Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Type	National polity
Classification	Catholic
Orientation	African Christianity, Latin
Scripture	Bible
Theology	Catholic theology
Governance	ECDRC
Pope	Francis
President	Marcel Utembi Tapa
Apostolic Nuncio	Ettore Balestrero
Region	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Origin	1483 Kingdom of Kongo
Members	61 million (55.8% of the DROC population[1])

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Catholicism has a major presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is part of the worldwide Catholic Church under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.

According to the 2020 Report on International Religious Freedom, an estimated 47.3% of the population are Catholic.^[2]

There are six archdioceses and 41 dioceses.^[3] The largest of these is the Archdiocese of Kinshasa; the Vicar General of Kinshasa, Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Nlandu Mayi,^[4] is an ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy For Life.

The impact of the Catholic Church in the DRC is difficult to overestimate.^[5] Schatzberg has called it the country's "only truly national institution apart from the state."^[6][5] Besides involving more than 50 percent of the population in its religious services, its schools have educated over 60 percent of the nation's primary school students and more than 40 percent of its secondary students during the 20th century.^[5] The church owns and manages an extensive network of hospitals, schools, and clinics, as well as many diocesan economic enterprises, including farms, ranches, stores, and artisans' shops.^[5]