Joseph Sweens

Joseph Francis Marie Sweens (22 March 1858 – 12 April 1950), was a Dutch Roman Catholic missionary bishop who served as the Vicar Apostolic of South Nyanza in German East Africa, later in the British-administered Tanganyika Territory, now Tanzania.

He returned to Europe to participate in the society's general chapter in 1906, and was named superior of the Boxtel training school for missionaries in the Netherlands.

Hirth returned to his old residence at Kashozi, leaving Sweens to live at the seminary of Rubya.

[5] On 12 December 1912 Sweens succeeded Hirth as vicar apostolic of South Nyanza.

On 15 January 1915 the territory was renamed the Vicariate Apostolic of Victoria-Nyanza[3] (now the Archdiocese of Mwanza).

Sweens was constantly traveling between the vicariate missions, and delegated all authority to the teachers at the seminary.

Eventually an inquiry was launched that resulted in dividing the vicariate and dissolving the major seminary.