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How do personal prelatures resemble and how do they differ from dioceses, religious orders and movements?

22-November-2007

One should keep in mind that all ecclesial realities share in the life and purpose of the one Church. Therefore, all are called to live in the same ecclesial communion and to foster mutual affection.

Both the personal prelatures and the dioceses are communities of the faithful of an hierarchical nature. The dioceses are particular Churches and include all the faithful in a specific territory. The personal prelatures live and act within one or various dioceses, with which they cooperate by fulfilling their specific ecclesial purpose, in a complementary relationship.

Within the Church the faithful can establish realities of an associative character which, without being hierarchical communities, like the dioceses and prelatures, carry out an ecclesial activity for various purposes. Some of these, such as the confraternities or charitable associations, do not require a specific vocation for their members. Others however do require a specific calling to take part in a particular charism. The religious orders and congregations bring together faithful who through their life and apostolic action, moved by a particular charism, give public and official witness to the radicality of the Gospel.

The movements are associations that stem from a charism and that include a wide variety of faithful, especially lay faithful who live in the world and establish among themselves bonds of fraternity and apostolate linked to their charism.