First incumbent Francis Walmsley | ||
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Cathedral Cathedral of St Michael and St George, Aldershot Formation Military bishopric in 1917,
Military vicariate in 1953,
Military ordinariate in 1986 Website www.rcbishopricforces.org.uk | ||
The Bishopric of the Forces (in Great Britain) is the Latin Church Catholic military ordinariate (pseudo-diocese) which provides chaplains to the British Armed Forces based in Great Britain (UK minus Northern Ireland) and their overseas postings.
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It is exempt, i.e. directly subject to the Holy See (not part of any ecclesiastical province) and its Roman Congregation for Bishops. The chaplains are drawn from the dioceses of England, Wales and Scotland, and from some religious institutes. Chaplains have spiritual and pastoral care of military personnel and their families.
There is sometimes confusion between the holder of this Catholic post and the Anglican "Bishop to the Forces": for this reason the former is normally referred to as "the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Forces".
Offices and statistics
The Bishopric of the Forces (the Catholic Military Ordinariate for Britain) has been a vacant see (sede vacante) since 2015. The Chancellor of the Bishopric of the Forces is Father Stephen Sharkey, and the Administrator until the appointment of a bishop, is Fr Michael Fava.
The diocesan office and the episcopal see, the Cathedral of St Michael and St George (dedicated to traditional patron saints of chivalry and military), are located on Queens Avenue, Aldershot, Hampshire, England.
As per 2014 it has 25 priests (23 diocesan, 2 religious), 2 deacons and 2 lay religious brothers.
History
From 1917, individual titular bishops were appointed, twice, as Roman Catholic Bishops of the Forces.
On 1953.11.21, a permanent Military Vicariate of Great Britain was established, still always held by titular bishops.
On 1986.07.21, it was 'promoted' as Military Ordinariate of (Bishopric of the Forces in) Great Britain, which can either by held by a British diocesan bishop or (as so far) a full-time titular bishop.