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In his new position Lefebvre was responsible for the Catholic Church in the part of Senegal north of [[Gambia]].{{fact}} There were only 50,000 Catholics in a population of 3.5 million (including 3 million [[Muslim]]s and approximately 450,000 [[Animism|animists]]).<ref>''Out of three and half million inhabitants there were three million muslims, around 50,000 Catholics and the rest were animists.'' [http://www.sspxafrica.com/documents/2002_September/Monsignor_Lefebvre_in_his_own_words.htm Monsignor Lefebvre in his own words]</ref> Lefebvre was regarded as successful,<ref>''The official journal of the Vatican, "L’Osservatore Romano" (French edition, July 1976) recalls that "in 1947, a young missionary bishop, Mgr. Lefebvre, gave a new life to the work of the Church with the opening of new centers of Catholicism... his creative work left in Africa a profound mark."'' [http://www.sspx.co.uk/articles.php?articleid=142 His Grace Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (1905-1991) A short biography by one of his priests] by Father Ramón Anglés</ref> increasing the number of priests,<ref>''There was an extraordinary expansion of the missions, quite extraordinary! They built seminaries, ordained priests. Many religious Congregations came and, because they had priests, could send missionaries.'' [http://www.sspxafrica.com/documents/2003_January/Monsignor_Lefebvre_in_his_own_words.htm Monsignor Lefebvre in his own words]</ref>
On [[September 22]] [[1948]] Lefebvre, while continuing as Vicar Apostolic of Dakar,<ref>[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/blefebvre.html Archbishop Marcel-François Lefebvre, C.S.Sp. †]</ref> received additional responsibilities: Pope Pius XII appointed him [[Apostolic Delegate]] to [[French colonial empires|French Africa]].<ref>[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dxxsn.html Nunciature to Sénégal]</ref> In this capacity he was the papal representative to the Church authorities<ref>''A papal representative who in the territory assigned to him has the power and duty of watching over the status of the Church and of keeping the Roman pontiff informed regarding the same.'' [http://www.catholic-forum.com/Saints/ncd00678.htm Apostolic Delegate], from the New Catholic Dictionary</ref> in 46 dioceses<ref>''You can imagine, I was always on the road; visiting dioceses, getting the bishops together - 46 dioceses was quite a lot - and they were spread out: Madagascar, Reunion Island, [[Djibouti]], [[Morocco]], the whole of [[French equatorial Africa]], the whole of [[French West Africa]], [[Cameroon]].'' [http://www.sspxafrica.com/documents/2002_November/Monsignor_Lefebvre_in_his_own_words.htm Monsignor Lefebvre in his own words]</ref> "in continental and insular Africa subject to the French Government, with the addition of the [[Diocese of Reunion]], the whole of the island of [[Madagascar]] and the other neighbouring islands under French rule, but excluding the dioceses of North Africa, namely those of [[Carthage]], [[Constantine, Algeria|Constantine]], [[Algiers]] and [[Oran]]."<ref>Antonio G. Filipazzi: ''Rappresentanze e Rappresentanti Pontifici dalla seconda metà del XX secolo'' (ISBN 88-209-7845-8), p. X</ref> With this new responsibiity, it was appropriate that he have the title of archbishop;{{fact}} he was accordingly given the titular archepiscopal see of [[Arcadiopolis in Europa]].<ref>[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/d3a68.html Arcadiopolis in Europa (Titular See)].</ref>
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