Bishopric of the Forces
Encyclopedia
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. The chaplains are drawn from the dioceses of England
, Wales
and Scotland
, and from some religious order
s. 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
.
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".
and the Cathedral Church of St. Michael and St. George
are located on Queens Avenue, Aldershot
, Hampshire
, England.
Military ordinariate
A military ordinariate is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church, of Latin or Eastern Rite, responsible for the pastoral care of Catholics serving in the armed forces of a nation....
which provides chaplains
Military chaplain
A military chaplain is a chaplain who ministers to soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and other members of the military. In many countries, chaplains also minister to the family members of military personnel, to civilian noncombatants working for military organizations and to civilians within the...
to the British Armed Forces
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
across the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and overseas. The chaplains are drawn from the dioceses of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and from some religious order
Religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
s. Chaplains have spiritual and pastoral care of military personnel and their families.
The current Bishop of the Forces is the Rt. Rev. Richard Moth
Richard Moth
Charles Phillip Richard Moth is a British Roman Catholic prelate, currently serving as Bishop of the Forces. He was named as Bishop of the Forces by Pope Benedict XVI on 25 July 2009...
, who was ordained as bishop
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on 29 September 2009, in succession to Rt. Rev. Thomas Matthew Burns
Thomas Burns (bishop)
Right Reverend Thomas Matthew Burns, SM, BA, BD is a British Roman Catholic Bishop. On 16 October 2008 he was appointed as Bishop of Menevia by Pope Benedict XVI, becoming Bishop on 1 December 2008 when he took possession of his new See, on which day he ceased to be Bishop of the...
, now Bishop of Menevia
Bishop of Menevia
The Bishop of Menevia is the Ordinary of the Latin Rite Roman Catholic Diocese of Menevia in the Province of Cardiff.The Diocese of Menevia covers an area of roughly consisting of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, the City and County of Swansea and the ancient counties...
.
There is sometimes confusion between the holder of this post and the "Bishop to the Forces
Bishop to the Forces
The Anglican church in the British Armed Forces falls under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury, however for all practical purposes the function is performed by the Bishop to the Forces. His full title is "The Archbishop of Canterbury's Episcopal Representative to the Armed Forces"...
" (who is always Anglican): for this reason the former is normally referred to as, "the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Forces".
Location
The diocesan officeDiocesan chancery
A diocesan chancery is the branch of administration which handles all written documents used in the official government of a Roman Catholic or Anglican diocese....
and the Cathedral Church of St. Michael and St. George
Cathedral Church of St. Michael and St. George
Cathedral Church of St Michael and St George serves as the Roman Catholic cathedral for the Bishopric of the Forces. It is located in Aldershot, England. The church was designed in 1892 by two military engineers and, because the building was originally intended as the principal church for the...
are located on Queens Avenue, Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England.
List of office holders
| From | Until | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Military bishopric | |||
| 1917 | 1934 | William Keatinge | Ordained to the priesthood Priesthood (Catholic Church) The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence.... in 1893; appointed Military Bishop on 30 October 1917 and consecrated Bishop (Catholic Church) In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church.... Titular Bishop Titular bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place... of Metellopolis on 25 February 1918; died in office on 21 Feb 1934 |
| 1935 | 1946 | James Dey | Ordained to the priesthood in 1894; appointed Military Bishop on 13 April 1935 and consecrated Titular Bishop of Sebastopolis in Armenia on 2 June 1935; died in office on 8 May 1946 |
| 1946 | 1954 | sede vacante Sede vacante Sede vacante is an expression, used in the Canon Law of the Catholic Church, that refers to the vacancy of the episcopal see of a particular church... |
|
| Military vicariate | |||
| 1954 | 1963 | David Mathew David Mathew (bishop) David James Mathew was an English Roman Catholic bishop and historian.Mathew was born at Lyme Regis, Dorset, and educated at the naval colleges at Osborne and Dartmouth. He served as a midshipman in the Royal Navy at the end of World War I. He entered Balliol College, Oxford, in 1920 and received... |
Previously Apostolic Delegate and Titular Archbishop of Apamea in Bithynia 1946–1954; appointed Military Vicar on 16 April 1954; resigned on 23 March 1963; died 12 December 1975 |
| 1963 | 1978 | Gerard William Tickle | Ordained to the priesthood in 1934; appointed Military Vicar on 12 October 1963 and consecrated Titular Bishop of Bela on 1 December 1963; resigned on 24 April 1978; died 14 December 1994 |
| 1979 | 1986 | Francis Joseph Walmsley | Ordained to the priesthood in 1953; appointed Military Vicar on 8 January 1979 and consecrated Titular Bishop of Tamalluma on 22 February 1979; became the first bishop of the military ordinariate on 21 July 1986 |
| Military ordinariate | |||
| 1986 | 2002 | Francis Joseph Walmsley | Hitherto Military Vicar; appointed Military Ordinary on 21 July 1986; resigned as Titular Bishop of Tamalluma on 7 March 1998; retired as Military Bishop on 24 May 2002 |
| 2002 | 2008 | Thomas Matthew Burns Thomas Burns (bishop) Right Reverend Thomas Matthew Burns, SM, BA, BD is a British Roman Catholic Bishop. On 16 October 2008 he was appointed as Bishop of Menevia by Pope Benedict XVI, becoming Bishop on 1 December 2008 when he took possession of his new See, on which day he ceased to be Bishop of the... , S.M. Society of Mary (Marists) The Society of Mary , is a Roman Catholic religious congregation or order, founded by Father Jean-Claude Colin and a group of other seminarians in France in 1816... |
Ordained to the priesthood in 1971; appointed Military Ordinary on 24 May 2002 and consecrated on 18 June 2002; translated to Menevia Bishop of Menevia The Bishop of Menevia is the Ordinary of the Latin Rite Roman Catholic Diocese of Menevia in the Province of Cardiff.The Diocese of Menevia covers an area of roughly consisting of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, the City and County of Swansea and the ancient counties... in 2008 |
| 2009 | present | Charles Phillip Richard Moth Richard Moth Charles Phillip Richard Moth is a British Roman Catholic prelate, currently serving as Bishop of the Forces. He was named as Bishop of the Forces by Pope Benedict XVI on 25 July 2009... |
Ordained to the priesthood in 1982; appointed Military Ordinary on 25 July 2009 and consecrated on 29 September 2009 |
See also
- Royal Air Force Chaplains BranchRoyal Air Force Chaplains BranchThe Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch provides military chaplains for the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom.-Training:RAF chaplains and candidates receive training at the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre, which is located at Amport House....
- Royal Army Chaplains' DepartmentRoyal Army Chaplains' DepartmentThe Royal Army Chaplains' Department is an all-officer corps that provides ordained clergy to minister to the British Army.As of 2007, there are about 280 serving regular chaplains in the British Army; these can belong to either one of several Christian churches, or to the Jewish faith, although...
- Patron saints of the military
- Catholic Church in England and Wales