Military Ordinariate of the Philippines

The Military Ordinariate of the Philippines or MOP is a personal diocese for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and the Philippine Coast Guard. It has jurisdiction over all military, police and coast guard personnel, their dependents, and the civilian employees of all branches of the armed forces. Its titular patron is the Immaculate Conception, with SS. Ignatius of Loyola and John of Capistrano as secondary patrons. The current Ordinary is Most Rev Leopoldo S. Tumulak, D.D..

History
The Military Ordinariate of the Philippines was initially erected as a Military Vicariate on 8 December 1950 as per decree by Pope Pius XII via Consistoriat Decree Ad consulendum. It was accepted by the Philippine Government in a diplomatic Agreement which took effect through the exchange of Notes Verbal in 1952 between the Philippines Foreign Secretary, Jaime Elizalde and the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Vagnozzi. Rufino Jiao Santos, then-Auxiliary Bishop of Manila, took possession of the Vicariate and became the first Military Vicar in Philippine history.

On 12 April 1986, Pope John Paul II issued the Apostolic Constitution Spirituale militum curae, which took effect on 21 July 1986. This Papal document was unique as it began a new structure for all military vicariates all over the world, elevating these to the level of ordinariates, thus giving them the same status as territorial dioceses.

The Ordinariate has its own curia and exercises its pastoral ministry through military, police, and coast guard chaplains assigned to the different branches of the services. The exact number of faithful under this jurisdiction is classified information, but it is approximately 90 percent of servicemen.

The mostly diocesan priests of the Ordinariate carry officers' ranks and are assigned to the different AFP, PNP, and Coast Guard command posts nationwide.

Subjects

 * All Catholic Chaplains in active Military, Police, or Coast Guard service.
 * All civilian Catholic priests, diocesan or religious, who are properly and officially appointed as Volunteer Chaplains in the service of the Military Ordinariate.
 * All Catholic laity in active Military, Police, or Coast Guard service.
 * All Catholic civilian employees, their spouses and children, residing either inside or outside any Military, Police, or Coast Guard installation.
 * All families of Catholic laity in active Military, Police, or Coast Guard service; namely, the spouses, children, servants and those who habitually live in the same house, whether inside or outside any Military, Police, or Coast Guard installation.
 * All Catholics living within any Military, Police, or Coast Guard installation, or in homes reserved by the Government for Military, Police, or Coast Guard personnel and their families.
 * All Catholics living or working in military hospitals, hospices for the elderly, or similar institutions.
 * All Catholics, whether or not members of a religious institute, who permanently carry out a task committed them by the Military Ordinary, or with his consent.

Territorial possessions


Though not bound to any particular geographical area, the Military Ordinariate has several buildings under its jurisdiction; almost all are found within military or police installments. The Ordinariate's principal church is the St Ignatius Military Cathedral in Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Philippines, while its pro-cathedral for the Police is the St Joseph Pro-Cathedral in Camp Crame (across Camp Aguinaldo on the other side of EDSA).

The Ordinariate also owns the large Shrine of St. Therese, Doctor of the Church, situated near Villamor Airbase, NAIA Terminal 3, and Resorts World Manila in Pasay City.



Chaplains
Priests who wish join the Chaplain Services of the Armed Forces, the National Police, and the Coast Guard are required to fulfil the standard requirements of both the service branch they are entering and the Church. The endorsement of the Military Ordinary is amongst the most important of the ecclesiastical requirements; the Ordinary submits the names of applicants for a "call to active duty" (CAD). He gives to Chaplains and civilian priests working for the services the canonical faculties to exercise their spiritual ministry among subjects of the Military Ordinariate.

Chaplains in active duty are given the initial rank of Captain or its equivalent in other branches of the services. They enjoy the progatives and privileges of the rest of the officers belonging to the same grade or rank in the service.

Chaplains in active service who are not incardinated into the Military Ordinariate may be subject to recall by the Bishop of their respective diocese of origin, even without cause. On the other hand, the Ordinary may also withdraw his endorsement for cause. The chaplain whose endorsement has thus been withdrawn is to report to their Diocesan Bishop or Religious Superior as soon as possible. Chaplains whose tour of active service is terminated are to return to their respective dioceses or religious orders, or as otherwise advised or directed by their original Bishop or Superior.

Non-combatant status

 * See: Military chaplain

Military Ordinary
The Military Ordinary must be a Filipino-born member of the nation's Church hierarchy, and is appointed by the Holy See after consultation with government. The Pope freely nominates the Military Ordinary– normally a bishop– or institutes or confirms the candidate legitimately chosen according to the Canon Law. He belongs by right to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines and is subject to the Congregation for Bishops.

Incumbent

 * LEOPOLDO S. TUMULAK

Born: 29 November 1944

Place of Birth: Santander, Cebu

Sacerdotal Ordination: 30 March 1972, Cebu City

Episcopal Ordination: 16 March 1987, Metropolitan Cathedral, Cebu

Former post: Bishop of Tagbilaran, Bohol.


 * EDUCATION
 * Primary: Mainit Primary School, Oslob, Cebu, 1950-1954
 * Elementary: Santander Elementary School, Santander, Cebu, 1954–1956
 * Secondary: St. Mary's Academy, Oslob, Cebu, 1956–1959
 * Seminario Menor de San Carlos, Mabolo, Cebu, 1959–1963
 * Seminario Major de San Carlos, Mabolo, Cebu, 1963–1972
 * MA in Education Administration: Colegio de San José Recoletos, Cebu, 1983


 * MINISTRY
 * 1972-1993- Assistant Parish Priest, Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
 * 1973-1978- Dean of Studies and Treasurer, Pope John XXIII Minor Seminary, Mabolo, Cebu
 * 1978-1986
 * Rector, Principal, Pope John XIII Minor Seminary, Mabolo, Cebu
 * Member, Cebu Archdiocesan Priests Senate
 * 1979-1984- Coordinator, Directors of Vocations in the Philippines
 * 1982-1994- Chairman, Justice and Peace Commission, Church-Military Liaison, Cebu
 * 1982-1993- Diocesan Consultor, Cebu
 * 1983-1985- Spiritual Director, Spiritual Pastoral Formation Year, Cebu
 * 1983-1986- Team Priest, World Wide Marriage Encounter
 * 1985-1993- Chairman, Commission on Formation-IV, Diocesan Synod of Cebu
 * 1986-1993
 * Chairman, Commission on Seminaries
 * Parish Priest, San Nicolas Parish, Cebu City
 * Member, Crisis Assistance Team
 * 1987- Vice President, Alumni Association, Seminario Major de San Carlos, Cebu
 * 1988-1992- Member, Episcopal Commission on Biblical Apostolate
 * 1990-1992- Member, Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education
 * 1993
 * Member, Episcopal Commission on Social Action, Justice and Peace
 * Member, Episcopal Commission on Ecumenical Affairs
 * Member, CBCP Permanent Council
 * Chairman, Episcopal Committee on the Cultural Heritage of the Church

Former Military Ordinaries

 * Cardinal Rufino Jiao Santos (1951-1973) – later Archbishop of Manila
 * Mariano Gaviola (1974 to 1981) – former Bishop of Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. Became Archbishop of Lipa after term.
 * Pedro G. Magugat, MSC (1981-1985) – became the first resident Bishop of Urdaneta, Pangasinan on 22 April 1985.
 * Severino Pelayo (1985-1995) – originally a priest from Candaba, Pampanga.
 * Ramon Arguelles (1995-2004) – later transferred to the Archdiocese of Lipa.