Military ordinariate

A military ordinariate is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Catholic Church, of the Latin or an Eastern church, responsible for the pastoral care of Catholics serving in the armed forces of a nation.

Until 1986, they were called "military vicariates" and had a status similar to that of apostolic vicariates, which are headed by a bishop who receives his authority by delegation from the Pope. The apostolic constitution Spirituali militum curae[1] of 21 April 1986 raised their status, declaring that the bishop who heads one of them is an "ordinary", holding authority by virtue of his office, and not by delegation from another person in authority.[2] It likened the military vicariates to dioceses.[3] Each of them is headed by a bishop, who may have the personal rank of archbishop. If the bishop is a diocesan rather than a titular bishop, he is likely to delegate the daily functions to an auxiliary bishop or a lower cleric.

Some nations have military ordinariates of the Anglican Communion, Lutheranism, and Eastern Orthodoxy.[4]

The personal ordinariates for Anglicans entering the Catholic Church announced on 20 October 2009 are similar in some ways to the existing military ordinariates.[5] But the jurisdiction of military ordinariates is cumulative to that of the diocesan bishops.[6]

List of Catholic military ordinariates

CountryMilitary OrdinariateNotes
Africa
 KenyaMilitary Ordinariate of Kenyacreated military vicariate and first military vicar appointment 20 January 1964; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 South AfricaMilitary Ordinariate of the South African Defence Forcecreated military vicariate and first military vicar appointment 17 May 1951; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986; it is vested in the Archbishop of Pretoria
 UgandaMilitary Ordinariate of Ugandacreated military vicariate and first military vicar appointment 20 January 1964; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986; vested in a Metropolitan
Americas
 ArgentinaMilitary Ordinariate of Argentinacreated military vicariate 8 July 1957; first military vicar appointment in 1957; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 BoliviaMilitary Ordinariate of Boliviacreated military vicariate 19 March 1961; first appointment military vicar 26 July 1961; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 BrazilMilitary Ordinariate of Brazilcreated military vicariate and first military vicar appointment 6 November 1950; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 CanadaMilitary Ordinariate of Canadafirst military bishop appointment 20 September 1939; created military vicariate 17 February 1951; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 ChileMilitary Ordinariate of Chilecreated military vicariate 3 May 1910; first military vicar appointment 27 May 1910; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 ColombiaMilitary Ordinariate of Colombiacreated military vicariate 13 October 1949; first military vicar appointment 14 July 1950; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 Dominican RepublicMilitary Ordinariate of Dominican Republiccreated military vicariate 23 January 1958; first military vicar appointment 1958; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 EcuadorMilitary Ordinariate of Ecuadorcreated military vicariate 30 March 1983; first military vicar appointment 5 August 1983; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 El SalvadorMilitary Ordinariate of El Salvadorcreated military vicariate 25 March 1968; first military vicar appointment 4 November 1968; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 ParaguayMilitary Ordinariate of Paraguaycreated military vicariate 20 December 1961; first military vicar appointment 7 December 1965; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 PeruMilitary Ordinariate of Perucreated military vicariate 15 May 1943; first military vicar appointment 13 January 1945; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 United StatesArchdiocese for the Military Services, USAfirst military bishop appointment 24 November 1917; created military vicariate in November 1939; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986; headed by an archbishop with three auxiliary bishops
 VenezuelaMilitary Ordinariate of Venezuelacreated military ordinariate 31 October 1995; first military ordinary appointment 11 February 1996
Asia
 IndonesiaMilitary Ordinariate of Indonesiacreated military vicariate 25 December 1949; first military vicar appointment 1949; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 PhilippinesMilitary Ordinariate of the Philippinescreated military vicariate 8 December 1950; first military vicar appointment 10 December 1951; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 South KoreaMilitary Ordinariate of South Koreacreated military vicariate and first military vicar appointment 22 November 1983; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
Europe
 AustriaMilitary Ordinariate of Austriafirst military bishop appointment in 1773; created military vicariate 21 February 1959; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 Bosnia and HerzegovinaMilitary Ordinariate of Bosnia and Herzegovinacreated military ordinariate 1 February 2011
 BelgiumMilitary Ordinariate of Belgiumcreated military vicariate 7 September 1957; first military vicar appointment in 1957; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986; vested in the Archbishop of Mechelen and Primate of Belgium
 CroatiaMilitary Ordinariate of Croatiacreated military ordinariate and first military ordinary appointment 25 April 1997
 FranceDiocese of the French Armed Forcesfirst military bishop appointment in 1949; created military vicariate 26 July 1952; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 GermanyMilitary Ordinariate of Germanyfirst military bishop appointment 22 May 1868; created military vicariate 20 July 1933; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 HungaryMilitary Ordinariate of Hungaryfirst military bishop appointment 23 March 1920; in abeyance from 1947 to 1994; created a military ordinariate 18 April 1994
 ItalyMilitary Ordinariate in Italycreated military vicariate 6 March 1925; first military vicar appointment 23 April 1929; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 IrelandDefence Forces Chaplaincy ServiceProvides pastoral care, spiritual support and guidance to all members of the Defence Forces at home and on duty overseas.
 LithuaniaMilitary Ordinariate of Lithuaniacreated military ordinariate and first military vicar appointment 25 November 2000
 NetherlandsMilitary Ordinariate of the Netherlandscreated military vicariate and first military vicar appointment 16 April 1957; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 PolandMilitary Ordinariate of Polandcreated military vicariate and first military vicar appointment 5 February 1919; suspended from 1947 to 1991; elevated to a military ordinariate 1991
 PortugalMilitary Ordinariate of Portugalcreated military vicariate 29 May 1966; first military vicar appointment 1966; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 SlovakiaMilitary Ordinariate of Slovakiacreated military ordinariate and first military vicar appointment 20 January 2003
 SloveniaMilitary Vicariate of Sloveniacreated military vicariate and first military vicar appointment 21 September 2000
 SpainMilitary Archbishopric of Spainfirst appointment military bishop 4 June 1819; created military vicariate 5 August 1950; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986; headed by an archbishop
 United KingdomBishopric of the Forces in Great Britainfirst military bishop appointment 30 October 1917; created military vicariate 21 November 1953; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
Oceania
 AustraliaCatholic Diocese of the Australian Military Servicesfirst military bishop appointment in 1912; created military vicariate 6 March 1969; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986
 New ZealandMilitary Ordinariate of New Zealandcreated military vicariate and first military vicar appointment 28 October 1976; elevated to a military ordinariate 21 July 1986; currently vested in the Metropolitan of Wellington

See also

References

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