 | This article has multiple issues. Please helpimprove it or discuss these issues on thetalk page.(Learn how and when to remove these messages) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
Catholic Diocese of the Australian Military Services | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms | |
| Location | |
| Country | Australia |
| Metropolitan | Immediately subject to theHoly See |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 6 March 1969 |
| Patron saint | Mary Help of Christians |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Leo XIV |
| Bishop | Sede vacante |
| Apostolic Administrator | Christopher Prowse |
| Vicar General | Peter O’Keefe |
| Bishops emeritus | Max Leroy Davis |
| Website | |
| military.catholic.org.au | |
TheCatholic Diocese of the Australian Military Services is aCatholicmilitary ordinariate immediately subject to theHoly See. It was established in 1969 and maintains its chancery office inCanberra. It is a diocese in its own right and not governed under any diocese or archdiocese.
Itsordinary (bishop) and hischaplains serve the members of theAustralian Defence Force (ADF) and their families in all three services; theRoyal Australian Navy (RAN), theAustralian Army and theRoyal Australian Air Force (RAAF) regardless of location.
Catholic chaplaincy has been provided for Australians serving in the military since the 1901 contribution of forces to fight in theBoxer Rebellion.[1] However, it was not until 1912 that a bishop,Thomas Carr, the thenArchbishop of Melbourne, was delegated by the Catholic bishops of Australia as the bishop of the Australian Armed Forces.
From 1912 until 1969, Catholic armed servicemen and women were in the care of a bishop delegated to them who was also a bishop elsewhere. In 1969,Pope Paul VI created the militaryvicariate of Australia. In 1984,Pope John Paul II elevated the vicariate to amilitary ordinariate with its own bishop. The vicariate was officially established under anapostolic constitution,Spirituali Militum Curae, on 21 July 1986 and given final approval in 1988.
Theheadquarters of the vicariate is located inCampbell, Australian Capital Territory, while being immediately subject to theHoly See. Unlike conventional dioceses, which are restricted to a geographical area, the vicariate of the ADF covers all of Australia and its 30 defence bases, and any Australian military facilities or units overseas or off-shore.
The Catholic bishop is the head of the Catholic denomination recognised in the Defence Instructions (General) of the ADF.
The following individuals have been elected as Bishop of the Armed Services:[2]
| Name | Term | Other appointment |
|---|---|---|
| Bishop of the Armed Services | ||
| Thomas Carr | 1912–1917 | Archbishop of Melbourne: 1886–1917 |
| Daniel Mannix | 1917–1963 | Archbishop of Melbourne: 1917–1963 |
| Thomas Absolem McCabe | 1964–1969 | Bishop of Wollongong: 1951–1974 |
| Military Vicar | ||
| John Aloysius Morgan | 1969–1985 | Auxiliary Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn: 1969–1985 |
| Military Ordinary | ||
| Geoffrey Mayne | 1985–2003 | - |
| Max Davis | 2003–2021 | - |
The army and air force have three principal chaplains; one each to represent Catholicism,Anglicanism andnonconformistProtestantism. In January 2018, the Australian Navy removed the requirement to have three principal chaplains. They are accorded the rank relevant to theDivision Five chaplain for each branch (1 star rank or O7). Principal chaplains (who in the Catholic Military Diocese are alsoepiscopal vicars and currently are alsomonsignors) oversee the chaplains of their particular service, managing matters such as recruitment, postings, deployments, promotions, welfare and discipline.
Catholic priests who are promoted to principal chaplains of the ADF are traditionally nominated for and receive the title Monsignor from the Pope. The current Catholic principal chaplains of the ADF are: Air Force - Monsignor (Air Commodore) Peter O'Keefe (alsovicar general of the military oOrdinariate); Navy - Monsignor (Commodore) Stuart Hall (also full-time parish priest in Malvern East, Victoria); Army - Monsignor (Brigadier) Glynn Murphy (also full-time parish priest in Horsham, Victoria). Currently all Catholic principal chaplains are in the reserve forces.
Chaplains are charged with the responsibility to care for the religious, spiritual and pastoral (welfare) needs of Defence members and their families. For Catholic chaplains, this includes providing the sacraments, especially to Defence members isolated from civilian Catholic churches/parishes or on war operations. Chaplains, especially those appointed to training establishments, conduct classes on ethics, morals, values and character development with their military units. Chaplains in the Navy, Army and Air Force undergo the same training as other ADF officers.
With only a few exceptions, ordained Catholic chaplains (priests anddeacons) are "on loan" to the Military Diocese from a "civilian" diocese for an agreed period of time, which may or may not be renewed. The Bishop of the Military relies on the other Australian bishops for the supply of enough clergy to meet the chaplaincy needs of Catholics in the ADF. It is possible for a priest or deacon to be ordained solely into (incardinated) the Defence Diocese/Military Ordinariate and thus he fully belongs to the Military Diocese for life.
ADF chaplains are generally addressed by their first name by Officers of equal or superior rank or as "Sir" by those of lower ranks, however Catholic chaplains are often referred to as "Father" or as "Padre" by soldiers, sailors, and RAAF personnel irrespective of their rank.
Chaplains in the ADF are organised into five divisions:
| Division | Army | RAN(1) | RAAF | NATO rank code | Chaplain Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Captain (Army) | Commander | Flight Lieutenant | OF-2 | Chaplain |
| 2 | Major | Commander | Squadron Leader | OF-3 | Chaplain |
| 3 | Lieutenant Colonel | Commander | Wing Commander | OF-4 | Senior Chaplain |
| 4 | Colonel | Captain | Group Captain | OF-5 | Senior Chaplain |
| 5 | Brigadier | Commodore | Air Commodore | OF-6 | Principal Chaplain |
There were 25,614 Catholics in the ADF out of a total of 102,764 (full-time and reservists). Although Catholics constitute the largest religious group in the ADF, the diocese struggles to recruit enough chaplains to serve the Catholic defence population.[citation needed]
Currently there are 17 full-time Chaplains, 18 reserve chaplains.
The Catholic Church has many chapels located on Defence Force establishments, primarily but not exclusively for the use of Catholic personnel. Some chapels are "non-denominational" and are shared with other Christian denominations.
