Pope Francis has given his blessing to the creation of a Territory for the Torres Strait to be established within the Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross.
Following the announcement that an Ordinariate would be erected in Australia, the Church of Torres Strait petitioned the Holy See in 2011 for its own Ordinariate rather than become part of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross (OLSC).
Since 2013, many discussions have taken place, addressing what might be the best way forward taking into account the cultural uniqueness of the Torres Strait and the ecclesial history of the CTS.
The CTS came to the conclusion that its desire for a separate Ordinariate needs to be a staged process with the prayerful hope that in God’s time it will come to fruition.
Its revised petition was forwarded to the Congregation for the Doctrine for the Faith in February.
The Dicastery considered it in March and the prefect, Cardinal Müller, presented its recommendations to the Holy Father.
The new Territory will be subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the Ordinary of OLSC, but administered on a daily basis by a regional vicar who will be appointed when the first ordinations of clergy and reception of laity takes place.