Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogoja
The Diocese of Ogoja (Latin: Ogogiaën(sis)) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Nigeria. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Calabar, yet still depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Diocese of Ogoja Dioecesis Ogogiaensis | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Nigeria |
| Territory | Cross River State |
| Ecclesiastical province | Calabar |
| Metropolitan | Archbishop of Calabar |
| Coordinates | 6°30′0″N 8°40′0″E |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 12,557 km2 (4,848 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 2004) 1,536,294 332,373 (21.6%) |
| Parishes | 38 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | January 1, 1955 |
| Cathedral | Saint Benedict Cathedral in Ogoja |
| Patron saint | Saint Benedict |
| Secular priests | 67 |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Most Rev. Donatus Edet Akpan |
| Map | |
 Ogoja is located in Cross River State which is shown here in red. | |
Its cathedra is Saint Benedict Cathedral, dedicated to diocesan patron saint Saint Benedict, in the episcopal see of Ogoja, in Cross River State.
History
- Established on March 13, 1938 as Apostolic Prefecture of Ogoja, on territory split off from the then Apostolic Prefecture of Calabar (now its Metropolitan)
- 1955.01.01: Promoted as Diocese of Ogoja/ Ogogiaën(sis) (Latin)
- On 1973.03.01 it lost territory to establish the Diocese of Abakaliki.
Statistics
As per 2014, it pastorally served 902,975 Catholics (32.5% of 2,779,037 total) on 12,557 km² in 65 parishes with 99 priests (96 diocesan, 3 religious), 50 lay religious (3 brothers, 47 sisters) and 137 seminarians.
Ordinaries
- Apostolic Prefects of Ogoja
- Patrick Joseph Whitney, Saint Patrick’s Society for the Foreign Missions (S.P.S.) (born Ireland) (1938 – retired 1939), died 1942; previously Founder of Saint Patrick’s Society for the Foreign Missions (1932.03.17)
- Thomas McGettrick, S.P.S. (born Ireland) (1939.11.10 – 1955.01.01 see below)
- Suffragan Bishops of Ogoja
- Thomas McGettrick, S.P.S. (see above 1955.01.01 – 1973.03.01), later Bishop of Abakaliki (Nigeria) (1973.03.01 – death 1983.02.19)
- Joseph Edra Ukpo (first native incumbent) (1973.03.01 – 2003.12.17), succeeding as former auxiliary bishop of Ogoja and Titular Bishop of Chullu (1971.04.24 – 1973.03.01); later Metropolitan Archbishop of Calabar (Nigeria) (2003.12.17 – retired 2013.02.02)
- John Ebebe Ayah (2006.10.14 – 2014.07.05), stayed on a while as Apostolic Administrator of Ogoja (2014.07.05 – 2017.04.09) while Bishop of Uyo (Nigeria) (2014.07.05 – ...)
- Donatus Edet Akpan (2017.04.09 – ...), no previous prelature.
References
Sources and external links
Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Calabar | |
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