Brief History of the Diocese
One thing I ask of the Lord. This I long to dwell in the house of the Lord,
all the days of my
life.
One thing I ask of the Lord. This I long to dwell in the house of the Lord,
all the days of my
life.
The Diocese of Umuahia was erected on June 23, 1958 with Most Rev. Anthony Gogo Nwaedo C.S.Sp. as its first Bishop and Most Rev Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji as the second Bishop. The diocese was carved out from the then Diocese of Owerri. Since its inception, two other dioceses: Okigwe (1981) and Aba (1990) have been excised from it. Its present area of about 2,460.40km2 spans six Local Government Areas: Umuahia North, Umuahia South, Ikwuano, Bende, Ohafia and Arochukwu. The diocese celebrated her Golden Jubilee in the year 2008
Date of Creation: June 23,1958.
Area of land: 2,460.40km2.
The first station and year of creation: St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Bende, 1921.
The first parish and year of establishment: St. Theresa’s Catholic parish Umuahia,1928.
The first Missionary: Rev Fr. Herbert Whytte, C.S.Sp.
The Present Catholic population: 200,153.
Priest of the Diocese 200.
Junior seminarians 446.
|
Year |
Population
|
Catholics
|
Priests
|
Brothers
|
Sisters
|
|
1958 |
1,1190,457
|
127,000
|
9
|
10
|
3
|
|
1960 |
1,500,000
|
175,610
|
11
|
12
|
6
|
|
1965 |
1,719,945
|
241,490
|
19
|
14
|
10
|
|
1970 |
|
327,032
|
19
|
14
|
10
|
|
1975 |
1,720,000 |
422,499 |
49 |
45 |
73 |
|
1980 |
2,376,000 |
530,099 |
61 |
50 |
72 |
|
|
Divided |
24th |
January |
1981 |
(Okigwe) |
|
1985 |
1,582,000 |
263,182 |
75 |
24 |
212 |
|
|
Divided |
2nd |
April |
1990 |
(Aba) |
|
1990 |
881,817
|
92,517 |
38 |
37 |
310 |
|
1995 |
882,000
|
99,57684 |
84 |
4 |
84 |
|
2000 |
884,209 |
122,000 |
103 |
4 |
150 |
|
2005 |
900,000 |
200,153 |
118 |
6 |
138 |
Date: 2024-12-30 -
There will be Umuahia Diocesan Behavioral Conference at Mater Dei Jubilee hall on Monday 30th December 2024.
The Diocese of Umuahia was erected on June 23, 1958 with Most Rev. Anthony Gogo Nwaedo C.S.Sp. as its first Bishop and Most Rev Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji as the second Bishop. The diocese was carved out from the then Diocese of Owerri. Since its inception, two other dioceses: Okigwe (1981) and Aba (1990) have been excised from it. Its present area of about 2,460.40km2 spans six Local Government Areas: Umuahia North, Umuahia South, Ikwuano, Bende, Ohafia and Arochukwu.
