Chronology of Catholic Dioceses:Notes on the Diocese of Kitale, 1998

The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II has created (April 3^rd 1998) the diocese of Kitale (Kenya) with territory taken from the diocese of Eldoret, making it suffragan of the Metropolitan Church of Kisumu.

The reasons for the creation of the new diocese of Kitale with territory taken from the diocese of Eldoret, are as follows:

the territory of Eldoret is rough with very few roads. During the rainy season some parishes are isolated
to improve co-ordination of the work of evangelisation and so foster the increase and spiritual growth of believers
to offer the people of West Pokot district, semi-nomads, greater pastoral attention
the need to counter advance of new sects which cause confusion among Catholics
also to combat the advance of Islam particularly in towns.

Here are the statistics of the new diocese of Kitale and of the mother diocese, Eldoret, yesterday and today:

	Eldoret before	Kitale	Eldoret now
Area	15,635 sq km	7,233 sq km	8,402 sq km
population	2,300,000	640,000	1,660,000
Catholics	488,000	130,000	358,000
parishes	49	17	32
Priests (diocesan)	57	16	41
Priests (religious)	36	17	19
Sisters	203	72	125
Brothers	23	8	15
Major seminarians	68	24	44

The new diocese of Kitale includes two civil districts: Trans-Nzoia and West Pokot. Kitale is the largest town of the area and will also be the See of the Bishop. The church of the first parish, dedicated to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, will be the cathedral church.

The Trans-Nzoia is a fairly developed area, fertile with some roads, whereas West Pokot is arid with impervious land which cannot be cultivated. Trans-Nzoia zone has an established Christian tradition, with organised parishes and priestly and religious vocations, while the other region is still in the phase of first evangelization, but shows a promising increase in the number of Catholics and a first blooming of vocations.

Source: Fides, May 1st, 1998

- CT