Ministry of Defence celebrates 20 years of the Roman Catholic Bishopric of the Forces and Armed Corps
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- Date: 02.03.2023
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Top Defence officials led by Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď today attended the Thanksgiving Holy Mass marking the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Roman Catholic (RC) Bishopric of the Forces and Armed Corps of the Slovak Republic at St Martin's Cathedral and the Bishopric's 20th Anniversary Celebration events at the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra (Reduta) building in Bratislava.
Participants in attendance included the Triveneto Conference of Catholic Bishops led by Archbishop Francesco Moraglia (Patriarch of Venice), Archbishop Nicola Girasoli (Apostolic Nuncio to Slovakia), the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio J.C.D. (Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops), Mons Werner Freistetter (Bishop of the (AUT) Forces), and Mons Wiesław Lechowicz (Bishop of the (POL) Forces), and the Right Reverend Paul Mason (Bishop of the (UK) Forces), as well as military chaplains representing Bishoprics of the Forces from Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, and Slovenia.
In his congratulatory statement to the clergy of the Bishopric, Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “Service personnel of the SVK Armed Forces and members of the SVK Police Forces and other state components must often deal with challenging situations. I am pleased to see that the Chaplaincy Service – which has an irreplaceable place in the Forces – has for the past 20 years already enabled them to find consolation and words of encouragement for their service, strengthen their faith and reinforce their moral spirit.”
His Excellency, Bishop of the Forces and Armed Corps of the Slovak Republic František Rábek said: “At this very special moment, I wish the Roman Catholic Chaplaincy Service, represented by the Roman Catholic Bishopric of the Forces and Armed Corps of the Slovak Republic, to bring a spiritual revival to the Slovak Armed Forces and Armed Corps as much as to our entire society. Therefore, I invite everyone to give a helping hand and support this work, because this is a historic opportunity for each of us to respond.”
His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, said: “I congratulate Bishop Rábek, his Chaplains, the faithful of the Bishopric of the Forces and Armed Corps, and all the people of your country on this important jubilee, and I also congratulate you on perceiving and appreciating the spiritual needs of an individual and Slovak society as a whole, as well as those of the Forces serving your country in specific conditions. I wish you all the best for the future and many further jubilees to come.”
Given that there are special conditions of service for service personnel and employees of the Armed Services, they also need a special form of chaplaincy services. To that end, Bishoprics of the Forces or Military Ordinariates have been set up as Church structures and Bishops of the Forces, exercising personal jurisdiction, have been appointed to lead them. So far, the Roman Catholic Church has established 34 such Bishoprics worldwide.
The RC Bishopric of the Forces and Armed Corps of the Slovak Republic began its service as a diocese on 1 March 2003. The mission of the Bishopric is to provide pastoral ministries and spiritual services to Catholic believers in the Armed Forces, Law Enforcement Agencies, Fire and Rescue Service, and Mountain Rescue Service.
The Bishopric works to ensure the freedom of religion and the exercise of religious duties, celebrates Holy Masses and other church services, provides preparation for and administers the Sacraments, and supports spiritual development, as well as promoting Christian ethics, social action and charity.
The Bishopric is headed by Bishop František Rábek. Officially appointed as first Bishop of the Forces and Armed Corps by Holy Father John Paul II on 20 January 2003, Bishop Rábek was formally installed as Bishop of the Forces and Armed Corps on 1 March 2003 at the Holy Trinity Church in Bratislava.
Participants in attendance included the Triveneto Conference of Catholic Bishops led by Archbishop Francesco Moraglia (Patriarch of Venice), Archbishop Nicola Girasoli (Apostolic Nuncio to Slovakia), the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio J.C.D. (Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops), Mons Werner Freistetter (Bishop of the (AUT) Forces), and Mons Wiesław Lechowicz (Bishop of the (POL) Forces), and the Right Reverend Paul Mason (Bishop of the (UK) Forces), as well as military chaplains representing Bishoprics of the Forces from Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, and Slovenia.
In his congratulatory statement to the clergy of the Bishopric, Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “Service personnel of the SVK Armed Forces and members of the SVK Police Forces and other state components must often deal with challenging situations. I am pleased to see that the Chaplaincy Service – which has an irreplaceable place in the Forces – has for the past 20 years already enabled them to find consolation and words of encouragement for their service, strengthen their faith and reinforce their moral spirit.”
His Excellency, Bishop of the Forces and Armed Corps of the Slovak Republic František Rábek said: “At this very special moment, I wish the Roman Catholic Chaplaincy Service, represented by the Roman Catholic Bishopric of the Forces and Armed Corps of the Slovak Republic, to bring a spiritual revival to the Slovak Armed Forces and Armed Corps as much as to our entire society. Therefore, I invite everyone to give a helping hand and support this work, because this is a historic opportunity for each of us to respond.”
His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, said: “I congratulate Bishop Rábek, his Chaplains, the faithful of the Bishopric of the Forces and Armed Corps, and all the people of your country on this important jubilee, and I also congratulate you on perceiving and appreciating the spiritual needs of an individual and Slovak society as a whole, as well as those of the Forces serving your country in specific conditions. I wish you all the best for the future and many further jubilees to come.”
Given that there are special conditions of service for service personnel and employees of the Armed Services, they also need a special form of chaplaincy services. To that end, Bishoprics of the Forces or Military Ordinariates have been set up as Church structures and Bishops of the Forces, exercising personal jurisdiction, have been appointed to lead them. So far, the Roman Catholic Church has established 34 such Bishoprics worldwide.
The RC Bishopric of the Forces and Armed Corps of the Slovak Republic began its service as a diocese on 1 March 2003. The mission of the Bishopric is to provide pastoral ministries and spiritual services to Catholic believers in the Armed Forces, Law Enforcement Agencies, Fire and Rescue Service, and Mountain Rescue Service.
The Bishopric works to ensure the freedom of religion and the exercise of religious duties, celebrates Holy Masses and other church services, provides preparation for and administers the Sacraments, and supports spiritual development, as well as promoting Christian ethics, social action and charity.
The Bishopric is headed by Bishop František Rábek. Officially appointed as first Bishop of the Forces and Armed Corps by Holy Father John Paul II on 20 January 2003, Bishop Rábek was formally installed as Bishop of the Forces and Armed Corps on 1 March 2003 at the Holy Trinity Church in Bratislava.
