Catholic Church

in

Republic of Sierra Leone (Sierra Leone)

Sierra Leone

Also known as: Sierra Leona (español), la Sierra Leone (français), Sierra Leone (Deutsch, Italiano, polski), Serra Leoa (PortuguĂȘs), ćĄžæ‹‰ćˆ©æ˜‚ (æ­Łé«”äž­æ–‡), ă‚·ă‚šăƒ©ăƒŹă‚Șネ (æ—„æœŹèȘž), Mons Leoninus (latine)

By Type (5)

Metropolitan Sees (Archdioceses) Metr. Archdiocese (1)

Episcopal Sees (Dioceses) Diocese (4)


By Rite

Roman Rite (4): Bo, Freetown, Kenema, Makeni

Maronite Church (1): Annunciation of Ibadan


by Type | by Name | by Ecclesiastical Province
Changes in Dioceses | Vacant Dioceses | Former Dioceses


Apostolic Nunciature: Sierra Leone Archbishop Walter ErbĂŹ (58)

Conference of Bishops: Inter-territorial Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Gambia and Sierra Leone (ITCABIC) Bishop Gabriel Mendy, C.S.Sp. (58)

International Meeting of Bishops’ Conferences: Symposium des ConfĂ©rences Episcopales d’Afrique et de Madagascar (S.C.E.A.M.) Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, O.F.M. Cap. (66)

International Meeting of Bishops’ Conferences: Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (R.E.C.O.W.A.) Bishop Youlo Alexis Touabli (66)

BishopsBishops

By Age

By Name

By Precedence

Jubilarians

Recent Events

Special Churches

Cathedrals Cathedrals (4)

Celebrations

Saints: 1 Blessed

Documents Text


Geography

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Capital: Freetown

Area: 71,620 kmÂČ

Population: 6,163,195

Neighbouring Countries: ↑ Guinea Guinea, → Liberia Liberia

Cultural Summary

Religions: Muslim 78.6%, Christian 20.8%, other 0.3%, unspecified 0.2%

Languages: English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)

Ethnic Groups: Temne 35.5%, Mende 33.2%, Limba 6.4%, Kono 4.4%, Fullah 3.4%, Loko 2.9%, Koranko 2.8%, Sherbro 2.6%, Mandingo 2.4%, Creole 1.2% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century; also known as Krio), other Sierra Leone 4.7%, other foreign 0.3% (includes refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, and small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians), unspecified 0.2%

Motto: Unity, freedom, justice (English)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 71,740 kmÂČ

Catholic Population: 345,000 Catholics (4.2% of 8,298,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 71 parishes, 322 mission stations (1 with resident priest, 321 without resident priest), 121 other centres

Clergy: 6 bishops (3 diocesan, 3 titular), 189 priests (112 diocesan, 77 religious)

Non-Clergy: 152 religious (41 brothers, 111 sisters), 65 major seminarians, 578 catechists

Population

Pastoral Centres

Bishops

Priests

Deacons

Consecrated Persons (Not Ordained)

Seminarians

Lay Missionaries

Catechists

Last updated on 2026.03.01

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