Titular Bishops

[NPC]

Hi All. I’m just looking for some info regarding the role of a Titular Bishop. I am interested because I know of a particular titular see here in Ireland which is under the jurisdiction of another diocese (I suppose it’s really an ancient see which has been subsumed into a bigger one). For a bishop/archbishop of a titular see, what are his rights/obligations? In the case where his see is controlled by another bishop, does the bishop have any obligation to provide the titular bishop with information regarding his see, or is the titular bishop himself bound to keep himself up to date with goings-on in his titular diocese? I know, of course, the word “titular” implies the title only with little or no real power, but any info would be appreciated regarding the relationship between titular bishop and titular see.

Thanks and a Happy New Year to all!

 

[FrDavid96]

Hi All. I’m just looking for some info regarding the role of a Titular Bishop. I am interested because I know of a particular titular see here in Ireland which is under the jurisdiction of another diocese (I suppose it’s really an ancient see which has been subsumed into a bigger one). For a bishop/archbishop of a titular see, what are his rights/obligations? In the case where his see is controlled by another bishop, does the bishop have any obligation to provide the titular bishop with information regarding his see, or is the titular bishop himself bound to keep himself up to date with goings-on in his titular diocese? I know, of course, the word “titular” implies the title only with little or no real power, but any info would be appreciated regarding the relationship between titular bishop and titular see.

Thanks and a Happy New Year to all!

Titular bishops have nothing to do with their titular sees–like you said at the end, it is purely a matter of being the bishop of that place “in name only” and nothing else. All of their rights/obligations have to do with the actual diocese in which they are ministering. Oddly enough (I once heard that)there used to be a provision in canon law forbidding a titular bishop from actually going to his see–perhaps to avoid the possibility that he would interfere with the actual (ordinary) bishop of the place.