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 are exempt (arch)diocesan branches 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 (arch)bishop of the nation concerned who delegates the daily 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(n) (arch)diocese, but unlike a regular one it does not have authority over the faithful in a territorial jurisdiction. Outside of Italy, only the armed forces of Spain and the United States (by Pope Pius XII) have been granted the special rank of 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.

1 List of Catholic military ordinariates (April 2006)
2 Sources and references

[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

Argentina: Military Ordinariate of Argentina 'Army bishorpic' (since 1957; vicariate till 1986)
Australia: Australian Catholic Defence Diocese (since 1969)
Bolivia: Obispado Castrense de Bolivia 'Army bishorpic' (since 1961)
Brazil: Ordinariado Militar do Brasil (since 1950)
Canada: Military Ordinariate of Canada (since 1951)
Chile: Obispado Castrense de Chile 'Army bishorpic' (since 1910)
Colombia: Obispado Castrense de Colombia 'Army bishorpic' (since 1949)
Dominican Republic : since 1958; exempt
Ecuador: Obispado Castrense del Ecuador (since 1983)
El Salvador: Obispado Castrense en El Salvador Apostolic Administration; exempt
Indonesia : Military Ordinariate of Indonesia (since 1949)
Kenya: Military Ordinariate of Kenya (since 1964)
New Zealand (since 1976; exempt) vested in the Metropolitan of Wellington
Paraguay: Obispado Castrense del Paraguay (since 1961)
Peru: Obispado Castrense del Perú (since 1943)
Philippines: Military Ordinariate of the Philippines (since 1950)
South Africa: Military Ordinariate of South Africa (since 1951; exempt) vested in the Archishop of Pratoria
South Korea: Military Ordinariate of Korea (exempt bishop; since 1983)
Uganda: Military Ordinariate of Uganda (since 1964) vested in a Metropolitan
United States: Archdiocese for the Military Services with three Auxiliary Bishops
Venezuela: Ordinariato Militar de Venezuela 'Military Ordinariate of Venezuela' (exempt; since 1995)