1 FACTS Almost 1,000,000 ABOUT Catholics in The Apostolic Vicariate of Southern the Vicariate Arabia (AVOSA) is a territorial 2 4 jurisdiction of the Catholic Church parish covering the countries of United Arab 17churches 3 67 Emirates, Oman and Yemen. 9 in UAE, 4 in Oman priests The present Apostolic Vicar is Bishop and 4 in Yemen schools 1 (non-operational) 2 in Abu Dhabi deacon Paul Hinder OFM Cap. who hails 3 in Dubai 3 in Sharjah from Switzerland. 1 in Fujairah The office of the Apostolic Vicar is 9 based in St. Joseph’s Cathedral in 50 nuns Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. A BRIEF HISTORY N S The Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia was divided into two the Vicariates of Northern Arabia and Southern Arabia. The first Vicariate in Arabia was With the Ius Commissionis, the responsibility to find established as the Apostolic Vicariate mission personnel for Northern and Southern Vicariates of Aden by Pope eo III to tend to The Vicariate was entrusted to the Capuchins was given to the General Superior of the Capuchin the care of the Catholics in the region. of the Tuscan Province in Florence, Italy. Franciscan Order. 1888 1916 2011 1889 1974 The name of the Vicariate was changed to the The seat of the Bishop was moved to Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia and covered the Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. whole Arabian Peninsula Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, atar, UAE and Yemen. HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVES Soon after the Vicariate took shape, the region had its first schools in the busy port of Aden. Humanitarian initiatives for the destitute and suffering including leprosariums and homes for the aged (some of which still continue to this day) OFFICES AND STAFF Headquartered in Abu Dhabi with administrative offices for dealing with pastoral, liturgical, ministerial, catechetical and canonical matters UPCOMING PROJECTS New Catholic School in Ras Al Khaimah New Church in Ruwais.