There are about 3.6 million Catholics in Chad - about one fifth of the total population.[3] The country is divided into seven dioceses and an apostolic vicariate:
The Catholic missions came to Chad later than their Protestant counterparts.[4] Isolated efforts began as early as 1929 when The Holy Ghost Fathers from Bangui founded a mission at Kou, near Moundou in Logone Occidental Prefecture.[4] In 1934, in the midst of the sleeping sickness epidemic, they abandoned Kou for Doba in Logone Oriental Prefecture.[4] Other priests from Ubangi-Chari and Cameroon opened missions in Kélo and Sarh in 1935 and 1939, respectively.[4]
In 1946 these autonomous missions gave way to an institutionalized Catholic presence.[4] This late date had more to do with European politics than with events in Chad.[4] Earlier in the century, the Vatican had designated the Chad region to be part of the Italian vicarate of Khartoum.[4] Rather than risk the implantation of Italian missionaries during the era of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, the French administration discouraged all Catholic missionary activity.[4] For its part, the Vatican adopted the same tactic, not wishing to upset the Italian regime by transferring jurisdiction of the Chad region to the French.[4] As a consequence of their defeat in World War II, however, the Italians lost their African colonies.[4] This loss cleared the way for a French Catholic presence in Chad, which a decree from Rome formalized on March 22, 1946.[4]
This decree set up three religious jurisdictions that eventually became four bishoprics.[4] The first, administered by the Jesuits, had its seat in N'Djamena.[4] Although its jurisdiction included the eight prefectures in the northern and eastern parts of the country, almost all the Catholics in sahelian and Saharan Chad lived in the capital.[4] The diocese of N'Djamena also served as the archdiocese of all Chad.[4] The second bishopric, at Sarh, also was delegated to the Jesuits.[4] Its region included Salamat and Moyen-Chari prefectures.[4] The third and fourth jurisdictions had their headquarters in Pala and Moundou and were delegated to the Oblats de Marie and Capuchin orders.[4] The Pala bishopric served Mayo-Kebbi Prefecture, while the bishopric of Moundou was responsible for missions in Logone Occidental and Logone Oriental prefectures.[4] By far the most important jurisdiction in 1970, Pala included 116,000 of Chad's 160,000 Catholics.[4]
The relatively slow progress of the Catholic Church in Chad has several causes.[4] Although the Catholic Church has been much more open to local cultures than Protestantism, the doctrine of celibacy probably has deterred candidates for the priesthood.[4] Insistence on monogamy also has undoubtedly made the faith less attractive to some potential converts, particularly wealthy older men able to afford more than one wife.[4]
The social works of the Catholic Church have made it an important institution in Chad.[4] Like their Protestant counterparts, the Catholic missions have a history of social service.[4] In the 1970s, along with priests, the staffs of most establishments included brothers and nuns who worked in the areas of health, education, and development.[4] Many of the nuns were trained medical professionals who served on the staffs of government hospitals and clinics.[4] It was estimated that 20,000 Chadians attended Catholic schools in 1980.[4] Adult literacy classes also reached beyond the traditional school-aged population.[4] In the area of development, as early as the 1950s Catholic missions in southern Chad set up rural development centers whose clientele included non-Christians as well as Christians.[4]