Catholic Military Ordinariate of Australia

The Catholic Military Ordinariate of Australia, formally known as the Catholic Diocese of the Australian Military Services, is a Catholic military ordinariate responsible for pastoral and sacramental care among Catholic members of the Australian Defence Force and their families. It serves personnel in the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force, wherever they are stationed, including at Australian defence establishments and with units deployed overseas or offshore. Unlike a conventional territorial diocese, its jurisdiction follows the military community rather than a defined civil geographic territory. The ordinariate is immediately subject to the Holy See and operates as a diocese in its own right rather than under an Australian metropolitan archdiocese or another local diocese. Its chancery is located in Campbell in the Australian Capital Territory. Catholic military chaplaincy in Australia predates the ordinariate by many decades. Catholic clergy accompanied Australian military personnel from at least the country’s participation in the Boxer Rebellion in 1901. In 1912, Thomas Carr, then Archbishop of Melbourne, was delegated by Australia’s Catholic bishops to act as bishop for Australian armed forces. Until 1969, military Catholics were generally cared for by a bishop who simultaneously held responsibility for a civilian diocese. Pope Paul VI established the Australian military vicariate in 1969, creating a dedicated ecclesiastical framework for defence personnel. Pope John Paul II elevated the vicariate to the status of a military ordinariate in 1984. The arrangement was implemented under the apostolic constitution Spirituali Militum Curae, formally established for Australia in 1986 and receiving final approval in 1988. The ordinariate’s principal work is delivered through chaplains, who provide Mass, the sacraments, spiritual direction, pastoral counselling and support during deployments, training and periods of family separation. Catholic chaplains may also assist with ethical, moral, values and character-development education within military units. They undergo the relevant training expected of Australian Defence Force officers and serve across naval, army and air-force environments. Many ordained chaplains are priests or deacons temporarily assigned, or loaned, by civilian Australian dioceses. Others may be permanently incardinated into the military diocese. The chaplaincy workforce can include priests, permanent deacons and lay Catholic chaplains. The ordinariate also maintains or supports Catholic and shared ecumenical chapels on defence establishments. A notable facility is Our Lady Star of the Sea Memorial Chapel at HMAS Cerberus in Victoria, built and owned by the Catholic Church through the military ordinariate, although the land is Commonwealth property. The Catholic Military Bishop represents the Catholic Church in relation to the ADF and exercises ecclesiastical jurisdiction over Catholic defence members for matters including baptism, confirmation and marriage. The ordinariate also retains representation in the Religious Advisory Committee to the Services, which advises senior defence authorities on religious and spiritual matters. The institution’s service model is shaped by the distinctive needs of military personnel: mobility, operational deployment, remote postings, non-combatant chaplain status and the need to provide religious care in locations where ordinary parish access is limited.

Catholic pastoral care for Australian military personnel developed before the creation of a separate military jurisdiction. Australian forces serving in the Boxer Rebellion in 1901 were among the earliest groups to receive Catholic military chaplaincy support. For much of the early twentieth century, however, the military Catholic community was not governed by an independent military diocese. In 1912, Thomas Carr, Archbishop of Melbourne, was delegated by the Catholic bishops of Australia to act as bishop for Australian armed forces. The arrangement placed military Catholics under the care of a bishop who also carried responsibility for a civilian local church. This model continued until the establishment of a dedicated military vicariate. In 1969, Pope Paul VI created the military vicariate of Australia. The new structure recognised that armed forces personnel have pastoral needs that do not fit ordinary diocesan boundaries: they move between bases, serve at sea or in remote locations, deploy overseas and may be separated from their families and parish communities for extended periods. The vicariate provided a framework through which chaplains could serve Catholics throughout the defence community rather than only within one civil territory. Pope John Paul II elevated the Australian vicariate to a military ordinariate in 1984. The broader canonical basis for military ordinariates was set out in Spirituali Militum Curae, an apostolic constitution concerning the pastoral care of military personnel. Australia’s arrangement was formally established under that framework on 21 July 1986 and received final approval in 1988. The resulting institution is a diocese in its own right and is immediately subject to the Holy See. Its jurisdiction is personal and military rather than territorial: it covers Catholic members of the Australian Defence Force and their families in the Navy, Army and Air Force, wherever service requirements place them. The ordinariate’s chancery is in Campbell, in the Australian Capital Territory. Its bishop, commonly described as the Catholic Military Bishop, is the spiritual head of the jurisdiction and exercises canonical responsibility for Catholic defence personnel. This includes sacramental matters such as baptism, confirmation and marriage. The ordinariate’s ministry is delivered principally through chaplains. Priests, permanent deacons and lay Catholic chaplains provide Mass, sacramental preparation, pastoral counselling and spiritual care. Chaplains may be assigned to ships, units, bases, training establishments and operational deployments. They also contribute to instruction and discussion concerning ethics, morality, values and character development. Most ordained chaplains have historically been provided by civilian Australian dioceses for agreed periods, although clergy may also be incardinated permanently into the military diocese. Military chaplains receive military officer training and operate within the professional and operational environment of the ADF while retaining their religious responsibilities and non-combatant status. The ordinariate supports a network of Catholic chapels and shared ecumenical worship spaces on defence properties. Our Lady Star of the Sea Memorial Chapel at HMAS Cerberus in Victoria is particularly distinctive because it was built by and remains owned by the Catholic Church through the military ordinariate, while the surrounding land belongs to the Commonwealth. The organisation also participates in institutional dialogue with defence authorities. Its representation on the Religious Advisory Committee to the Services provides a Catholic voice on religious and spiritual issues affecting the ADF and the service chiefs. Changes to ADF chaplaincy governance, including the reduction or abolition of some Principal Chaplain and Senior Chaplain positions, have altered the administrative context in which chaplains work. These changes have not removed the ordinariate’s underlying canonical role: to ensure that Catholic defence personnel and their families can access worship, the sacraments and pastoral support despite the mobility and demands of military service.

• 2018

  ADF chaplaincy restructuring begins

  [1]Catholic Diocese of the Australian Military Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Significant structural and governance changes to ADF chaplaincy began in the Navy and later affected the other services, including the position of Principal Chaplain.

• 1988

  Final approval

  [1]Catholic Diocese of the Australian Military Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  The military ordinariate received final approval, consolidating its canonical status as the Catholic jurisdiction for Australian Defence Force personnel.

• 1986

  Ordinariate formally established

  [1]Catholic Diocese of the Australian Military Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  The Australian military ordinariate was formally established under Spirituali Militum Curae on 21 July 1986.

• 1984

  Vicariate elevated to ordinariate

  [1]Catholic Diocese of the Australian Military Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Pope John Paul II elevated the Australian military vicariate to the status of a military ordinariate with its own bishop.

• 1969

  Australian military vicariate established

  [1]Catholic Diocese of the Australian Military Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Pope Paul VI created the military vicariate of Australia, establishing a dedicated ecclesiastical structure for Catholic members of the armed forces.

• 1912

  Delegation of a bishop for Australian armed forces

  [1]Catholic Diocese of the Australian Military Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Thomas Carr, Archbishop of Melbourne, was delegated by Australia’s Catholic bishops to serve as bishop for Australian armed forces.

• 1901

  Early Australian military Catholic chaplaincy

  [1]Catholic Diocese of the Australian Military Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Catholic chaplaincy was provided to Australians serving with forces involved in the Boxer Rebellion, forming part of the early history of organised Catholic military pastoral care in Australia.

A nationwide, non-territorial Catholic jurisdiction dedicated to serving Australian Defence Force personnel and their families through military chaplaincy, sacramental ministry and pastoral care.

• Pastoral service · 1969

  Catholic military chaplaincy

  Chaplaincy for Catholic members of the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force. Chaplains provide worship, sacramental ministry, pastoral counselling and spiritual support at bases, training establishments, aboard ships and during operational deployments.

• Religious service

  Catholic chapel services

  Mass, sacramental preparation and other Catholic services delivered at defence chapels and shared ecumenical facilities. These services are intended to maintain access to Catholic worship for personnel who may be remote from civilian parishes.

• Education and pastoral support

  Religious and ethical support

  Chaplains support military personnel through discussions and instruction concerning ethics, morality, values and character development, in addition to their specifically sacramental and pastoral responsibilities.

• 1986

  Implementation under Spirituali Militum CuraeStrategy

  Background

  The canonical framework for military ordinariates required formal implementation of the Australian arrangement.

  Action taken

  The Australian military ordinariate was established under the apostolic constitution Spirituali Militum Curae on 21 July 1986.

  Aftermath

  The institution received final approval in 1988 and continued as the dedicated Catholic jurisdiction for the ADF.

  Source

• 1984

  Elevation from military vicariate to military ordinariateStrategy

  Background

  The earlier vicariate model provided dedicated pastoral care but did not yet give the Australian military church the status of an ordinariate with its own bishop.

  Action taken

  The Holy See elevated the Australian military vicariate to a military ordinariate, creating a more autonomous and clearly defined ecclesiastical jurisdiction for defence personnel.

  Aftermath

  The ordinariate became a diocese in its own right, immediately subject to the Holy See and responsible for Catholic members of the Australian Defence Force and their families.

  Source

1. 1Catholic Diocese of the Australian Military Servicesen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Catholic Military Ordinariate of Australiamilitary.catholic.org.au