Paul Eusebius Mea Kaiuea
Encyclopedia
Paul Eusebius Mea Kaiuea (born 16 December 1939) has been the Roman Catholic bishop
of the Diocese of Tarawa and Nauru
since 1978. Kaiuea was born in Kiribati
and was ordained a priest
in 1969. In 1978 he succeeded French
-born Pierre-Auguste-Antoine-Marie Guichet as the bishop of the diocese when it encompassed all of Kiribati, Nauru
, and Tuvalu
. In 1982, Tuvalu was removed from the jurisdiction of the diocese.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Diocese of Tarawa and Nauru
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tarawa and Nauru
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tarawa and Nauru in Kiribati is a suffragan diocese of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Suva. It was erected as the Vicariate Apostolic of Gilbert Islands in 1897 and elevated to as the Diocese of Tarawa diocese in 1966. There was a name change in 1978 and, in 1982,...
since 1978. Kaiuea was born in Kiribati
Kiribati
Kiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population exceeds just over 100,000 , and is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, straddling the...
and was ordained a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in 1969. In 1978 he succeeded French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-born Pierre-Auguste-Antoine-Marie Guichet as the bishop of the diocese when it encompassed all of Kiribati, Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
, and Tuvalu
Tuvalu
Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
. In 1982, Tuvalu was removed from the jurisdiction of the diocese.