Chronology of Catholic Dioceses:Notes on the Diocese of Nouna

On 14 May 2000, it was made public that Pope John Paul II has created (14 April 2000) the new diocese of Nouna (Burkina Faso) with territory taken from the diocese of Nouna-Dedougou - which at the same time changes its name to Dedougou - making it suffragan of the Metropolitan Church of Ouagadougou.

The diocese of Nouna-Dedougou was created with the division of the Bobo-Dioulasso (1955). At first it was called Nouna. But after the See was moved to Dedougou in 1969 it took the name of Nouna-Dedougou in 1975. Extending over 7 civil provinces of Burkina Faso the diocese had an area of 42,000 sq km.

The new diocese of Nouna will include the west part of the Nouna-Dedougou diocese in the civil province of Kossi, which is the north-east of the country, on the borders with Côte d'Ivoire and Mali. The town of Nouna is the capital of the Kossi region and will become the See of the new diocese and Our Lady of Perpetual Succor parish church, until now Cathedral of Nouna-Dedougou, will remain the Cathedral of the new Nouna diocese.

The new diocese was created to improve access to the territory and a massive influx of migrants due to concrete hopes of work. Nouna is becoming a cross–roads of races and cultures, as well as commercial activity.

Statistics:

Nouna-Dedougou (before)
Nouna)
Dedougou (today)

Area

42,000 sq km)
15,000 sq km)
27,000 sq km

Population

1,410,000)
400,000)
1,010,000

Catholics

110,000)
40,000)
70,000

Parishes

14)
4 + 4 quasi)
10

Priests (diocesan)

51)
14)
37

Priests (religious)

14)
9)
5

Sisters

78)
24)
54

Major Seminarians

49)
20)
29

NB. The mother diocese will now be called Dedougou, not Nouna-Dedougou

(www.fides.org 19/5/2000)

- CT