Catholic Diocese of the Australian Defence Force
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of the Australian Defence Force (also referred to as the Australian Catholic Defence Diocese or the Military Ordinariate of Australia) is a Latin Rite suffragan
Military Ordinariate
, immediately subject to the Holy See
, established in 1969, and managed for administrative purposes by the Archdiocese of Sydney
.
Its Ordinary
(bishop
) and his chaplains
serve the members of the Australian Defence Force
(ADF) and their families in all three Servicesthe Royal Australian Navy
(RAN), the Australian Army
and the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF)regardless of location.
. However, it was not until 1912 that a bishop, the then Archbishop of Melbourne
, the Most Reverend Thomas Joseph Carr
, was delegated by the Catholic bishops of Australia as the bishop of the Australian Armed Forces.
From 1912 until 1969, Australian Catholic armed servicemen and women were in the care of a bishop delegated to them who was also a bishop elewhere. In 1969, Pope Paul VI
created the Military Vicariate of Australia, and in 1984 Pope John Paul II
elevated the Vicariate to an Ordinariate with its own bishop. The Diocese was officially established under the Apostolic Constitution Spirituali Militum Curae on 21 July 1986 and given final approval in 1988.
of the diocese is located in Campbell, Australian Capital Territory
, the diocese is attached to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney
, while being immediately subject to the Holy See
. Unlike conventional dioceses, which are restricted to a geographical area, the Catholic Diocese of the ADF covers all of Australia and its 30 Defence bases, and any Australian military facilities or units overseas or off-shore.
and the three Chiefs of the Services on matters pertaining to religion, worship, and chaplaincy. The Catholic bishop is the head of the Catholic denomination recognised in the Defence Instructions (General) of the ADF.
The following individuals have been elected as Bishop of the Armed Services:
, and Protestantism
. They are accorded the rank relevant to the Division Five chaplain for each branch. Principal Chaplains oversee the chaplains of their Service—managing matters such as appointment, training, and assignment of chaplains within their branch—and are the primary religious advisors to the Chief of each branch.
Catholic priests who are promoted to Principal Chaplains of the ADF are traditionally nominated for and receive the title "Monsignor
" from the Pope. The current Catholic Principal Chaplains of the ADF are: Monsignor Brian Rayner OAM, RANR (Navy); Monsignor Greg Flynn (Army) and Monsignor Peter O'Keefe AM. As of 2011, all of the Catholic Principal Chaplains happen to be part-time and members of the Reserves of their respective Service, however this is not always the case and in the past and in the furture they can be full-time Principal Chaplains. The Catholic Principal Chaplains are the chief means by which the Catholic Military Bishop recruits, posts and deploys his Catholic Chaplains in the ADF within the structures of the three Services.
With only a few exceptions, Catholic-ordained chaplains (priests
and deacon
s) are "on loan" to the Defence Diocese from a 'civilian' diocese for an agreed period of time, which may or may not be renewed. The Bishop of the Military relies on the other Australian bishops for the supply of enough clergy to meet the chaplaincy needs of Catholics in the ADF. It is possible for a priest or deacon to be ordained solely into (incardinated) the Defence Diocese/Military Ordinariate and thus he fully belongs to the Defence Diocese until his death. The Archdiocese of Melbourne currently supplies more full-time priests than any other diocese to the Australian Defence Diocese.
ADF Chaplains are generally addressed by their first name by officers of superior rank or as "Sir" by those of lower ranks, however Catholic Chaplains are often referred to as "Father" or as "Padre" by soldiers, sailors, and RAAF personnel irrespective of their rank.
Current ADF Full-time Chaplains, as of 2011, are:
Navy
Army
RAAF
There are a small number of Reserve Defence Force chaplains who are mostly full-time parish priests in civilian parishes or married deacons ministering full-time in their dioceses.
Suffragan Diocese
A suffragan diocese is a diocese in the Catholic Church that is overseen not only by its own diocesan bishop but also by a metropolitan bishop. The metropolitan is always an archbishop who governs his own archdiocese...
Military Ordinariate
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....
, immediately subject to the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, established in 1969, and managed for administrative purposes by the Archdiocese of Sydney
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney is a Latin rite metropolitan archdiocese, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.Erected in 1842 and directly responsible to the Holy See, the Archdiocese is responsible for the suffragan dioceses of Armidale, Bathurst, Broken Bay, Lismore,...
.
Its Ordinary
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
(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....
) and his 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...
serve the members of the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
(ADF) and their families in all three Servicesthe Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
(RAN), the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
and the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF)regardless of location.
History
Australian Catholic chaplaincy have been provided for Australians serving in the military since the 1901 contribution of forces to fight in the Boxer RebellionBoxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
. However, it was not until 1912 that a bishop, the then Archbishop of Melbourne
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne is a Latin rite metropolitan archdiocese, located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Erected initially in 1847 as the Diocese of Melbourne, a suffragan diocese of Archdiocese of Sydney, the diocese was elevated in 1874 as an archdiocese of the...
, the Most Reverend Thomas Joseph Carr
Thomas Joseph Carr
Thomas Joseph Carr was the second Roman Catholic archbishop of Melbourne, Australia.-Early life:Carr was born near Moylough, Galway, Ireland, and educated at St Jarlath's College, Tuam, and at St Patrick's College, Maynooth. He was ordained on 19 May 1866, was a curate for six years, and was then...
, was delegated by the Catholic bishops of Australia as the bishop of the Australian Armed Forces.
From 1912 until 1969, Australian Catholic armed servicemen and women were in the care of a bishop delegated to them who was also a bishop elewhere. In 1969, Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
created the Military Vicariate of Australia, and in 1984 Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
elevated the Vicariate to an Ordinariate with its own bishop. The Diocese was officially established under the Apostolic Constitution Spirituali Militum Curae on 21 July 1986 and given final approval in 1988.
Structure
Although the headquartersDiocesan 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....
of the diocese is located in Campbell, Australian Capital Territory
Campbell, Australian Capital Territory
Campbell is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Covering an area to the South East of the central business district, Campbell sits at the base of Mount Ainslie. On Census night 2006, Campbell had a population of 4,797 people...
, the diocese is attached to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney is a Latin rite metropolitan archdiocese, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.Erected in 1842 and directly responsible to the Holy See, the Archdiocese is responsible for the suffragan dioceses of Armidale, Bathurst, Broken Bay, Lismore,...
, while being immediately subject to the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. Unlike conventional dioceses, which are restricted to a geographical area, the Catholic Diocese of the ADF covers all of Australia and its 30 Defence bases, and any Australian military facilities or units overseas or off-shore.
Bishop
The Catholic Bishop of the ADF is a member of the ADF's Religious Advisory Committee to the Services (RACS), and holds status equivalent to a two-star officer (Nato rank code OF-7). RACS advises the Federal Minister of Defence, the Chief of the Defence ForceChief of the Defence Force (Australia)
Chief of the Defence Force is the most senior appointment in the Australian Defence Force . The CDF commands the ADF under the direction of the Minister of Defence, in a coequal arrangement with the Secretary of Defence, the most senior public servant in the Department of Defence.The position is a...
and the three Chiefs of the Services on matters pertaining to religion, worship, and chaplaincy. The Catholic bishop is the head of the Catholic denomination recognised in the Defence Instructions (General) of the ADF.
The following individuals have been elected as Bishop of the Armed Services:
| Name | Term | Other appointment |
|---|---|---|
| Bishop of the Armed Services | ||
| Most Reverend Thomas Joseph Carr Thomas Joseph Carr Thomas Joseph Carr was the second Roman Catholic archbishop of Melbourne, Australia.-Early life:Carr was born near Moylough, Galway, Ireland, and educated at St Jarlath's College, Tuam, and at St Patrick's College, Maynooth. He was ordained on 19 May 1866, was a curate for six years, and was then... |
1912–1917 | Archbishop of Melbourne: 1886-1917 |
| Most Reverend Daniel Mannix Daniel Mannix Daniel Mannix was an Irish-born Australian Catholic bishop. Mannix was the Archbishop of Melbourne for 46 years and one of the most influential public figures in 20th century Australia.... |
1917–1963 | Archbishop of Melbourne: 1917-1963 |
| Most Reverend Thomas Absolem McCabe | 1964–1969 | Bishop of Wollongong: 1951-1974 |
| Military Vicar | ||
| Most Reverend John Aloysius Morgan John Aloysius Morgan John Aloysius Morgan was an Australian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. At the time of his death he was one of the oldest Catholic bishops.... AO DD RFD ED |
1969–1985 | Auxiliary Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn: 1969-1985 |
| Military Ordinary | ||
| Most Reverend Geoffrey Francis Mayne AM DD | 1985–2003 | - |
| Most Reverend Max Leroy Davis AM DD | 2003–Present | - |
Principal Chaplains
Each service branch of the ADF has three Principal Chaplains; one each to represent Catholicism, AnglicanismAnglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
, and Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
. They are accorded the rank relevant to the Division Five chaplain for each branch. Principal Chaplains oversee the chaplains of their Service—managing matters such as appointment, training, and assignment of chaplains within their branch—and are the primary religious advisors to the Chief of each branch.
Catholic priests who are promoted to Principal Chaplains of the ADF are traditionally nominated for and receive the title "Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
" from the Pope. The current Catholic Principal Chaplains of the ADF are: Monsignor Brian Rayner OAM, RANR (Navy); Monsignor Greg Flynn (Army) and Monsignor Peter O'Keefe AM. As of 2011, all of the Catholic Principal Chaplains happen to be part-time and members of the Reserves of their respective Service, however this is not always the case and in the past and in the furture they can be full-time Principal Chaplains. The Catholic Principal Chaplains are the chief means by which the Catholic Military Bishop recruits, posts and deploys his Catholic Chaplains in the ADF within the structures of the three Services.
Chaplains
Chaplains are charged with the responsibility to care for the religious, spiritual and pastoral (welfare) needs of Defence members and their families. For Catholic Chaplains, this includes providing the sacraments, especially to Defence members isolated from civilian Catholic churches/parishes or on war operations. Chaplains, especially those appointed to training establishments, conduct classes on ethics, morals, values and character development with their military units. Chaplains in the Navy, Army and Air Force undergo the same training as other ADF officers.With only a few exceptions, Catholic-ordained chaplains (priests
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....
and deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
s) are "on loan" to the Defence Diocese from a 'civilian' diocese for an agreed period of time, which may or may not be renewed. The Bishop of the Military relies on the other Australian bishops for the supply of enough clergy to meet the chaplaincy needs of Catholics in the ADF. It is possible for a priest or deacon to be ordained solely into (incardinated) the Defence Diocese/Military Ordinariate and thus he fully belongs to the Defence Diocese until his death. The Archdiocese of Melbourne currently supplies more full-time priests than any other diocese to the Australian Defence Diocese.
ADF Chaplains are generally addressed by their first name by officers of superior rank or as "Sir" by those of lower ranks, however Catholic Chaplains are often referred to as "Father" or as "Padre" by soldiers, sailors, and RAAF personnel irrespective of their rank.
Divisions
Chaplains in the ADF are organised into five divisions:| Division | Army | RAAF | NATO rank code Ranks and insignia of NATO Ranks and insignia of NATO are combined military insignia used by the member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.The rank scale is used for specifying posts within NATO.-Definitions:... | Chaplain Title | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Captain (Army) | Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
Flight Lieutenant Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"... |
OF-2 | Chaplain |
| 2 | Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
Squadron Leader Squadron Leader Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these... |
OF-3 | Chaplain |
| 3 | Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence... |
Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
Wing Commander Wing Commander (rank) Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries... |
OF-4 | Senior Chaplain |
| 4 | Colonel Colonel Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures... |
Captain Captain (naval) Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel.... |
Group Captain Group Captain Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore... |
OF-5 | Senior Chaplain |
| 5 | Brigadier Brigadier Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general.... |
Commodore Commodore (rank) Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always... |
Air Commodore Air Commodore Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force... |
OF-6 | Principal Chaplain |
- Australian Navy Chaplains do not wear any rank insignia (instead wearing a cross and anchor emblem copied from the British Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
), but under Defence Instructions - Navy, they are accorded a status equivalent to the rank listed in the table. Although differentiated by Division, Navy Chaplains in Divisions 1 to 3 are all given the status of a CommanderCommanderCommander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
(OF-4).
Current chaplains
As of 2009, there are 13 full-time priests, three full-time married deacons and two full-time married non-ordained Pastoral Associates (lay persons) serving as commissioned Chaplains (Officer rank) in the ADF. There are 25,614 (Roman) Catholics in the ADF out of a total of 102,764 (full-time and Reservists). Although Catholics constitute the largest religious group in the ADF, the Diocese struggles to recruit enough chaplains to serve the Catholic Defence population.Current ADF Full-time Chaplains, as of 2011, are:
Navy
- Reverend Father Stuart Hall, RAN - Senior Chaplain located at Naval Chaplaincy Head Quarters, Canberra ACT
- Reverend Father Krys Gebski, RAN
- Reverend Father Paul Stuart, RAN JP STL , Jervis Bay ACT, also providing Catholic chaplaincy to , Nowra, NSW
- Reverend Father Greg McGregor, RAN - Fleet Base East (currently serving on )
- Reverend Father Thi Lam, RANR , Crib Point, VIC
Army
- Reverend Monsignor (Lieutenant Colonel) Glynn Murphy OAM DCL (Army barracks at Cabalah, Canungra, Enoggera, and Oakey, QLD)
- Reverend Father (Captain) Damian Styles (currently deployed to Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan).
- Reverend Deacon (Captain) Brenton Fry (1 Recruit Training Battalion, Army Recruit Training Centre, Kapooka, NSW)
- Reverend Deacon (Captain) John Lim (Royal Military College, DuntroonRoyal Military College, DuntroonThe Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
, Canberra, ACT) - Reverend Deacon Leo Orreal (Captain)
RAAF
- Reverend Father (Squadron Leader) Pat Woods (RAAF Base EdinburghRAAF Base EdinburghRAAF Base Edinburgh is located in Edinburgh, 25km north of the centre of Adelaide.It is primarily home to No 92 Wing's AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft that conduct surveillance operations throughout Australia's airspace....
, SA) - Reverend Father (Flight Lieutenant) Walter Czszepaniak (RAAF Base WaggaRAAF Base WaggaRAAF Base Wagga is located in the New South Wales town of Wagga Wagga, in the suburb of Forest Hill.The RAAF no longer controls the airfield which, although still owned by the Commonwealth of Australia, is currently leased to the Wagga Wagga City Council...
, NSW) - Reverend Father (Flight Lieutenant) John Healy (RAAF Base AmberleyRAAF Base AmberleyRAAF Base Amberley is a Royal Australian Air Force base located southwest of Ipswich, Queensland and southwest of Brisbane. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron and No. 6 Squadron , No. 33 Squadron and No. 36 Squadron...
, QLD ) - Reverend Father (Flight Lieutenant) Stephane Sarazin (RAAF Base, Williamtown, NSW)
- Flight Lieutenant Joseph Johns (Chaplain, RAAF Base RichmondRAAF Base RichmondRAAF Base Richmond is one of Australia's oldest and largest air force bases. It is located within the City of Hawkesbury in the north-western fringe of Sydney, New South Wales, between the towns of Windsor and Richmond. The base is home to the Royal Australian Air Force's transport headquarters,...
, NSW) - Flight Lieutenant Jean Johns (Chaplain, RAAF Base Richmond, NSW)
There are a small number of Reserve Defence Force chaplains who are mostly full-time parish priests in civilian parishes or married deacons ministering full-time in their dioceses.
Chapels
The Catholic Church has many chapels located on Defence establishments primarily but not exclusively for the use of Catholic Defence personnel. Some chapels on Defence bases are 'non-denominational' and are shared with other Christian denominations.See also
- Operation TestamentOperation TestamentOperation Testament is the Australian Defence Force contribution to World Youth Day 2008 , a Catholic youth festival attended by Pope Benedict XVI held from 15 to 20 July 2008 in Sydney, Australia....
, the Australian Defence Force contribution to the Catholic youth festival World Youth Day 2008World Youth Day 2008The 23rd World Youth Day 2008 was a Catholic youth festival that started on 15 July and continued until 20 July 2008 in Sydney, Australia. It was the first World Youth Day held in Australia and the first World Youth Day in Oceania. This meeting was decided by Pope Benedict XVI, during the Cologne... - Patron saints of the military
- Military chaplain#Australia
- Military chaplain#Badges and insignia
- Roman Catholicism in Australia