| Bishop of the Forces | |
|---|---|
| Bishopric | |
| Catholic | |
| Incumbent: Richard Moth |
|
| Cathedral: | Cathedral Church of St. Michael and St. George |
| First Bishop: | Francis Joseph Walmsley |
| Formation: | Military bishopric in 1917, Military vicariate in 1953, Military ordinariate in 1986 |
| Website: | Bishopric of the Forces |
The Bishopric of the Forces is the Latin-rite Catholic military ordinariate which provides chaplains to the British Armed Forces across the United Kingdom and overseas.[1][2][3] The chaplains are drawn from the dioceses of England, Wales and Scotland, and from some religious orders. Chaplains have spiritual and pastoral care of military personnel and their families.
The current Bishop of the Forces is the Rt. Rev. Richard Moth, who was ordained as bishop on 29 September 2009, in succession to Rt. Rev. Thomas Matthew Burns, now Bishop of Menevia.[4]
There is sometimes confusion between the holder of this post and the "Bishop to the Forces" (who is always Anglican): for this reason the former is normally referred to as, "the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Forces".
Contents |
The diocesan office and the Cathedral Church of St. Michael and St. George are located on Queens Avenue, Aldershot, Hampshire, England.
| Roman Catholic Bishops of the Forces | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| Military bishopric [1][2][3] | |||
| 1917 | 1934 | William Keatinge | Appointed on 30 October 1917 and consecrated on 25 February 1918. Died in office on 21 February 1934.[5] |
| 1935 | 1946 | James Dey | Appointed on 13 April 1935 and consecrated on 2 June 1935. Died in office on 8 May 1946.[6] |
| 1946 | 1954 | Sede vacante | |
| Military vicariate [1][2][3] | |||
| 1954 | 1963 | David Mathew | Previously Apostolic Delegate of British East and West Africa. Appointed on 16 April 1954. Resigned on 23 March 1963 and died on 12 December 1975.[7] |
| 1963 | 1978 | Gerard William Tickle | Appointed on 12 October 1963 and consecrated on 1 December 1963. Resigned on 24 April 1978 and died on 14 December 1994.[8] |
| 1979 | 1986 | Francis Joseph Walmsley | Appointed on 8 January 1979 and consecrated on 22 February 1979. Became the first bishop of the military ordinariate on 21 July 1986.[9] |
| Military ordinariate [1][2][3] | |||
| 1986 | 2002 | Francis Joseph Walmsley | Hitherto bishop of the military vicariate. Appointed bishop of the military ordinariate on 21 July 1986. Retired on 24 May 2002.[9] |
| 2002 | 2008 | Thomas Matthew Burns, S.M. | Appointed on 24 May 2002 and consecrated on 18 June 2002. Translated to Menevia in 2008.[10] |
| 2009 | present | Charles Phillip Richard Moth | Appointed on 25 July 2009 and consecrated on 29 September 2009.[11] |
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