Military Ordinariate of Peru

The Military Bishopric of Peru (Spanish: Obispado Castrense del Perú) is a military ordinariate of the Roman Catholic Church. Immediately subject to the Holy See, it provides pastoral care to Roman Catholics serving in the Peruvian Armed Forces and their families.

The Military Ordinariate is currently a vacant see (sede vacante) following the Saturday, July 20, 2013 acceptance by Pope Francis of the resignation of Bishop Guillermo Martín Abanto Guzmán, who had just been appointed by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on October 30, 2012.^[1] However, Pope Francis appointed the Bishop Prelate of the Territorial Prelature of Caravelí, Bishop Juan Carlos Vera Plasencia, MSC, as Bishop-designate for the Military Ordinariate of Peru on Wednesday, July 16, 2014. The Bishop will be installed as Military Ordinary at a later date.

History

It was established as a military vicariate on 15 May 1943, but the first military vicar was not appointed until 13 January 1945. It was elevated to a military ordinariate on 21 July 1986.

Office holders

Military vicars

• Juan Gualberto Guevara (appointed 13 January 1945 – died 27 November 1954)
• Carlos Maria Jurgens Byrne, C.SS.R. (appointed 7 February 1954 – translated to the Archdiocese of Cuzco 17 December 1956)
• Felipe Santiago Hermosa y Sarmiento (appointed 17 December 1956 – retired 1967)
• Alcides Mendoza Castro (appointed 12 August 1967 – translated to the Archdiocese of Cuzco 5 October 1983)
• Eduardo Picher Peña (appointed 14 June 1984 – became military ordinary 21 July 1986)

Military ordinaries

• Eduardo Picher Peña (appointed 21 July 1986 – retired 6 February 1996)
• Héctor Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte, O.F.M. (appointed 6 February 1996 – translated to the Archdiocese of Trujillo 29 July 1999)
• Salvador Piñeiro García-Calderón (appointed 21 July 2001 – translated to the Archdiocese of Ayacucho 6 August 2011)
• Guillermo Martín Abanto Guzmán (appointed 30 October 2012 - retired July 20, 2013)
• Juan Carlos Vera Plasencia (appointed 16 July 2014 - ); Military Ordinary-designate; formerly, Bishop Prelate of the Territorial Prelature of Caravelí

References

• Military Ordinariate of Peru (Catholic-Hierarchy)
• Obispado Castrense del Perú (GCatholic.org)
• (Vatican Website)