Roman Catholic Diocese of Banja Luka

Updated on Nov 14, 2023

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Parishes 48 Rite Roman Rite Area 16,457 km² Patron saint Bonaventure Bishop Franjo Komarica		Denomination Roman Catholic Established July 5, 1881 Country Bosnia and Herzegovina Auxiliary bishop Marko Semren

Deaneries Banja Luka Livno Jajce Bihać Prnjavor Bosanska Gradiška Population - Total - Catholics (as of 2012) 550,350 36,520 (6.6%) Cathedral Cathedral of Saint Bonaventure, Banja Luka Ecclesiastical province Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sarajevo

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Banja Luka (Serbo-Croatian: Banjalučka biskupija, Latin: Dioecesis Bania Lucensisis) a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in western Bosnia. The diocese is centred in the city of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Erected on July 5, 1881, the diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna, as the Diocese of Banjaluka. In 1985, the name of the diocese was split to the current diocese of Banja Luka.

The original Cathedral of Saint Bonaventure in the city was built in 1887. However, an earthquake in 1969 levelled the church. Banja Luka's current cathedral was built in 1974. Currently, Bishop Franjo Komarica is head of the diocese. On Thursday, July 15, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Father Marko Semren, O.F.M., guardian of the Franciscan convent of Gorica-Livno and professor of the Franciscan Theological Institute of Sarajevo, as auxiliary bishop of Banja Luka to Bishop Komarica.

The city of Banja Luka, and much of the territory that the diocese covers contains an Orthodox Christian majority. The Bosnian War greatly affected the diocese. Virtually all of the churches in the bishopric sustained some damage, and many were destroyed. Many Catholics were expelled from the region or fled, leaving only a fraction remaining. Bishop Komarica has been urging people to return, to mixed results.

Demographics

Diocese of Banja Luka has a population of 550,300. As of 2012, 35,428 (6.44% of the population) are Roman Catholics.

Historical Roman Catholic population

The historical Roman Catholic population is given in the following chart:

Parish churches

This is a list of Parish churches by deanery:

Deanery of Banja Luka

Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Banja Luka

St. Vitus's Church, Barlovci

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ivanjska

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Banja Luka

Saints Peter and Paul Church, Motike

Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Banja Luka

Church of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Presnače

Saints Peter and Paul Church, Šimići

Saint Joseph's Church, Trn

Deanery of Bihać

Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Bihać

Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Bosanska Dubica

Saint Joseph's Church, Bosanska Gradiška

Holy Trinity Church, Novi Grad

Saint Joseph's Church, Drvar

Church of Saint Leopold Mandić, Ljubija

Saint Joseph's Church, Prijedor

Saint John the Baptist Church, Ravska

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sanski Most

Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sasina

Church of Saint Anthony the Hermit, Majdan

Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Stratinska

Sacred Heart Church, Šurkovac

Deanery of Bosanska Gradiška

Church of Saint Roch, Gradiška

Saint John the Baptist Church, Bosanski Aleksandrovac

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Dolina

St. Francis' Church, Mahovljani

Saint Joseph's Church, Nova Topola

Deanery of Jajce

Church of the Assumption, Jajce

Saints Philip and James Church, Mrkonjić Grad

Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ključ

Church of Saint Elias, Liskovica

Deanery of Livno

Church of Saint Elias, Glamoč

All Saints Church, Livno

Immaculate Conception Church (Vidoši)

Saints Peter and Paul Church, Livno

Saint John the Baptist Church, Livno

St. Michael's Church, Livno

St. Francis' Church, Bila

Church of Saint Elias, Bosansko Grahovo

Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Čuklić

Saint Joseph's Church, Lištani

Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ljubunčić

Deanery of Prnjavor

Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Prnjavor

Church of Saint Leopold Mandić, Dragalovci

Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Kotor Varoš

Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Kulaši

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sokoline

St. Francis' Church, Vrbanjci

Religious orders

The Diocese of Banja Luka is home to a small number of religious orders and congregations. While there are not as many today in 2013 as there were in 1950, they still make up a large population of the diocese.

In 1950, there were 71 religious priests, 4 male religious, 310 nuns and sisters ministering in the Diocese.

As of 2013, 47 priests of religious orders, 92 religious sisters and nuns minister in the diocese.

Male Religious Orders Currently in the Diocese

Franciscan Friars of Bosna Srebrena

Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists)

Carmelites

Female Religious Orders Currently in the Diocese

Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul

Servants of the Infant Jesus (Province of Split), established by Josip Stadler, archbishop of Vrhbosna

School Sisters of St. Francis (Bosnian-Croatian Province of Immaculate Heart of Mary)

Adorers of the Blood of Christ

Missionaries of Charity

Saints, Blesseds & Venerables of Banja Luka

Blessed Ivan Merz – Bosnian-Croatian lay academic, beatified by Pope John Paul II on a visit at Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 23, 2003. Ivan Merz promoted the liturgical movement in Croatia and together with Ivo Protulipac created a movement for the young people, “The Croatian union of the Eagles” (“Hrvatski orlovski savez)”, inspired by the “Eucharistic Crusade,” which he had encountered in France.

References

Roman Catholic Diocese of Banja Luka Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

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