Diego Ramón Sarrió Cucarella is the 105th Missionary of Africa appointed bishop (this number excludes the Founder). The first one was Léon Livinhac. He was appointed Apostolic Vicar of Victoria-Nyanza, Uganda and Titular Bishop of Pacandus on 15 June 1883 at the age of 36. He was ordained Titular Bishop of Pacandus on 14 Sep 1884. It took him more than a year before he could be ordained because of the journey from Uganda to North Africa and also because he requested six months of spiritual retreat (“a second novitiate” – his own words) before being ordained bishop.
With Livinhac, 104 Missionaries of Africa have been appointed and ordained bishops: 12 from Belgium; 2 from Burkina Faso; 1 from Burundi; 17 from Canada; 4 from the Democratic Republic of Congo; 43 from France (Livinhac included); 3 from Germany; 2 from Ghana; 1 from Malawi; 1 from Mozambique; 7 from the Netherlands; 3 from Switzerland; 1 from Uganda; 6 from the United Kingdom and 1 from the United States of America. Diego is the first Missionary of Africa from Spain appointed bishop. Among those 104 bishops, 16 were appointed archbishops and 3 were created cardinals.
The diocese entrusted to Diego is Laghouat in Algeria. The diocese occupies an area of 2 million sq. kilometres (2,107,708 km²). It is almost 7 times Italy and almost 4 times France. We do not know the number of Catholics. We should be cautious with the statistics found online. The missionaries present in the diocese are the only ones who really know the number of Catholics they see and meet.
The diocese has its origin from the time of Lavigerie. At the request and insistence of the Founder, the Holy See accepted to create the Apostolic Prefecture of the Sahara and Sudan on 6 august 1868. The Jesuits were the first to settle in Laghouat. The Missionaries of Africa replaced them in 1872 and they expanded the mission to Biskra, Ouargla, Touggart and Gerryville. From there they made an unsuccessful attempt to reach Timbuktu.
The Apostolic Prefecture became the Apostolic Vicariate of the Sahara and Sudan on 6 March 1891 under the care of Cardinal Lavigerie. On 19 July 1901, the Vicariate was split into two: the Apostolic Prefecture of Ghardaia (in Algeria) and the Apostolic Prefecture of French Sudan (Mali).
Therefore, the diocese of Laghouat was erected as the Apostolic Prefecture of Ghardaia on 19 July 1901. Its name changed on 10 January 1921 to “Apostolic Prefecture of Ghardaia in the Sahara (Ghardaiensis in Sahara).” On 10 June 1948 it became the Apostolic Vicariate of Gharadia in the Sahara. It was promoted to the Diocese of Laghouat on 14 September 1955.
From 1901 to 1948, the diocese was served by 6 priests, none of whom was ever ordained bishop. They were rather “Apostolic Prefects ” of Ghardaia. From 1948, the diocese was served by ordained bishops. Diego is the 6th appointed bishop. Interestingly, from 1901, all the ordinaries (6 prefects, 5 bishops and 1 apostolic administrator) were Missionaries of Africa.
It does not mean that the diocese belongs to us. It does not belong to any ecclesiastical province. The diocese is immediately subject to the Holy See and it depends on the Dicastery for Evangelisation. Nevertheless, the appointment of Diego reveals the intention of the Holy See to entrust the pastoral care of the diocese to the Society of the Missionaries of Africa. The acceptance of Diego shows the willingness of the Society to keep such a historical mission since 1868 (and 1901).
By: The historical research team of the Society of the Missionaries of Africa.