Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar is a diocese
of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church
in the British overseas territory
of Gibraltar
. The Latin name for the diocese is Gibraltariensis. About twenty priests and nine sisters serve in the diocese. The incumbent Bishop of the Diocese
is Ralph Heskett
who succeeded Charles Caruana
on 10 July 2010.
The papal representative to Gibraltar is the Nuncio to Great Britain
, Faustino Sainz Muñoz
.
es. In 2006 there were 15 priests, and 15 members of religious orders (10 female and 5 male). The Diocese covers the entire 6.843 square kilometres (2.6 sq mi) of Gibraltar.
. It remained as such after the Habsburg conquest in 1704 (since the terms of the surrender explicitly allowed Roman Catholic worship), although the remaining Catholic population in Gibraltar was quite small. The 1713 Treaty of Utrecht
did not change the status of the Catholic faith in the territory. Juan Romero de Figueroa
, the Spanish priest in charge of the Parish Church of St. Mary the Crowned (who remained in the town when most of the population left the city in 1704), was the first Vicar General
of the town, as appointed by the Bishop of Cádiz. However, as time passed, the British authorities prevented the Bishop of Cádiz from choosing the priests for the town, directly electing them, although the Bishop approved the appointments later. The Bishop was also prevented from making his ad limina
visit to the town. Bishop Lorenzo Armegual de la Mota was the last Bishop of Cádiz to make his ad limina visit, in 1720.
The Vicariate Apostolic of Gibraltar was eventually erected in 1816, thus transferring the relationship from Cádiz
to Rome
. John Baptist Nosardy Zino was the first Vicar Apostolic
of Gibraltar, appointed on 25 January 1816. Father Nosardy remained as Vicar until 1839, when he resigned. Since then the vicar was always a titular bishop
.
The Vicariate was elevated to the status of diocese on 19 November 1910. Henry Gregory Thompson was the first Bishop of Gibraltar
, until his resignation in 1927.
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in the British overseas territory
British overseas territories
The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories of the United Kingdom which, although they do not form part of the United Kingdom itself, fall under its jurisdiction. They are remnants of the British Empire that have not acquired independence or have voted to remain British territories...
of Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. The Latin name for the diocese is Gibraltariensis. About twenty priests and nine sisters serve in the diocese. The incumbent Bishop of the Diocese
Roman Catholic Bishop of Gibraltar
The Bishop of Gibraltar is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar which is immediately subject to the Holy See.The see is in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar where the bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral of St...
is Ralph Heskett
Ralph Heskett
Ralph Heskett, C.Ss.R. is the Roman Catholic Bishop of Gibraltar.He was educated from 1964-69 at Saint Aidan's, Sunderland, a Christian Brothers school. He was a seminarian from 1969-70, where he attended the Redemptorist Minor Seminary in Birmingham...
who succeeded Charles Caruana
Charles Caruana
Charles Caruana CBE was a Gibraltarian Roman Catholic bishop of Maltese descent. He was appointed sixth Roman Catholic Bishop of Gibraltar on 14 February 1998 and ordained on 24 May 1998. His retirement request was accepted on 18 March 2010...
on 10 July 2010.
The papal representative to Gibraltar is the Nuncio to Great Britain
Nunciature to Great Britain
The Nunciature to Great Britain is an ecclesiastical office of the Roman Catholic Church in Great Britain. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio to the Court of St. James with the rank of an ambassador. The office of the nunciature is located...
, Faustino Sainz Muñoz
Faustino Sainz Muñoz
Faustino Sainz Muñoz is a Spanish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the Nuncio to Great Britain from 2004 until December 2010, having been appointed by Pope John Paul II in 2004.-Biography:...
.
Territory
The Diocese of Gibraltar comprises five parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es. In 2006 there were 15 priests, and 15 members of religious orders (10 female and 5 male). The Diocese covers the entire 6.843 square kilometres (2.6 sq mi) of Gibraltar.
History
After the definite Christian conquest of 1468, Gibraltar formed part of the diocese of Cádiz and AlgecirasRoman Catholic Diocese of Cadiz y Ceuta
The Roman Catholic diocese of Cádiz y Ceuta is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Spain. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Seville....
. It remained as such after the Habsburg conquest in 1704 (since the terms of the surrender explicitly allowed Roman Catholic worship), although the remaining Catholic population in Gibraltar was quite small. The 1713 Treaty of Utrecht
Treaty of Utrecht
The Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht, comprises a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed by the belligerents in the War of Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht in March and April 1713...
did not change the status of the Catholic faith in the territory. Juan Romero de Figueroa
Juan Romero de Figueroa
Juan Romero de Figueroa was a Spanish Roman Catholic priest, in charge of the Parish Church of St. Mary the Crowned during the last years of Gibraltar's Spanish period and first ones of the British period, until his death...
, the Spanish priest in charge of the Parish Church of St. Mary the Crowned (who remained in the town when most of the population left the city in 1704), was the first Vicar General
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
of the town, as appointed by the Bishop of Cádiz. However, as time passed, the British authorities prevented the Bishop of Cádiz from choosing the priests for the town, directly electing them, although the Bishop approved the appointments later. The Bishop was also prevented from making his ad limina
Quinquennial Visit Ad Limina
In the Roman Catholic Church, a quinquennial visit ad limina or more properly, quinquennial visit ad limina apostolorum or simply an ad limina visit means the obligation of residential diocesan bishops and certain prelates with territorial jurisdiction , of visiting the thresholds of the [tombs of...
visit to the town. Bishop Lorenzo Armegual de la Mota was the last Bishop of Cádiz to make his ad limina visit, in 1720.
The Vicariate Apostolic of Gibraltar was eventually erected in 1816, thus transferring the relationship from Cádiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. John Baptist Nosardy Zino was the first Vicar Apostolic
Apostolic vicariate
An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries that do not have a diocese. It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more...
of Gibraltar, appointed on 25 January 1816. Father Nosardy remained as Vicar until 1839, when he resigned. Since then the vicar was always a 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...
.
The Vicariate was elevated to the status of diocese on 19 November 1910. Henry Gregory Thompson was the first Bishop of Gibraltar
Roman Catholic Bishop of Gibraltar
The Bishop of Gibraltar is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar which is immediately subject to the Holy See.The see is in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar where the bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral of St...
, until his resignation in 1927.
External links
- Official diocesan website
- Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar in Catholic-Hierarchy.