Roman Catholic Diocese of Basankusu

Roman Catholic diocese in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Diocese of Basankusu Dioecesis Basankusuensis

Location
Country	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Metropolitan	Mbandaka-Bikoro
Statistics
Area	70,000 km (27,000 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2006) 584,000 230,331 (39.4%)
Information
Rite	Latin Rite
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Joseph Mokobe Ndjoku

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Basankusu (Latin: Basankusuen(sis)) is a Latin suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Mbandaka-Bikoro in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Its cathedral episcopal see is Cathédrale Saints-Pierre-et-Paul (Saints Peter and Paul) in the town of Basankusu.

History

Established on 28 July 1926, as Apostolic Prefecture of Basankusu on territory split off from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Nouvelle-Anvers
8 January 1948: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Basankusu
Lost territory on 14 June 1951 to establish the then Apostolic Prefecture of Isangi (now a diocese)
Promoted on 10 November 1959, as Diocese of Basankusu, ceasing to be exempt

(all Latin Rite, mostly -initially missionary- members of Latin congregations)

Gerardo Wantenaar, Mill Hill Missionaries (M.H.M.) (2 February 1927 – 8 January 1948 see below)

Gerardo Wantenaar, M.H.M., Titular Bishop of Uzalis (8 July 1948 – 3 December 1951) (see above 8 January 1948 – 3 December 1951)
Willem van Kester, M.H.M., Titular Bishop of Legia (19 June 1952 – 10 November 1959 see below)

Willem van Kester, M.H.M. (see above 10 November 1959 – 18 November 1974)
Ignace Matondo Kwa Nzambi, Scheutists (C.I.C.M.) (18 November 1974 – 27 June 1998), appointed Bishop of Molegbe
Joseph Mokobe Ndjoku (9 November 2001 - ...), previously Apostolic Administrator (1998 – 9 November 2001) while Bishop of Bokungu–Ikela (Democratic Republic of Congo) (6 December 1993 – 9 November 2001)