Chronology of Catholic Dioceses:Notes on the Diocese of Bambari, 1965 (1970)

Between the sources usually consulted, there is an inconsistency regarding the date of erection of the Diocese of Bambari in the Central African Republic.

The 1965 date given in this chronology, more exactly 18 December 1965, is that of the apostolic constitution erecting the Diocese of Bambari and was published in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis in 1966. When a document is published in the AAS, it is considered official.

In 1967 Mr. Charles N. Bransom wrote to the then Archbishop of Bangui, Joseph Cucherousset, C.S.Sp., to ask why Bambari was not in the AP. He replied that the constitution was published in error. However, once published, it is official, so the date of 1965 is correct. The announcement of the new diocese was not made until 1970.

This means that no change was apparent to the local church until 1970.

-CT (information from Mr. Charles N. Bransom, jr.)