Spirituali militum curae
The apostolic constitution Spirituali militum curae for the order of the Catholic military pastoral care and the Catholic military ordinariats or military dioceses was promulgated by Pope John Paul II on April 21, 1986 .
Goal setting
Until this apostolic constitution came into force, the full episcopal rights for military chaplaincy rested with the Pope . The bishop responsible for the military chaplaincy was the papal vicar for this area. With the new regulation, military bishops could be appointed whose rights are equivalent to a diocesan bishop .
The documents Christ Dominus and Lumen Gentium , Gaudium et spes , adopted by the Council Fathers of the Second Vatican Council , formed the basis for this constitution. The council had expressed the will that a military vicariate should be established, because the pastoral care of soldiers was an important service of the church . Therefore, with this constitution and in agreement with the local bishops, the military secretariats should be set up and a new legal regulation of the military chaplaincy created.
