Roman Catholic Diocese of Tonga
Located on the island nation of Tonga Tonga diocese (Latin: Dioecesis Tonganus ) was established on 23 August 1842 as Apostolic Vicariate Zentralozeanien from the Apostolic Vicariate Westozeanien out and included Tonga, New Caledonia, Samoa, Wallis and Futuna and Fiji.
On April 13, 1937, the name was changed to Vicariate Apostolic of the island of Tonga. In 1950 it counted 6,388 Catholics (20%) with three diocesan priests, 9 religious priests and 38 nuns.
Once again changed its name on March 22, 1957, now in Apostolic Vicariate of the island of Tonga and Niue, was charged on June 21, 1966 Diocese. To date, the diocese is a mission area of the Marist Fathers, who provided the majority of the priests until the 1980s. Since the 1970s, one can speak of a largely completed development of the mission area, which included 14,488 Catholics in 1970 (15.6%) in 13 parishes with six diocesan priests, 21 religious priests and 82 nuns.
Even 30 years later, because not much had changed. Only the weight between secular and regular priests had shifted, it was 2004, but 17 diocesan priests, 9 religious priests and 75 nuns in 11 parishes with 15,799 Catholics (16.1%).
There is of an increase of vocations to the priesthood in the diocese, but increases their number from year to year.