archdiocese

[billcu1]

I contacted them at my archdiocese and they said they have nothing to do with my local diocese and bishop. He does not take orders from the archbishop or anything. Yet my diocese is a metropolitan see of the archdiocese. What’s the connection in the diocese and archdiocese?

Bill

 

[april32010]

not enough information,i’m sure someone could and will help if you state your concern more clearly.

 

[Alfonsus]

I contacted them at my archdiocese and they said they have nothing to do with my local diocese and bishop. He does not take orders from the archbishop or anything. Yet my diocese is a metropolitan see of the archdiocese. What’s the connection in the diocese and archdiocese?

Bill

This is correct.
Canon Law defines the authority of the Archbishop/Metropolitan Bishop in the following canons:

METROPOLITANS

Can. 435 A metropolitan, who is the archbishop of his diocese, presides offer an ecclesiastical province. The office of metropolitan is joined with an episcopal see determined or approved by the Roman Pontiff.

Can. 436 §1. In the suffragan dioceses, a metropolitan is competent:

1/ to exercise vigilance so that the faith and ecclesiastical discipline are observed carefully and to inform the Roman Pontiff of abuses, if there are any;

2/ to conduct a canonical visitation for a cause previously approved by the Apostolic See if a suffragan has neglected it;

3/ to designate a diocesan administrator according to the norm of cann. ⇒ 421, §2, and ⇒ 425, §3.

§2. Where circumstances demand it, the Apostolic See can endow a metropolitan with special functions and power to be determined in particular law.

§3. The metropolitan has no other power of governance in the suffragan dioceses. He can perform sacred functions, however, as if he were a bishop in his own diocese in all churches, but he is first to inform the diocesan bishop if the church is the cathedral.

Can. 437 §1. Within three months from the reception of episcopal consecration or if he has already been consecrated, from the canonical provision, a metropolitan is obliged to request the pallium from the Roman Pontiff either personally or through a proxy. The pallium signifies the power which the metropolitan, in communion with the Roman Church, has by law in his own province.

§2. A metropolitan can use the pallium according to the norm of liturgical laws within any church of the ecclesiastical province offer which he presides, but not outside it, even if the diocesan bishop gives his assent.

§3. A metropolitan needs a new pallium if he is transferred to another metropolitan see.

Can. 438 The titles of patriarch and primate entail no power of governance in the Latin Church apart from a prerogative of honor unless in some matters the contrary is clear from apostolic privilege or approved custom.

 

[runningdude]

I contacted them at my archdiocese and they said they have nothing to do with my local diocese and bishop. He does not take orders from the archbishop or anything. Yet my diocese is a -]metropolitan/-] [suffragan] see of the archdiocese. What’s the connection in the diocese and archdiocese?

Bill

I made a slight correction to your post, to better respond.

As posted by Alphoso, the Archbishop has a figurehead role over the suffragan dioceses. He can perform mass and the sacraments within the suffragan dioceses, but has no authority to appoint priests or otherwise govern the diocese. This is the role of your local bishop! If you needed a dispensation for marriage for example, you’d have to go to your local bishop, as the archbishop wouldn’t have the authority to grant it outside his diocese.

The connection of your diocese to the archdiocese is mostly symbolic. Your local bishop is equal in dignity of office to the archbishop. However, when the dioceses cooperate on charitable or political outreach programs, the archbishop would likely take the lead. In the rare case of a vacancy, the archbishop may be given limited administrative rights within the diocese.

For more detail, consult Alphonso’s post

 

[JReducation]

I contacted them at my archdiocese and they said they have nothing to do with my local diocese and bishop. He does not take orders from the archbishop or anything. Yet my diocese is a metropolitan see of the archdiocese. What’s the connection in the diocese and archdiocese?

Bill

An Archdiocese is the diocese of the bishop who is the head of the province. Said bishop is called an Archbishop. That’s all. In case the local bishop dies or as was the case in Florida where the local bishop had a stroke, the Archbishop has to cover until the Vatican appoints a bishop.

As has already been said, the two jurisdictions are autonomous. Whatever you need, you must get from your diocese and the bishop who has jurisdiction over you is the bishop of the diocese in which you live, even his auxiliary bishops have little jurisdiction over you, unless the bishops grants it to them.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, FFV

 

[april32010]

not enough information,i’m sure someone could and will help if you state your concern more clearly.

guess it was enough information

 

[JaMc]

This is correct.
Canon Law defines the authority of the Archbishop/Metropolitan Bishop in the following canons:

Depending on the issue, this power of the Archbishop that you quoted:

1/ to exercise vigilance so that the faith and ecclesiastical discipline are observed carefully and to inform the Roman Pontiff of abuses, if there are any;

Could apply. But you don’t hear of Archibishops exercising it very often in their provinces, even on occasions when it would seem that they probably should.

 

[Alfonsus]

Well, the Law only state what they can in the suffragan diocese, not what they must do.

 

[JaMc]

Well, the Law only state what they can in the suffragan diocese, not what they must do.

If it’s something that they “can” do, and it’s in the best interest of the Faith and Holy Mother Church, then it is something that they SHOULD be doing, as far as I’m concerned.

 

[JGMendes4049]

In case the local bishop dies or as was the case in Florida where the local bishop had a stroke, the Archbishop has to cover until the Vatican appoints a bishop.

That’s only if the college of consultors (or in some places, the cathedral chapter) doesn’t appoint a vicar capitular (diocesan administrator) within a certain window of time. In that case, he would personally appoint the administrator. Unless, of course, the Holy Father appointed one.