Military ordinariate

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A military ordinariate is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction responsible for the pastoral care of Christians serving in the armed forces of a nation.

Most military ordinariates are exempt diocesan equivalents of the Roman Catholic Church, both Latin and Eastern Rites, directly subject to the Pope. Each is headed by a prelate, usually a titular bishop or a diocesan bishop of the nation concerned who delegates the daily functions to a lower cleric.

In many cases, a military ordinariate has a rank of an apostolic vicariate. In nations with wider military reach, the military ordinariate has the rank of a diocese, but unlike a regular diocese it does not have authority over the faithful in a territorial jurisdiction. Only ordinariates serving the armed forces of Brazil, Italy, and the United States have been granted the status of an archdiocese, led by an archbishop overseeing a corps of several bishops serving around the world.

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

Contents

[edit] List of Catholic military ordinariates (April 2006)

[edit] European ordinariates

  • Austria: Latin rite Katholische Militärseelsorge 'Catholic Military Pastoral' since 1959; exempt
  • Belgium: Latin Bisdom bij de Krijgsmacht 'bishopric with the armed forces' (since 1957; vested in the Archbishop of Mechelen and Primate of Belgium)
  • Croatia: Latin Vojni ordinarijat u Republici Hrvatskoj (since 1997; exempt)
  • France: Latin Diocèse aux Armées Françaises 'Diocese of the French Armies' (since 1952)
  • Germany: Latin Katholisches Militärbischofsamt 'Catholic Military Bishopric' (since 1933)
  • Hungary : Latin Tábori Püspökség (exemp bishop; since 1994)
  • Italy: Latin Archbishop Military Ordinariate of Italy (since 1925), no auxiliary bishop
  • Lithuania : Latin (since 2000)
  • Netherlands : Latin Apostolic administrator, exempt (since 1957)
  • Poland : Latin Ordynariat Polowy Wojska Polskiego (since 1991)
  • Portugal : Latin Ordinariato Castrense de Portugal 'Army bishopric' (since 1966; exempt, formerly had an auxiliary bishop)
  • Slovakia : Latin Vojenský ordinariát (since 2003; exempt)
  • Spain: Latin Arzobispado Castrense de España (since 1950; no auxiliary bishop)
  • United Kingdom: Latin Bishopric of the Forces (since 1953, cathedral based in Aldershot, Hants)

[edit] former military ordinariate

(abolished?never) Romania: Military Ordinariate of Romania

[edit] Other ordinariates

[edit] Sources and references