Low-ranking subdivision of the Catholic Church
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In thecanon law of theCatholic Church , amissionsui iuris (Latin :missio sui iuris , pl.missiones sui iuris ), also known as anindependent mission , can be defined as: "anecclesial structure erected from a previous territory, with explicit boundaries, under the care of a religious community or otherdiocese , responding to a missionary exigency and headed by a superior nominated by theHoly See , under the aegis of theCongregation for the Evangelization of Peoples ."[ 1]
It is generally applied to an area with very fewCatholics , or in areas whereChristianity (in particularRoman Catholicism ) is either outlawed or undergoingpersecution , often desolate or remote, and ranks below anapostolic prefecture and anapostolic vicariate .
The clerical head is styledEcclesiastical Superior and can be a regularcleric , titular or diocesanbishop , archbishop or even acardinal , but if of episcopal rank often resides elsewhere (notably, in another diocese or the Vatican) in chief of his primary office there.
It can either be exempt (i.e. directly subject to the Holy See, like apostolic prefectures and apostolic vicariates), orsuffragan of a Metropolitan Archbishop, hence part of hisecclesiastical province .
Current missionssui iuris [ edit ] As of March 2017, the only remaining cases — all of theLatin Church — were:
InAsia :
In the Atlantic Ocean :
In the Caribbean :
InOceania :
Those for which no province is named areexempt , i.e. directly under theHoly See .
Former missionssui iuris [ edit ] by continent and (present/colonial) country
InEurope InAsia Mission sui iuris of Baku (Azerbaijan; promoted Apostolic Prefecture)Mission sui iuris of Coromandel Coast (India; now Metropolitan Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore)Mission sui iuris of Gazireh (Turkey; suppressed)Mission sui iuris of Hindustan (India; repeated promotions; now Metropolitan Archdiocese of Agra)Mission sui iuris of I-li (imperial China; suppressed)Mission sui iuris of Karafuto (Japan; promoted Apostolic Prefecture, became Soviet/Russian, renamed Yuzhno Sakhalinsk)Mission sui iuris of Kyrgyzstan (nation; promoted Apostolic Administration)Mission sui iuris of Miyazaki (Japan; promoted Apostolic Prefecture, now diocese of Oita)Mission sui iuris of Mossul (Kurdistan, notably northern present Iraq; suppressed)Mission sui iuris of Nepal (nation; promoted Apostolic Vicariate)Mission sui iuris of Outer Mongolia (Mongolia; renamedMission sui juris of Urga )Mission sui iuris of Qiqihar , alias Tsitiskar (China; promoted Apostolic Prefecture)Mission sui iuris of Rajaburi (Thailand; now diocese Ratchaburi)Mission sui iuris of Rajputana (India; promoted Apostolic Vicariate, now Diocese of Ajmer)Mission sui iuris of Shiqian = Shihtsien (China; promoted Apostolic Prefecture)Mission sui iuris of Sikkim (Indian state andBhutan ; promoted twice, now Diocese of Darjeeling)Mission sui iuris of Syria and Cilicia ? (partially in present Iraq; temporarily promoted Apostolic Prefecture, demoted back, suppressed)Mission sui iuris of Trabzon (Asian Turkey; promoted Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia)Mission sui iuris of Uzbekistan (nation; promoted Apostolic Administration)Mission sui iuris of Urga = Ulanbator (imperial China China; promoted Apostolic Prefecture of Ulaanbaatar, for (Outer) Mongolia)Mission sui iuris of Xinjiang-Urumqi (China; promoted Apostolic Prefecture)Mission sui iuris of Yixian (China; promoted Apostolic Prefecture)InAmerica InOceania InAfrica Sources and external links [ edit ]