Expert: George A. Card,sfo, M.I - 10/4/2004

Question
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Followup To
Question -
Dear George,

Do you know of a website that can tell me the approximate number of RC bishoprics in the various countries of the world?

Thank you

Charles
Answer -
         Pax/Peace

Dear Charles--
In the Catholic Church, bishopric refers just to some of a bishop, especially that of his diocese or eparchy (what Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox churches call them). Eastern Catholic are in union with the Bishop of Rome.

So here are some numbers I got from a Norwegian site, a friend help translate some. I will continue to look for an english site for you.

Ecclesial jurisdictions /Count
Patriarchate  13
Major Archeparchy  2
Metropolitan Archdiocese (-eparchy)  522
Archdiocese (-eparchy)  77
Diocese (eparchy)  2,132
Prelature  49
Territorial Abbey  12
Apostolic Exarchate  19
Ordinariate  8
Military Ordinariate  35
Apostolic Vicariate  76
Apostolic Prefecture  46
Apostolic Administrature  9
Mission "sui juris"  11

All the above are generally head by a bishop or bishop-elect or by a priest that has authority but not sacramental power of a bishop. The above doesnt count retired or non reigning bishops from what we can tell.

         your servant but His First
         george


Dear George,

Thanks for your reply. I found this great website -

http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/sc3.html

Re the diocese column, does one diocese correspond to one bishop? So taking your figures above the total number of diocesan bishops in the world would be 522 + 77 + 2,132 = approx 2,700. So the most common meaning of bishop is someone who has charge of a diocese, but on top of this there are other types of bishop - have I got this right?

Thank you

Charles

Answer
         Peace

Dear Charles,
  Thanks for the link, i recently was updating my favorites and by slip of finger it was done:(
Your formula is close to what I would use. I would

Patriarchate  13
Major Archeparchy  2
Metropolitan Archdiocese (-eparchy)  522
Archdiocese (-eparchy)  77
Diocese (eparchy)  2,132
Military Ordinariate 35
+______________________

 I will let you do the math, which is my weakness. In general one bishop per above. Also I dont know if that counting auxullery and retired for the above.

A Bishop is A Bishop. Yet, a Patriarch is a Bishop that has greater authority over bishops in his Patriachate, etc. A Military Ordinariate is a "diocese/eparchy" made of military persons and their families. I believe the USA has two as for others I dont know.

Again thanks for helping me recover the link

         your servant but His first
         george