An apostolic vicariate is a territorial jurisdiction of the Catholic Church under a titular bishop centered in missionary regions and countries where dioceses or parishes have not yet been established. The status of apostolic vicariate is often a promotion for a former apostolic prefecture , while either may have started out as a mission sui iuris . It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more. The hope is that the region will generate sufficient numbers of Catholics for the Church to create a diocese one day.
26-528: It is exempt under canon law , directly subject to the missionary Dicastery for Evangelization of the Vatican in Rome. Like the stage of apostolic prefecture which often precedes it, the vicariate is not part of an ecclesiastical province . It is intended to mature in developing Catholic members until it can be promoted to a (usually suffragan) diocese. The Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church counterpart
52-459: A particular ministry such as education, healthcare, or social work; while others have as their primary apostolate contemplative prayer. The 1983 version of the Code of Canon Law has not maintained the distinction, found in the 1917 version, between orders (religious institutes in which the members took solemn vows ) and congregations (those in which simple vows were taken). A secular institute
78-419: A regular diocese, the vicar apostolic may appoint priests as vicars exercising limited jurisdiction over the apostolic vicariate. Normally, a titular bishop is appointed to administer the apostolic vicariate. When someone who does not qualify or has not been ordained as bishop is appointed ad interim , he may be styled Pro-vicar . An apostolic vicariate is to be distinguished from an apostolic prefecture ,
104-444: A similar type of territory whose chief distinction from an apostolic vicariate is that its prefect is not a titular bishop , but a priest. The prefecture is not considered organised enough to be elevated to apostolic vicariate. The less developed instance is the mission sui iuris , which other than the ones mentioned before is not a particular church, although it shares some similarities to one; at its head, an ecclesiastical superior
130-473: Is a group of men or women within the Catholic Church who have come together for a specific purpose and live fraternally. Members of apostolic societies do not make religious vows. This type of organization is defined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law under canons 731–746. The Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul are a Society of Apostolic Life. The Annuario Pontificio lists for both men and women
156-452: Is an (apostolic, patriarchal, or archiepiscopal) exarchate . An apostolic vicariate is led by a vicar apostolic , who is usually a titular bishop . While such a territory can be classed as a particular church , according to canon 371.1 of the Latin Code of Canon Law , a vicar apostolic's jurisdiction is an exercise of the jurisdiction of the pope —the territory comes directly under
182-522: Is an institute of consecrated life whose members live in the world, strive for the perfection of charity and seek to help to sanctify the world, especially from within (Canon 710). They work in a variety of occupations and may live alone or with their family; others live in a common house with other institute members. Each institute has a particular spirituality shaped by its founders and leaders. Some religious institutes have an affiliated Third Order. These are secular institutes. A society of apostolic life
208-1152: Is named. The usual sequence of development is mission, apostolic prefecture, apostolic vicariate, and finally diocese (or even archdiocese). See also apostolic exarch for an Eastern Catholic counterpart. The apostolic vicariate is distinguished from a territorial abbacy (or " abbey nullius ")—an area not a diocese but under the direction of the abbot of a monastery . Starting in 2019, new vicars apostolic, although they are (or become) bishops, are no longer assigned titular sees. Inactive apostolic vicariates (and/or former names, often promoted to diocese) are in italics . Eastern Catholic (mostly Byzantine Rite) apostolic vicariates are in bold . Exemption (Catholic canon law) Jus novum ( c. 1140 -1563) Jus novissimum ( c. 1563 -1918) Jus codicis (1918-present) Other Sacraments Sacramentals Sacred places Sacred times Supra-diocesan/eparchal structures Particular churches Juridic persons Philosophy, theology, and fundamental theory of Catholic canon law Clerics Office Juridic and physical persons Associations of
234-592: The ecclesiastical superior next higher in rank. For example, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Strasbourg , and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem are exempt, being directly subject to the Holy See . See List of Catholic dioceses (structured view) for a list of exempt entities. Originally, according to canon law , all the residents of a diocese , as well as all diocesan institutions, were under
260-537: The evangelical counsels by religious vows or other sacred bonds "through the charity to which these counsels lead to be joined to the Church and its mystery in a special way". They are defined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law under canons 573–730. The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life has ecclesial oversight of institutes of consecrated life. The more numerous form of these are religious institutes , which are characterized by
286-486: The provincial synods . In the case of monasteries and churches, exemption is known as either passiva or activa , the latter being the most extensive. Abbots known canonically as proelati nullius cum territorio separato exercised quasi episcopal rights over a clearly defined territory entirely distinct from the diocese. There was disagreement as to whether or not such exempt abbots could be required to attend provincial synods as their presence might eventually jeopardize
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#1732844933346312-535: The Catholic Church recognises, as forms of individual consecrated life that of hermits (canon 603) and consecrated virgins (canon 604). There are two categories of institutes of consecrated life identified in the Code of Canon Law: religious institutes, and secular institutes. In addition, there are Societies of Apostolic Life that resemble institutes of consecrated life, but their members do not take religious vows. Consecrated persons are lay persons or clerics who assume
338-482: The Code of Canon Law. Some of these have both male and female members, and one is open to married couples. Institutes of consecrated life need the written approval of a bishop to operate within his diocese. Effective 10 November 2020, Pope Francis modified the 1983 Code of Canon Law to require a bishop to acquire the Apostolic See's approval in writing and reserved to the Apostolic See the final determination over
364-408: The authority of the local bishop. Exemptions were also granted to cathedral chapters, collegiate chapters, parishes, communities, ecclesiastical institutions, and even single individuals. In some cases, monasteries and churches which could document that from time immemorial they had never been subjected to the authority of a bishop could have their claim to exemption confirmed. Under these circumstances,
390-474: The authority of the local bishop. Following complaints by monasteries that bishops treated them oppressively, they were taken under the protection of synods, princes and popes. Papal protection often evolved later into exemption from episcopal authority. From the 11th century onward, papal activity in the matter of Church reform has often been the source of exemptions. Eventually, not only individual monasteries, but also entire orders, were granted exemption from
416-567: The case of Latin Church men, while not separating out "orders" and "congregations" in the case of the Eastern Catholic Churches and Latin Church women. It arranges the institutes for men as follows: The institutes for women are arranged alphabetically in the following categories: These lists are followed by a list of 6 institutes under the heading "Other Institutes of Consecrated Life", a reference to new forms of consecrated life established in accordance with canons 604 §2 and 605 of
442-492: The diocesan administration of the bishops was frequently crippled. Complaints and conflicts were frequent and councils were called upon to clarify and circumscribe the notion and scope of exemption. Some bishops gained exemption from the authority of their metropolitan (archbishop), either at their own request or by decision of the Holy See. However, those exempt bishops were required to choose an ecclesiastical province and attend
468-411: The evangelical counsels by means of a sacred bond, and become members of an institute of consecrated life. They are clerical if, with recognition from the Church, their founder intended the order or institute to be directed by clerics and exercise sacred orders, and they are lay if recognized by the Church as having a proper function defined by the founder or by legitimate tradition, which does not include
494-653: The exercise of sacred orders (canon 588). For instance, the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) is a clerical institute of consecrated life as their members are clerics , whereas the Sisters of Charity are a lay institute of religious sisters. A religious institute is an institute of consecrated life whose members take public vows and lead a fraternal life in common (Canon 607.2). They are broadly termed as religious and include monastic orders , mendicant orders , canons regular , and clerics regular . Some religious institutes engage in
520-568: The faithful Pars dynamica (trial procedure) Canonization Election of the Roman Pontiff Academic degrees Journals and Professional Societies Faculties of canon law Canonists Institute of consecrated life Society of apostolic life An institute of consecrated life is an association of faithful in the Catholic Church canonically erected by competent church authorities to enable men or women who publicly profess
546-409: The faithful Pars dynamica (trial procedure) Canonization Election of the Roman Pontiff Academic degrees Journals and Professional Societies Faculties of canon law Canonists Institute of consecrated life Society of apostolic life In the Catholic Church , an exemption is the full or partial release of an ecclesiastical person, corporation, or institution from the authority of
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#1732844933346572-401: The heading is "States of Perfection (of pontifical right for men)." In the 1969 edition the heading has become "Religious and Secular Institutes of Pontifical Right for Men", a form it kept until 1975 inclusive. Since 1976, when work was already advanced on revising the Code of Canon Law, the list has been qualified as "historical-juridical" and still distinguishes "orders" from "congregations" in
598-619: The institutes of consecrated life and the like that are "of pontifical right" (those that the Holy See has erected or approved by formal decree). For the men, it gives what it now calls the Historical-Juridical List of Precedence. The arrangement of the institutes for men of the Latin Church in this list dates back many decades. It is found, for instance, in the 1964 edition of the Annuario Pontificio , pp. 807–870, where
624-399: The pope as "universal bishop", and the pope exercises this authority through a "vicar". This is unlike the jurisdiction of a diocesan bishop, whose jurisdiction derives directly from his office. Like any ecclesiastical jurisdiction, an apostolic vicariate may be administered by the bishop of a neighbouring diocese, or by a priest appointed transitionally as an apostolic administrator . As in
650-427: The public profession of vows, life in common as brothers or sisters, and a degree of separation from the world. They are defined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law under canons 607–709. The other form is that of secular institutes , in which the members live in the world, and work for the sanctification of the world from within. Apart from being a member of an institute, consecrated life may also be lived individually;
676-857: The right of exemption of their monasteries. The exemption enjoyed by female orders and religious houses was more restricted. The bishop or his representative presided over the election of the abbesses, prioresses, or superiors and they continued to have the right to visit canonically these houses. They also retained the right to supervise the observance of the clausura (cloister). Institute of consecrated life Jus novum ( c. 1140 -1563) Jus novissimum ( c. 1563 -1918) Jus codicis (1918-present) Other Sacraments Sacramentals Sacred places Sacred times Supra-diocesan/eparchal structures Particular churches Juridic persons Philosophy, theology, and fundamental theory of Catholic canon law Clerics Office Juridic and physical persons Associations of
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