The Apostolic Prefecture of Falkland Islands (Latin: Apostolica Præfectura de Insulis Falkland) is a Latin Church missionary ecclesiastical jurisdiction or apostolic prefecture of the Catholic Church covering the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands,[1][2][3] UK Southern Atlantic Ocean overseas possessions.
Prefecture Apostolic of Falkland Islands Apostolica Praefectura de Insulis Falkland | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | Falkland Islands |
| Territory | Falkland Islands |
| Ecclesiastical province | Immediately exempt to the Holy See |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 12,173 km2 (4,700 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 2010) 3,000 300 (10.0%) |
| Parishes | 1 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 10 January 1952 |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Apostolic Administrator | Tom Thomas, IC |
| Website | |
| prefecturemission.org | |
It is immediately exempt to the Holy See and not part of an ecclesiastical province. Its only church in the Falklands is its cathedra, St Mary's, in the Falklands capital Stanley. (Christ Church Cathedral is not a Catholic church but is the southernmost Anglican cathedral in the world, consecrated in 1892.)
History
editThe Latin missionary jurisdiction was established on 1 October 1952 as Apostolic Prefecture, splitting the offshore territory of Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands from the Diocese of Punta Arenas in Chile.
Mission Sui Iuris of Saint Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha
editThe Apostolic Prefecture of the Falkland Islands has a close relationship with the Mission Sui Iuris of Saint Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha. An exempt mission sui juris, it was created on 18 August 1986 for the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, comprising the Atlantic Ocean islands of Saint Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha, splitting these territories from the Archdiocese of Cape Town.
It comprises a church or chapel on each island:
- Church of the Sacred Heart in Jamestown, Saint Helena
- Grotto of Our Lady on Ascension
- Church of Saint Joseph on Tristan da Cunha.
From the start, the office of its ecclesiastical superior has been vested in the Apostolic Prefect of the Falklands, another UK Southern Atlantic overseas possession.
Incumbent ordinaries
editSo far, all incumbents have been members of Roman rite missionary congregations, none titular bishops
- Prelates of the Falkland Islands
- Friar James Ireland, M.H.M. (28 March 1952 – 7 May 1973)
- Friar Daniel Martin Spraggon, M.H.M. (7 May 1973 – †27 September 1985)
- Prelates of the Falkland Islands and Ecclesiastical Superiors of Saint Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha
- Mgr. Anton Agreiter, M.H.M. (1 October 1986 – 9 August 2002; †2003)
- Mgr. Michael Bernard McPartland, S.M.A. (9 August 2002 – 26 October 2016; †2017)
- Abbot Hugh Allan, O.Praem. (26 October 2016 – 18 July 2024)
- Fr Tom Thomas, IC (18 July 2024 - present)
Sources, References and External links
editReferences
edit- ^ "Press release from the Office of the Bishopric of the Forces: Former Territorial Army Chaplain to become the next Catholic Forces Bishop". Archdiocese of Southwark. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ "Ordination of Mgr Richard Moth as Catholic Bishop of the Forces". The Catholic Church in England and Wales. 29 September 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ "THE RIGHT REVEREND THOMAS MATTHEW BURNS". Diocese of Minevia. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
