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Bishops & Episcopal Ministry

The office, ministry and appointment of bishops; ad limina visits.

Also called bishops, episcopacy.

63 documents

Related topics

A dagger (†) means the date or the official link is still awaiting verification.

1890s

  1. Satis Cognitum29 June 1896On the Unity of the ChurchPope

1960s

  1. Pastorale Munus30 November 1963On Faculties Granted to Diocesan BishopsPope
  2. Christus Dominus28 October 1965Decree on the Pastoral Office of BishopsEcumenical Council
  3. De Episcoporum Muneribus15 June 1966On the Faculties of Bishops to DispensePope
  4. Superno Dei Nutu5 June 1960Instituting the Preparatory Commissions for the Second Vatican CouncilPope
  5. Mirabilis ille6 January 1963Letter to the Bishops on the Work of the Council between SessionsPope
  6. Ecclesia Christi14 September 1964Address Opening the Third Session of the CouncilPope
  7. Lumen Gentium21 November 1964Dogmatic Constitution on the ChurchEcumenical Council
  8. Apostolica Sollicitudo15 September 1965Establishing the Synod of BishopsPope
  9. Pacto de las Catacumbas16 November 1965Pact of the Catacombs (for a servant and poor Church)Ecclesial Initiatives
  10. Closing Message to the Council Fathers8 December 1965Closing Message: Introduction to the Council FathersPope
  11. Ecclesiae Sanctae6 August 1966Implementing the Decrees Christus Dominus, Presbyterorum Ordinis, Perfectae Caritatis and Ad GentesPope
  12. Episcopalis Potestatis2 May 1967On the Faculties of Eastern BishopsPope
  13. Pro Comperto Sane6 August 1967On Diocesan Bishops as Members of the Roman CongregationsPope
  14. Pontificalis Romani18 June 1968Approving the New Rites of Ordination of Deacons, Priests and BishopsPope

1970s

  1. Quinque Iam Anni8 December 1970To the Bishops Five Years after the CouncilPope
  2. Catholic Teaching on Apostolic Succession1973Catholic Teaching on Apostolic SuccessionTheological & Biblical Commissions
  3. Ecclesiae imago†22 February 1973Directory on the Pastoral Ministry of BishopsRoman Curia
  4. Mutuae relationes14 May 1978Directives for mutual relations between bishops and religiousRoman Curia

1980s

  1. Directory for the Ad Limina Visit29 June 1988Directory for the Ad Limina VisitRoman Curia
  2. Caeremoniale Episcoporum14 September 1984Ceremonial of Bishops (editio typica)Roman Curia
  3. Spirituali Militum Curae21 April 1986On military ordinariatesPope
  4. The Sacrament of Order in the Sacramental Structure of the Church26 June 1988Valamo DocumentEcumenical & Interreligious Dialogue
  5. Ecclesia Dei2 July 1988On the Lefebvre schism and the Ecclesia Dei CommissionPope
  6. De Ordinatione Episcopi, presbyterorum et diaconorum (editio typica altera)29 June 1989Rite of Ordination, second typical editionRoman Curia

1990s

  1. Instruction on Diocesan Synods†19 March 1997Instruction on Diocesan SynodsRoman Curia
  2. Ecclesia in Urbe1 January 1998On the Vicariate of RomePope
  3. Apostolos Suos21 May 1998On the theological and juridical nature of episcopal conferencesPope

2000s

  1. Message of the Synod of Bishops to the People of God25 October 2001X Ordinary General Assembly (2001), The Bishop: Servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Hope of the World: Message [→ Pastores Gregis]Synod of Bishops
  2. Pastores Gregis16 October 2003On the bishop, servant of the GospelPope
  3. Apostolorum successores22 February 2004Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of BishopsRoman Curia
  4. Lettera alla Chiesa in Cina27 May 2007Letter to the Catholic Church in the People's Republic of ChinaPope
  5. Con grande fiducia7 July 2007Letter to bishops accompanying Summorum PontificumPope
  6. Decree remitting the excommunication of the bishops of the Society of St Pius X21 January 2009Decree lifting SSPX excommunicationsRoman Curia

2010s

  1. Imparare a congedarsi12 February 2018On resignation of bishops and curial officials for reasons of agePope
  2. Intima Ecclesiae natura11 November 2012On the service of charityPope
  3. Declaratio10 February 2013Declaration of renunciation of the Petrine ministryPope
  4. Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus15 August 2015Reform of marriage nullity procedure (Latin Code)Pope
  5. Iuvenescit Ecclesia15 May 2016Letter on Hierarchical and Charismatic GiftsRoman Curia
  6. Come una madre amorevole4 June 2016On removal of bishops negligent in abuse casesPope
  7. Ecclesiae Sponsae Imago8 June 2018Instruction on the Ordo virginumRoman Curia
  8. Episcopalis communio15 September 2018On the Synod of BishopsPope
  9. Vos estis lux mundi7 May 2019Procedures for reporting abuse and episcopal accountabilityPope

2020s

  1. Some aspects of the person and ministry of the Bishop (Part 1)5 May 2026Synod Study Group 7 Final Report, Part 1: selection of bishops and judicial functionSynod of Bishops
  2. Some aspects of the person and ministry of the Bishop (Part 2: ad limina visits)8 September 2026Synod Study Group 7 Final Report, Part 2: ad limina Apostolorum visitsSynod of Bishops
  3. The Bishop and Christian Unity: An Ecumenical Vademecum†4 December 2020The Bishop and Christian UnityRoman Curia
  4. Pascite gregem Dei23 May 2021Reform of Book VI (penal law) of the Code of Canon LawPope
  5. Lettera ai Vescovi (Traditionis custodes)16 July 2021Letter to bishops accompanying Traditionis custodesPope
  6. Traditionis custodes16 July 2021On the use of the Roman liturgy prior to the 1970 reformPope
  7. The Identity of the Catholic School for a Culture of Dialogue25 January 2022Instruction on the Identity of the Catholic SchoolRoman Curia
  8. Competentias quasdam decernere11 February 2022Assigning certain competences in the Code of Canon Law to bishops and conferencesPope
  9. Vademecum on Procedures in Cases of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Clerics, ver. 2.05 June 2022Vademecum on Abuse Cases (v2.0)Roman Curia
  10. In Ecclesiarum communione6 January 2023On the organization of the Vicariate of RomePope
  11. Vos estis lux mundi (aggiornato)25 March 2023Vos estis lux mundi made permanent (updated)Pope
  12. A Synodal Church in Mission: Synthesis Report28 October 2023XVI Ordinary General Assembly, First Session (2023), For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission: Synthesis ReportSynod of Bishops
  13. Norms for Proceeding in the Discernment of Alleged Supernatural Phenomena17 May 2024Norms on Alleged Supernatural PhenomenaRoman Curia
  14. For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission26 October 2024XVI Ordinary General Assembly, Second Session (2021-2024 synod on synodality): Final Document (adopted by Pope Francis as ordinary magisterium)Synod of Bishops
  15. Immota manet11 November 2025On the central sector of the Diocese of RomePope
  16. Interim Reports of the Study Groups17 November 2025Synod on synodality implementation: Interim Reports of the Study GroupsSynod of Bishops
  17. Confirma fratres tuos24 June 2026Revision of the Apostolic Constitution In Ecclesiarum communione (Vicariate of Rome)Pope
  18. Lettera alla Fraternità San Pio X29 June 2026Letter to the Society of St Pius X appealing against a schismatic actPope
  19. Decree concerning the Society of St. Pius X2 July 2026Decree on the SSPX episcopal consecrations (with Explanatory Note)Roman Curia
  20. Relationship between bishops, consecrated life and ecclesial communities (Study Group 6)8 September 2026Synod Study Group 6 Final Report: revision of documents on relations between bishops, consecrated life and ecclesial aggregationsSynod of Bishops