The
departments and offices that are included in the Archdiocesan Catholic Center are identified on the Archdiocese of Los Angeles website.
Listed and discussed below are the selected offices that the archbishop
has designated as responsible for particular matters related to clergy,
women religious, or the faithful, and which are overseen by vicars
designated under canon law or by the vicar for women religious.
Office of Ethnic Ministry and Office of Life, Justice and Peace
The Office of Ethnic Ministry
ministers to the more than 40 different ethnic groups represented in
the archdiocese. It provides opportunities for all the faithful to
exchange ideas and appreciate the cultural diversities and contributions
that these groups provide in the archdiocese, thereby underscoring both
the common beliefs that unite all faithful and the diversity that
enriches the Christian tradition. The office plans programs that are
directed to its mission and provide intercultural opportunities.
The Office of Life, Justice and Peace
is organized to provide opportunities to deepen the awareness of the
role of social justice in Christian tradition, and to unite all the
faithful of every culture in an understanding that life extends from
conception through natural death and is enriched by an active commitment
to social justice for all people, regardless of their faith, personal
situation, or cultural heritage.
Office of the Vicar for Clergy
The Office of the Vicar for Clergy
has overall responsibility for pastoral and administrative matters
related to clergy (both priests and deacons) in the archdiocese. Its
role is to promote the spiritual and physical well-being and facilitate
the ministerial life of all priests and deacons present in the
archdiocese, particularly those who are incardinated in the archdiocese,
whether active, inactive, sick, on leave, or in transition. The vicar
for clergy and associate vicar for clergy are designated for specified
terms by the archbishop after a specified nomination and vetting process
in which the presbyterates of the archdiocese participate.
The
office works to assure suitable ministerial assignments for all clergy
serving in the archdiocese, particularly through coordinating the work of
the Priest Personnel Board of the archdiocese and by assisting the archbishop
in assuring that the diverse spiritual, ethnic, and ministerial needs of
the faithful in the archdiocese are integrated and respected as
ministerial assignments and decisions are made.
In the last 50
years, the archdiocese has grown to over 5 million faithful. The growth
in population and diversity continues. This growth, as well as the
diversity of cultures, languages, and ministerial needs present in the
archdiocese, means that priests from other dioceses and cultures, both
foreign and domestic, and members of religious orders make an important
contribution in filling the ministerial needs of the archdiocese. The
Office of the Vicar for Clergy screens and coordinates requests and
applications from those who wish to minister in the archdiocese, whether
for a short period or several years.
The Office of the Vicar for
Clergy also provides for the continuing formation of priests and
deacons and intervenes and addresses with other designated parties those
situations where a priest or deacon has become ill or incapacitated or
has failed to fulfill his ministerial duties or priestly and canonical
obligations, including situations involving personal, sexual, financial,
or other misconduct.
Offices of the Judicial Vicar
In
the archdiocese the role of the judicial vicar is divided and
discharged through the Office of the Vicar for Canonical Services and
the Metropolitan Marriage Tribunal, each headed by a designated priest
vicar.
Office of the Vicar for Canonical Services
The vicar for canonical services has the primary duty to administer justice to the people of God in the local Church.
In
marriage matters, the focus of the Office of the Vicar for Canonical Services is to provide canonical advice, research, and permissions
involved in marriage preparation and any needed dispensations or other
needed procedures before a marriage may occur. The dispensations and
other canonical procedures are initiated through the local
pastor/administrator or his designee. The local pastors and other parish
ministers determine, as best they can, the character of the request and the manner in which the application should be pursued and submitted to the
vicar for canonical services.
The Office of the Vicar for
Canonical Services also assists the archbishop on matters of canonical
analysis or review; provides advice on application of canon law in the
administration of the archdiocese, the parishes, and the other patrimony
of the archdiocese; and advises on matters related to religious life or
institutions that are located within the archdiocese. The Office of the
Vicar for Canonical Services should be consulted by clergy and others
who are discerning about formalizing established groups into juridic
persons or other canonical entities. The Office of the Vicar for
Canonical Services provides advice to the archbishop concerning the
status of hospitals, colleges, and other Catholic institutions present
in the archdiocese. It also advises the archbishop and his designees on
matters related to clergy who may be seeking laicization or other
changes in status and on the implementation of safe environment protocols for clergy under the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
Metropolitan Marriage Tribunal
The Metropolitan Marriage Tribunal
is an extension of the archbishop's judicial ministry to the people of
the archdiocese. This office is staffed by priests, deacons, and
religious and lay persons trained in canon law, and they are appointed
by the archbishop as judges or defenders of the bond.
The
ministry of the tribunal is one part of the Church's effort to offer
healing and hope to the parties of failed marriages. For some time, the
office has trained pastors/administrators and their designees in
parishes to assist petitioners in understanding the process and
documentation. Individuals who have divorced civilly are required to
first consult with that designated person at the parish concerning the
process of petitioning and an understanding of the nullity process in
the archdiocese.
The tribunal then uses the underlying petition
and testimonies and other information requested or provided to it to
investigate these situations to determine whether the parties in certain
circumstances may be free to remarry. The tribunal's first and primary
goal is to minister and to protect the rights of both parties during the
process.
Faithful to Catholic tradition, the tribunal maintains
the innate dignity of marriage and the Gospel's prohibition against
arbitrary and unwarranted divorce. At the same time, the tribunal
reflects the Church's appreciation of an imperfect society where divorce
is a common reality. In accord with canon law, all previously married
individuals, whether or not they are Catholic, have the right to seek
clarification of the canonical status of their previous marriage(s).
A
declaration of nullity may be granted only if it can be shown through a
formal inquiry that at the time of consent, at least one of the parties
lacked the intention or capability required to establish a binding
commitment as understood by the Church. If nullity is declared, both
parties would be free to enter into another marriage in the Church, if
they choose to do so.
This declaration does not deny that a real
relationship existed, nor does it imply that the relationship was
entered with ill will or moral fault. It does not seek to place blame or
establish a guilty party. A declaration of nullity does not affect the
legitimacy of any children of the marriage. In the United States, a
declaration of nullity has no consequences in civil law.
Office of the Vicar for Women Religious
The vicar for women religious
is the liaison between the archbishop and the women religious and
consecrated women and officially represents the women religious and
consecrated women of the archdiocese. The Office of the Vicar for Women Religious serves all women religious and consecrated women working and
living in the archdiocese in all matters directly related to the local
church, including ministry, housing, and other issues.
There are
approximately 100 different orders of women religious and consecrated
women represented in the archdiocese. They make important service and
leadership contributions to the educational, ministerial, sacramental,
evangelization, social service, and health efforts for the faithful of
all ages and nationalities represented in the archdiocese.
Each
order must be recognized by the archbishop and invited to be present and
remain in the archdiocese. Some orders have been present for
generations, while others (both newly formed and long established)
regularly seek permission to minister in the archdiocese. The office is
responsible for communicating with the communities that wish permission
to come to the archdiocese to minister and the office responds to their application
on behalf of the archbishop. If the communities are granted permission,
which is discretionary, the office assists in their arrival.
The office:
Provides resources for women religious and consecrated women of the archdiocese
Coordinates opportunities for deepening the bonds among the women and for spiritual enrichment
Promotes the diverse ministries of the religious institutes within the local Church
Disseminates information from various resources to consecrated women and, when appropriate, to clergy of the archdiocese
Collaborates with archdiocesan agencies, offices, and organizations in matters affecting women religious and consecrated women
Provides guidance for communities or individuals seeking to serve in the archdiocese
Serves as a resource for women discerning a vocation to consecrated life
Communities
present in the archdiocese generally wish or are required to be listed
in The Official Catholic Directory of the USCCB, and if qualified, they
may seek approval as a tax-exempt and charitable entity in the United
States either directly under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code or
as a participant in the USCCB Group Ruling. Both require detailed
submissions and approvals. The Office of the Vicar for Women Religious
should be consulted for information and references concerning this
process (see the Procedures for Religious Congregations Newly Entering the Archdiocese of Los Angeles).
Office of the Vicar for Ministerial Formation
The
Office of the Vicar for Ministerial Formation is responsible for
coordinating all ministerial formation efforts in the archdiocese,
including those at St. John's Seminary and the activities of the Diaconate Formation Office, the Office of Parish Life, and the Office for Vocations.
The vicar advises the archbishop and convenes the responsible people
from those offices who meet regularly to discuss areas of mutual
concern, to collaborate and support their various ministries as they serve
the people of the archdiocese, and to consult on matters referred to the
vicar for ministerial formation or the group by the archbishop.