Apostolic prefecture

During the last centuries of the second millennium it was the practice of the Holy See to govern either through prefects apostolic or apostolic vicariates, many territories where no dioceses with resident bishops were erected and where local circumstances, such as the character and customs of the people or hostility of civil powers, made it doubtful whether an episcopal see could be permanently established. The establishing of a prefecture apostolic in a place supposes that the Church has attained only a small development in the area. Fuller growth leads to the foundation of an apostolic vicariate as an intermediate stage to becoming a diocese. "An apostolic vicariate or apostolic prefecture is a certain portion of the people of God which has not yet been established as a diocese due to special circumstances and which, to be shepherded, is entrusted to an apostolic vicar or apostolic prefect who governs it in the name of the Supreme Pontiff." Can. 371 §1. A prefect apostolic is of lower rank than a vicar apostolic. The prefect's powers are more limited and do not normally possess the episcopal character, as is ordinarily the case with a vicar apostolic. The duties of a prefect apostolic consist in directing the work of the mission entrusted to his care; his powers are in general those necessarily connected with the ordinary administration of such an office, for instance: the assigning of missionaries and the making of regulations for the good management of the affairs of the mission. == Current apostolic prefectures ==

In China • Ankang 安康 (Hinganfu) / Ankang • Baojing 保靖 / Paoking • Guilin 桂林 / Kweilin • Hainan 海南 / Hainan • Haizhou 海州 / Haichow • Jiamusi 佳木斯 / Kiamusze • Jian′ou 建甌 / Kienow • Lingling 零岭 / Yongzhou 永州 / Yungchow • Linqing 臨清 / Lintsing • Lintong 臨潼 / Lintung • Lixian 澧縣 / Lizhou 澧州 / Lichow • Qiqihar 齊齊哈爾 / Tsitsibar • Shaowu 邵武 / • Shashi 沙市 / Shasi • Shiqian 石阡 / Shihtsien • Suixian 隨縣 / Suihsien • Tongzhou 同州 / Tungchow • Tunxi 屯溪 / Tunki • Weihai(wei) 威海衛 / Weihaiwei • Xiangtan 湘潭 / Siangtan • Xining 西寧 / Sining • Xinjiang 新絳 / Jiangzhou 絳州 / Kiangchow • Xinjiang-Urumqi 新疆-烏魯木齊 / Sinkiang • Xinxiang 新鄉 / Sinsiang • Yangzhou 揚州 / Yangchow • Yixian 易縣 / Yihsien • Yueyang 岳陽 / Yuezhou 岳州 / Yochow • Zhaotong 昭通 / Chaotung Elsewhere in Eurasia • Battambang () in Cambodia • Kampong Cham () in Cambodia • Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia • Yuzhno Sakhalinsk in Asian Russia and Japan • Baku, in and covering Azerbaijan (raised to the level of prefecture on 4 August 2011; had been Mission sui iuris of Baku from 11 October 2006) Americas • Falkland Islands (U.K.) Oceania • Marshall Islands, not exempt but in the ecclesiastical province of Agana. Africa • Misurata, in Libya • Robe, in Ethiopia • Western Sahara == Former apostolic prefectures ==

:(very incomplete) Most former apostolic prefectures were promoted to apostolic vicariate or territorial prelature (under a titular bishop) or (mostly later) to a diocese or even an archdiocese (under a residential bishop), but some ceased to exist (at least under their name or extent) being suppressed or sometimes dismembered. Europe • Iceland (promoted Diocese of Reykjavík) • Rhodes and adjacent islands (insular Greece) • Apostolic Prefecture of Scotland (UK) • Luxembourg (promoted Apostolic Vicariate, now Archdiocese ) Germany • Lausitz (Lusatia) • Schleswig-Holstein Asia China • Apostolic Prefecture of Yachow • Yiduxian 益都縣 / Iduhsien Indian subcontinent • French Colonies in India (then French India) • Jubbulpore • Madura (Diocese of Tiruchirapalli) ==== Malay Archipelago ==== • Bangka and Biliton (now Diocese of Pangkal-Pinang) • Batavia (now Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jakarta) • Brunei (now Apostolic Vicariate of Brunei) • Labuan e Borneo, then Northern Borneo {Borneo Settentrionale} (now Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu) • Sarawak (now Archdiocese of Kuching) • Kalinga and Apayao (now Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk) • Mindoro (now Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan) • Ifugao and Mountain Province (now Apostolic Vicariate of Bontoc-Lagawe) • Palawan (now Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Princesa) • Sulu (now Apostolic Vicariate of Jolo) Americas North and Central America • Îles de la Terre Ferme (now Fort-de-France–Saint-Pierre) • United States South America • Alto Solimões (promoted diocese) • Apostolic Prefecture of Araucanía • Tefé (now Territorial Prelature) • Tumaco Oceania • German Solomon Islands • Northern Solomon Islands • South Seas Islands Africa and Indian Ocean North Africa • Bahr el-Ghazal - part of the Diocese of Wau • Delta of the Nile (Egypt) • Equatorial Nile • Sahara and Sudan Horn of Africa • Eritrea Indian Ocean islands • Islands of the Indian Ocean, then Bourbon (now Diocese of Saint-Denis de La Réunion) West Africa • Bobo-Dioulasso (promoted Archdiocese, in Burkina Faso) • Katanga (then Belgian Congo) • Apostolic Prefecture of Kayes (now Diocese in Mali) • Mupoi (Diocese of Tombura-Yambio) • N’Zérékoré • Oubangui Chari (French colonial name of Central African Republic; now Metropolitan of Bangui) == See also ==

• GCatholic.org - List of Current Apostolic Prefectures; and many other pages