Bishop or Archbishop?
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I wonder who is higher in the hierarchy.
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, Augustine was Bishop of Hippo etc. but how come our bishop is called archbishop? -
bishop higher.
ours not fit to be bishop -
Our archdiocese isn't large enough to be called a diocese, hence we have an archbishop instead of a bishop.
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then anglican is the other way? their boss is archbishop of cantebury.Originally posted by Gasfene:bishop higher.
ours not fit to be bishop -
doesn't make sense in english.Originally posted by Kuali Baba:Our archdiocese isn't large enough to be called a diocese, hence we have an archbishop instead of a bishop.
if I ask you, angel or archangel higher in hierarchy? -
I'm somewhat mistaken...after checking Catholic Encyclopedia and Wiki, I learnt that an archdiocese represents a particularly significant diocese, and an archbishop is indeed an elevated bishop.Originally posted by Icemoon:doesn't make sense in english.
if I ask you, angel or archangel higher in hierarchy?
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wah .. so elevated .. higher than Augustine siah.Originally posted by Kuali Baba:I'm somewhat mistaken...after checking Catholic Encyclopedia and Wiki, I learnt that an archdiocese represents a particularly significant diocese, and an archbishop is indeed an elevated bishop. 
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Singapore is significant diocese?
It is just a small red dot for goodness sake. -
Maybe not in size, but perhaps in terms of geography, proportion or history?Originally posted by Icemoon:Singapore is significant diocese?
It is just a small red dot for goodness sake.
It's a good question, and I'll post it to veritas.org.sg. -
You must emphasize, even the Pope is traditionally called the Bishop of Rome only.Originally posted by Kuali Baba:Maybe not in size, but perhaps in terms of geography, proportion or history?
It's a good question, and I'll post it to veritas.org.sg.
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Strangely though, Rome is considered a metropolitan archdiocese.Originally posted by Icemoon:You must emphasize, even the Pope is traditionally called the Bishop of Rome only. Maybe the title of Bishop wasn't renamed because of tradition, but that's just my conjecture. He still holds the titles of Pope, Supreme Pontiff and Vicar of Christ anyway. -
I got the reply today:Originally posted by Kuali Baba:Maybe not in size, but perhaps in terms of geography, proportion or history?
It's a good question, and I'll post it to veritas.org.sg.
"This was due to the historical development of the diocese. We were part of the Archdiocese of Malacca-Singapore with the bishop being based here.
Roughly speaking, after we split from Malacca, it was not the norm to 'downgrade' the bishop's see and so the designation of 'archdiocese' remains.
Please see here for some details: http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dsngp.html
Regards,
Veritas Webmaster" -
Wah, I didn't know that the Veritas service is used for trivial pursuit.Originally posted by Kuali Baba:I got the reply today:
"This was due to the historical development of the diocese. We were part of the Archdiocese of Malacca-Singapore with the bishop being based here.
Roughly speaking, after we split from Malacca, it was not the norm to 'downgrade' the bishop's see and so the designation of 'archdiocese' remains.
Please see here for some details: http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dsngp.html
Regards,
Veritas Webmaster" -
Perhaps this will go some ways towards answering you:Originally posted by Icemoon:You must emphasize, even the Pope is traditionally called the Bishop of Rome only.
"Besides the bishopric of the Roman Diocese, certain other dignities are held by the pope as well as the supreme and universal pastorate: he is Archbishop of the Roman Province, Primate of Italy and the adjacent islands, and sole Patriarch of the Western Church."
From the Catholic Encyclopedia. -
i suppose they have nothing else to do anyway.Originally posted by ObiterDicta:Wah, I didn't know that the Veritas service is used for trivial pursuit. -
I happen to be on the team running the service. We are all volunteers who have regular jobs. And some of us serve in multiple ministries within the Church. So it is definitely not the case of us having nothing else to do.Originally posted by Icemoon:i suppose they have nothing else to do anyway. -
Opps .. so it is staffed by volunteers.Originally posted by ObiterDicta:I happen to be on the team running the service. We are all volunteers who have regular jobs. And some of us serve in multiple ministries within the Church. So it is definitely not the case of us having nothing else to do.
I thought priests answer those questions. Then if nobody sends in questions, it might seem nobody is interested in the Catholic faith. -
Well, even if the service were run by priests, we still can't say that 'they have nothing else to do', since priests are so swamped with work.Originally posted by Icemoon:Opps .. so it is staffed by volunteers.
I thought priests answer those questions. Then if nobody sends in questions, it might seem nobody is interested in the Catholic faith.
The unfortunate fact in the Catholic Church is that there is a constant shortage of people willing to serve in ministries, so that volunteers often have multiple roles.
And I am sad to say that the Church in Singapore is filled with people who think that the Church owes them a big favour by the mere fact that they are Catholics. The 'ugly Singaporean' syndrome manifests itself rather starkly in an ecclesial context.
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Actually what do priests do beside conducting Mass and hearing confessions?Originally posted by ObiterDicta:Well, even if the service were run by priests, we still can't say that 'they have nothing else to do', since priests are so swamped with work.
The unfortunate fact in the Catholic Church is that there is a constant shortage of people willing to serve in ministries, so that volunteers often have multiple roles.
Catholic Church commitment very sin nang liao compared to Protestant churches. Mass is only 1 hour and from what I can see, there are less ministries to serve in. Maybe not very visible to me.
For example, I can't seem to see any church choir or camera man or ushers. -
Besides hearing confessions and celebrating Masses, priests' work include:Originally posted by Icemoon:Actually what do priests do beside conducting Mass and hearing confessions?
Catholic Church commitment very sin nang liao compared to Protestant churches. Mass is only 1 hour and from what I can see, there are less ministries to serve in. Maybe not very visible to me.
For example, I can't seem to see any church choir or camera man or ushers.
- Visiting parishioners who invite them to help with various matters, including house blessing
- Conducting weddings
- Counselling for people in trouble
- Managing the parish's finances
- Ensuring that the physical infrastructure of the parish is properly maintained, with the help of other lay people
- Planning of activities
- Providing spiritual guidance to parish-level ministries (including the choirs) as well as be the final authority for making certain decisions and resolving conflicts
- Teaching RCIA
- Being on standby 24x7 to respond to calls to minister to those who are dying
- Being spiritual director for diocese-level ministries, and taking part in their activities
In addition, for their own spiritual well-being, priests are required to pray the Divine Office each day.
On the other separate points, choirs are present during Sunday Masses. Weekday Masses do not usually have choirs present due to the fact that all choir members are volunteers. As for ushers, each parish would have a hospitality ministry where ushers volunteer to serve during the weekend Masses. -
so many work to do for $800 a month .. poor thing.
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Free housing, meals and carOriginally posted by Icemoon:so many work to do for $800 a month .. poor thing. 
Sounds a little like prison haha! -
Maybe the local Church is short of money, but I am sure many things are better run efficiently by professionals and/or dedicated staff than by volunteers.Originally posted by ObiterDicta:The unfortunate fact in the Catholic Church is that there is a constant shortage of people willing to serve in ministries, so that volunteers often have multiple roles.
If you want to see what I mean, just look at what St Mary of the Angels are doing. They are slowly building up a team of dedicated staff to run the admin side of the parish.
As a volunteer myself, I have absolutely no problems in setting aside church work if I need to feed myself.
The next thing is also that the church itself teaches that workers should be paid a just wage. So the electrician who repairs the church wiring must be paid fairly. The gardener must be paid fairly. And so on.
Ergo, musician not a profession meh? website designer not a profession meh?
Its good that people are willing to volunteer but sometimes it seems to me things border on expecting people to volunteer.
So its not a matter of banging it into people's heads, "Serve! Serve!" but also asking the question of how things can be done differently.