Apersonal prelature is an institution of theCatholic Church which comprisesclergy, and optionallylaity, under the jurisdiction of aprelate, which undertakes specific pastoral activities. Along with dioceses, and later military ordinariates, personal prelatures were originally under care of the Vatican'sCongregation for Bishops, but since 4 August 2022, personal prelatures have been placed under care of theDicastery for the Clergy.[1] Unlikedioceses, which cover territories for the ordinary pastoral care of the faithful, personal prelatures minister to persons according to some specific pastoral goals, regardless of where they live.The first personal prelature isOpus Dei.
In theCatholic Church, the personal prelature was conceived during the sessions of theSecond Vatican Council in no. 10 of the decreePresbyterorum ordinis and was later enacted into law byPaul VI in hismotu proprioEcclesiae sanctae. The institution was later reaffirmed in the1983 Code of Canon Law.[2]
A personal prelature is an institution having clergy, and optionally lay people, who carry out specific pastoral activities. The adjectivepersonal refers to the fact that the pastoral activities are not linked to a territory but over persons wherever they happen to be. The establishment of personal prelatures is an exercise of thetheologically inherent power of self-organization which the Church has to pursue its mission, though a personal prelature is not aparticular church asdioceses andeparchies are.[citation needed]
A personal prelature is a new and special institutional organization within the Catholic Church. The prelate is a presbyter nominated by the Pope and governs the prelature withordinary power. In order to de-emphasize the importance of hierarchy in the governance of the personal prelature Pope Francis decreed in 2022 that the prelate should not be consecrated bishop.[3]
The prelate has the right to erect a national or internationalseminary, and to promote students toholy orders, in service to the pastoral mission of the prelature (can. 295).[citation needed]
Thefaithful under care of a prelature isdetermined by personal criteria, which is established in each case by the Apostolic See, in the constitutional documents of the prelature, or in its statutes. Diverse organizational models are possible, according to a variety of possible missions.The statutes likewise determine the relations of the personal prelature with thediocesan bishops in whosedioceses the prelature exercises its pastoral or missionary works (can. 297).[citation needed]
The first, and thus far the only, personal prelature isOpus Dei, which was established as a personal prelature byPope John Paul II in 1982 through theApostolic constitutionUt sit. In the case of Opus Dei, the prelate is elected by members of the prelature and confirmed by the Pope.[citation needed]
Philippine clergy propose personal prelatures for the pastoral care of Filipino migrants. This canonical set-up can help the Filipino migrants integrate better into their local church and help spread best practices in integration from other places where Filipinos have migrated. A prelature rather than an ordinariate can better serve the purpose since it will not have to provide all the pastoral services and the migrants will continue to be faithful of their specific dioceses.[4]
TheSociety of Saint Pius X has been offered a canonical restructuring as a personal prelature by Rome.[5]
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