the poor and vulnerable.Scullion, Annette. "Vanuatu rising again: Hope shines forth", ''WelCom'', Wellington and Palmerston North Dioceses, March 30, 2015
/ref>

Ordinaries

Isidore-Marie-Victor Douceré Isidore-Marie-Victor Douceré (born 1857 in Evran) was a French clergyman and bishop for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Port-Vila The Roman Catholic Diocese of Port-Vila (Latin: ''Dioecesis Portus Vilensis''; French language, French: ''Diocèse ...

(1901–1939) *

Jules Halbert Jules Halbert, born in 1886 in Landreau, was a French clergyman and bishop for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Port-Vila The Roman Catholic Diocese of Port-Vila (Latin: ''Dioecesis Portus Vilensis''; French language, French: ''Diocèse de Port-Vi ...

(1939–1954) *

Louis-Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Julliard Louis-Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Julliard (13 March 1912 – 13 February 1984) was a French clergyman and bishop for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Port-Vila. He became ordained in 1936. Julliard was born in Coubon Coubon (; oc, Cobon) is a commune ...

(1955–1976) *

Francis-Roland Lambert Francis-Roland Lambert (born in 1921 in Lawrence, Massachusetts) was an American clergyman and bishop for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Port-Vila The Roman Catholic Diocese of Port-Vila (Latin: ''Dioecesis Portus Vilensis''; French language, Fre ...

(1976–1996) *

Michel Visi Michel Visi (* 24 October 1954 in Ningfire, Ambae, Vanuatu – † 19 May 2007 in Port Vila, Vanuatu) was the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Port-Vila. He also served as the head of Vanuatu's Vanuatu Christian Council, an important interd ...

(1996 – May 19, 2007) *

Jean Bosco Baremes Jean Bosco Baremes, SM, (born August 30, 1960 in Han, Carteret Islands, Papua New Guinea) is a Papua New Guinean clergyman and bishop for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Port-Vila. After his ordination in 1987, Baremes studied in the US and served ...

(November 18, 2009 – present)

References

External links and references

Pacific News: Vanuatu Bishop Michel Visi Dies Aged 52
* Roman Catholic dioceses in Vanuatu Catholic Church in Vanuatu

Port-Vila Port Vila (french: Port-Vila), or simply Vila (; french: Vila; bi, Vila ), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Vanuatu. It is located on the Efate, island of Efate. Its population in the last census (2009) was 44,040, an incre ...

1901 establishments in Oceania {{Vanuatu-stub

History

Ordinaries

See also

References

External links and references