About

A Brief History about the Catholic Diocese of Livingstone

Map-Diocese of Livingstone

The present Catholic Diocese of Livingstone was a part of the Zambezi Mission of Northern Rhodesia and then subsequently part of the Prefecture Apostolic of Broken Hill now Kabwe, under the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Later Irish Capuchin Fathers arrived in 1931 and took responsibility of this area. On 25th May, 1936 Livingstone became a Prefecture Apostolic with Killian Flynn as its Prefect Apostolic and on 10th March, 1950 it became Vicariate Apostolic. Bishop O’Shea Capuchin was the first Vicar Apostolic. Then on 25th April 1950, Livingstone became a Diocese, Mgr O’Shea became its first Bishop. On 18th November 1974 Bishop O’Shea retired and Bishop Adrian Mung’andu was appointed Bishop of Livingstone. On 9th January, 1984 Bishop Mung’andu was transferred to Lusaka as its Archbishop and  Bishop (The Rev. Raymond Mpezele) was then appointed and ordained in 1985. On 18th June 2016 Very. Rev Fr. Valentine Kalumba, OMI was appointed by Pope Francis as Bishop of Livingstone. His Episcopal Consecration was on Saturday, 3rd September 2016 at Maramba Parish (Christ the King) – Libuyu Compound, Livingstone, Zambia.

The Diocese was originally registered on 6th February 1934 in the name of the “Registered Trustees of the Irish Capuchin Mission” but later changed to “The Catholic Diocese of Livingstone Registered Trustees”. It is a corporate body established under the Land (Perpetual Succession) Act CAP 186 and also registered under the Societies Act CAP 119 of the Law of Zambia. The Diocese is part of the hierarchical structure of the universal “Roman Catholic Church” whose head quarters is the Vatican, in Rome.