Roman Catholicism in Switzerland
Encyclopedia
The dioceses are the bishoprics of
- BaselBishopric of BaselThe Diocese of Basel is a Roman Catholic diocese in Switzerland .Historically, the bishops of Basel were also secular rulers of the Prince-Bishopric of Basel ....
, currently headed by Bishop Felix GmürFelix GmürFelix Gmür is the bishop of Basel since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 23 November 2010. He had previously served as secretary of the Swiss Bishops' Conference.Gmür was born in Lucerne in 1966... - Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg, Charles MorerodCharles MorerodCharles Morerod, O.P. , is a Swiss Dominican prelate. On 3 November 2011 he was appointed as bishop of Lausanne, Genève et Fribourg by Pope Benedict XVI. He had previously served as rector of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas , professor of dogmatic theology...
was named as Bishop-Elect on 3 November 2011 - ChurDiocese of ChurThe Diocese of Chur comprises the Swiss Cantons of Graubünden , Schwyz, Glarus, Zurich, Nidwalden, Obwalden and Uri.-History:A Bishop of Chur is first mentioned in 451/ 452 when its Bishop Saint Asimo attended the Synod of Milan, but probably existed a century earlier...
, currently headed by Bishop Vitus Huonder - LuganoRoman Catholic Diocese of LuganoThe Diocese of Lugano is a diocese in Switzerland. It is united to the Diocese of Basle only by having a bishop in common.-History:The Diocese of Lugano was erected by a Bull of Leo XIII...
, currently headed by Bishop Pier Giacomo Grampa - Sankt GallenBishop of St. GallenThe Bishop of St. Gallen is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic diocese of St. Gallen, Switzerland.The see was created in 1847 from the territory of the episcopal see of Chur-St. Gallen. Much of the territory had earlier been part of the Diocese of Konstanz.See also: Abbey of St...
, currently headed by Bishop Markus BüchelMarkus BüchelMarkus Büchel is a former head of government of Liechtenstein.He was in office from May to December 1993. He has won the elections in 1993 as a candidate for the conservative FBP .... - SionBishop of SionThe Diocese of Sion is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It is the oldest bishopric in the country and one of the oldest north of the Alps. The cathedral at Sion, "Notre-Dame du Glarier" was fortified by walls and crowns one of the two hills on which...
, currently headed by Bishop Norbert BrunnerNorbert BrunnerNorbert Brunner is the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sion, Switzerland. He is the elected president of the Swiss Bishops' Conference for the term 2010-2012.-Early life and ordination:...
The two territorial abbeys, which do not belong to any bishopric, are
- St. Maurice, in the Canton of Valais, which is the longest continuously inhabited monastery in Europe, currently headed by Abbot Joseph Roduit,
- EinsiedelnEinsiedeln AbbeyEinsiedeln Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in the town of Einsiedeln in the Canton of Schwyz, Switzerland. The abbey is dedicated to Our Lady of the Hermits, the title being derived from the circumstances of its foundation, from which the name Einsiedeln is also said to have originated...
, in the Canton of SchwyzCanton of SchwyzSchwyz is a canton in central Switzerland between the Alps in the south, Lake Lucerne in the east and Lake Zurich in the north, centered around and named after the town of Schwyz....
In contrast to most Catholic dioceses, Swiss bishoprics are immediately subject to the jurisdiction of 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...
, without any Metropolitan see
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
. The bishops and the two territorial abbots are organised within the Swiss Bishops Conference whose chairman is the current Bishop of Sion, Norbert Brunner
Norbert Brunner
Norbert Brunner is the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sion, Switzerland. He is the elected president of the Swiss Bishops' Conference for the term 2010-2012.-Early life and ordination:...
.
In the last thirty years, mainly during the conflict over the appointment of Wolfgang Haas
Wolfgang Haas
Wolfgang Haas is the first archbishop of the Archdiocese of Vaduz in Liechtenstein. He was ordained a priest as well as incardinated in Chur on April 7, 1974. At the request of the bishop of Chur Johannes Vonderach, Haas was appointed to the position of coadjutor bishop of Chur on March 25,...
as Bishop of Chur, there have been discussions to make a major reform of the structure of the Catholic Church in Switzerland, which would probably also lead to the establishment of an metropolitan see (probably in Lucerne
Lucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
). However, discussions remain unresolved especially about the status of the Canton of Zürich
Canton of Zürich
The Canton of Zurich has a population of . The canton is located in the northeast of Switzerland and the city of Zurich is its capital. The official language is German, but people speak the local Swiss German dialect called Züritüütsch...
as part of the Diocesis of Chur, the large but splinted extend of the Diocesis of Basel and the lack of a Metropolitan see stay unresolved.
The status of Catholicism in Switzerland is complicated further by the existence of Landeskirchen, imposed by anti-clerical canontal governments in the 19th century and organised along democratic lines and control the application of funds collected through church taxes.
Currently, there are four Cardinals from Switzerland: Henri Schwery, Kurt Koch
Kurt Koch
Kurt Koch is a Swiss Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, currently serving as president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity since his appointment was announced on 1 July 2010...
, Gilberto Agustoni and Georges Cottier, of whom two (Cardinals Schwery and Koch) could participate in the next conclave
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
.