Bishopric of the Forces

Bishop of the Forces
Bishopric
catholic
Incumbent:
Sede vacante[1][2]
Cathedral Cathedral of St Michael and St George, Aldershot
First incumbent Francis Walmsley
Formation Military bishopric in 1917,
Military vicariate in 1953,
Military ordinariate in 1986
Website www.rcbishopricforces.org.uk

The Bishopric of the Forces is the Latin Church Catholic military ordinariate which provides chaplains to the British Armed Forces across the United Kingdom and overseas.[3][4][5] 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.

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 Fr Stephen Sharkey, and the Administrator until the appointment of a bishop, is Fr Michael Fava.

There is sometimes confusion between the holder of this 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".

Location

The diocesan office and the Cathedral of St Michael and St George are located on Queens Avenue, Aldershot, Hampshire, England.

List of office holders

Roman Catholic Bishops of the Forces
From Until Incumbent Notes
Military bishopric[3][4][5]
1917 1934 William Keatinge Appointed on 30 October 1917 and consecrated on 25 February 1918. Died in office on 21 February 1934.[6]
1935 1946 James Dey Appointed on 13 April 1935 and consecrated on 2 June 1935. Died in office on 8 May 1946.[7]
1946 1954 Sede vacante
Military vicariate[3][4][5]
1954 1963 David Mathew Previously Apostolic Delegate of British East and West Africa. Appointed on 16 April 1954. Resigned on 23 March 1963 and died on 12 December 1975.[8]
1963 1978 Gerard Tickle Appointed on 12 October 1963 and consecrated on 1 December 1963. Resigned on 24 April 1978 and died on 14 December 1994.[9]
1979 1986 Francis Walmsley Appointed on 8 January 1979 and consecrated on 22 February 1979. Became the first bishop of the military ordinariate on 21 July 1986.[10]
Military ordinariate[3][4][5]
1986 2002 Francis Walmsley Hitherto bishop of the military vicariate. Appointed bishop of the military ordinariate on 21 July 1986. Retired on 24 May 2002.[10]
2002 2008 Tom Burns Appointed on 24 May 2002 and consecrated on 18 June 2002. Translated to Menevia in 2008.[11]
2009 2015 Richard Moth Appointed on 25 July 2009 and consecrated on 29 September 2009. Translated to Arundel and Brighton on Saturday, 21 March 2015.[12]

See also

References

External links

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