Catholic Church in Estonia Rejoices as Pope Francis Elevates Tallinn to a Diocese with its 1st Bishop Philippe Jourdan
Elevation to diocese of the apostolic administration of Estonia, and appointment of first bishop, Estonia
The Holy Father, Pope Francis, has elevated the apostolic administration of Estonia to the grade of diocese, with the name of Tallinn, maintaining its territorial configuration and leaving unchanged its status of ecclesiastical circumscription immediately subject to the Holy See.
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Philippe Jean-Charles Jourdan, until now apostolic administrator of the apostolic administration of Estonia, as first bishop of the diocese of Tallinn, Estonia.
About Estonia: Estonia, with a population of over 1.3 million, is in Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland. It holds more than 1,500 islands, and was part of the Soviet Union, it's capital is Tallinn. Roman Catholicism has existed on Estonian territory for at least 8 centuries, but the Catholic community was only constituted as a proper circumscription in the Roman-Catholic Church since 1924.
According to the national census of Estonia, about 0.78% of the population is Catholic, and it is one of the few Churches in Europe recording steady growth. (Image of Archbishop Georg Gänswein, Apostolic Nuncio to Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia, announcing the appointment on behalf of the pope.)
The Catholic Church of Estonia wrote on their FB Page:
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I am very happy to inform you that Pope Francis has decided to elevate the Estonian Apostolic Administration to the Diocese of Tallinn and to appoint me as the bishop of the new Diocese of Tallinn.
This change marks a turning point in the history of the Catholic Church in Estonia. The Estonian Apostolic Administration was basically a transitional structure created by the Holy See 100 years ago due to difficult circumstances. At that time, the Estonian state was only six years old. After the end of the First World War, the Catholic community in Estonia was extremely small. In such a situation, the restoration of church life as the creation of an independent ecclesiastical structure was undoubtedly a great sign of faith and trust on the part of Pope Pius XI, but it is natural that, under the given conditions, a temporary status - the apostolic administration - an institution used in the region where the church is just starting its work, was chosen for this purpose. In contrast to the apostolic administration, the diocese is a stable and permanent structure, equal to all other dioceses around the world.
Becoming a diocese testifies to the stabilization of our ecclesiastical situation, and it is also recognition by the Holy See of the pastoral and organizational maturity of the Estonian Catholic community. This means that the local church has developed the human, material and spiritual resources necessary to fully assume the responsibilities of the diocese. In addition, the creation of a diocese allows the local community to be structured around a resident bishop who becomes the spiritual father and shepherd of the local church. Unlike an apostolic administration, where a bishop can be a temporary shepherd or even come from another diocese, the creation of a diocese allows for pastoral continuity, greater closeness to Catholics and a long-term vision for spiritual and pastoral development in the community.
This change is also a recognition of the growth and importance of the Estonian Catholic community in Maarjamaa. This can attract more attention, support and cooperation with other dioceses, as well as with the various structures of the universal church. It also gives Catholics pride that they belong to the fully recognized Estonian Catholic Church. This should strengthen our spiritual and missionary work. Finally, this transformation can facilitate the development of new pastoral, social, educational and charitable projects. By becoming a diocese, the church acquires autonomy, which enables it to better respond to the specific needs of the Estonian population, while remaining in communion with the universal church.
Finally, the transformation of the Estonian Apostolic Administration into the Diocese of Tallinn is not only a historical event in the history of Estonian Catholicism, but above all a moment of grace and hope for all of us. This conversion to a diocese is not only a recognition of our stability and development, but also an opening to new perspectives of spiritual and missional growth. This is a crucial step in confirming the faith and serving Catholics in St. Mary's. This is undoubtedly Pope Francis' call to responsibility so that we feel more every day that the Church is ours, our Mother and our family, whom we love and care for.
We thank God for this great gift we have received. Every great gift of God is also a task for us, and every task in turn brings great grace to the glory of God, and for the good of us, the people of Maryland! Dear brothers and sisters, let us entrust our new diocese to the guardianship of the servant of God, Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, who has worked so hard for it, even though he did not get to see the establishment of the diocese with his own eyes.
+ Bishop Philippe Jourdan
Bishop of Tallinn of the Roman Catholic Church
P.S: Our new Apostolic Nuncio, T.E. Archbishop Georg Gänswein will officially read the Pope's decision at the beginning of the Mass in St. Peter's Church on Sunday, September 29, 2024.
On November 2 - 3, 2024, we will solemnly celebrate, as we had previously planned, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Estonian Apostolic Administration and thank God for the creation of the new Tallinn Diocese. Now a new stage in the history of the Estonian Catholic Church has begun.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Philippe Jourdan was born on 30 August 1960 in Dax, France. He was awarded a diploma in mathematics and engineering from the École des Ponts ParisTech, Paris, in 1983, and a doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome, in 1987.
He was ordained a priest and incardinated in the Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei on 20 August 1988.
He has held the following offices: chaplain of the Colegio de Fomento Aldeafuente, Madrid (1988-1989), chaplain of the Centre Culturel Garnelle, Paris (1989-1993), pastoral animator of various student residences in Paris (1992-1995), vicar general of the apostolic administration in Estonia (1996-2005), and parish priest of the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Tallinn (1999-2001). On 23 March 2005 he was appointed titular bishop of Pertusa and apostolic administrator of the apostolic administration of Estonia.
https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2024/09/26/240926b.html
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I am very happy to inform you that Pope Francis has decided to elevate the Estonian Apostolic Administration to the Diocese of Tallinn and to appoint me as the bishop of the new Diocese of Tallinn.
This change marks a turning point in the history of the Catholic Church in Estonia. The Estonian Apostolic Administration was basically a transitional structure created by the Holy See 100 years ago due to difficult circumstances. At that time, the Estonian state was only six years old. After the end of the First World War, the Catholic community in Estonia was extremely small. In such a situation, the restoration of church life as the creation of an independent ecclesiastical structure was undoubtedly a great sign of faith and trust on the part of Pope Pius XI, but it is natural that, under the given conditions, a temporary status - the apostolic administration - an institution used in the region where the church is just starting its work, was chosen for this purpose. In contrast to the apostolic administration, the diocese is a stable and permanent structure, equal to all other dioceses around the world.
Becoming a diocese testifies to the stabilization of our ecclesiastical situation, and it is also recognition by the Holy See of the pastoral and organizational maturity of the Estonian Catholic community. This means that the local church has developed the human, material and spiritual resources necessary to fully assume the responsibilities of the diocese. In addition, the creation of a diocese allows the local community to be structured around a resident bishop who becomes the spiritual father and shepherd of the local church. Unlike an apostolic administration, where a bishop can be a temporary shepherd or even come from another diocese, the creation of a diocese allows for pastoral continuity, greater closeness to Catholics and a long-term vision for spiritual and pastoral development in the community.
This change is also a recognition of the growth and importance of the Estonian Catholic community in Maarjamaa. This can attract more attention, support and cooperation with other dioceses, as well as with the various structures of the universal church. It also gives Catholics pride that they belong to the fully recognized Estonian Catholic Church. This should strengthen our spiritual and missionary work. Finally, this transformation can facilitate the development of new pastoral, social, educational and charitable projects. By becoming a diocese, the church acquires autonomy, which enables it to better respond to the specific needs of the Estonian population, while remaining in communion with the universal church.
Finally, the transformation of the Estonian Apostolic Administration into the Diocese of Tallinn is not only a historical event in the history of Estonian Catholicism, but above all a moment of grace and hope for all of us. This conversion to a diocese is not only a recognition of our stability and development, but also an opening to new perspectives of spiritual and missional growth. This is a crucial step in confirming the faith and serving Catholics in St. Mary's. This is undoubtedly Pope Francis' call to responsibility so that we feel more every day that the Church is ours, our Mother and our family, whom we love and care for.
We thank God for this great gift we have received. Every great gift of God is also a task for us, and every task in turn brings great grace to the glory of God, and for the good of us, the people of Maryland! Dear brothers and sisters, let us entrust our new diocese to the guardianship of the servant of God, Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, who has worked so hard for it, even though he did not get to see the establishment of the diocese with his own eyes.
+ Bishop Philippe Jourdan
Bishop of Tallinn of the Roman Catholic Church
P.S: Our new Apostolic Nuncio, T.E. Archbishop Georg Gänswein will officially read the Pope's decision at the beginning of the Mass in St. Peter's Church on Sunday, September 29, 2024.
On November 2 - 3, 2024, we will solemnly celebrate, as we had previously planned, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Estonian Apostolic Administration and thank God for the creation of the new Tallinn Diocese. Now a new stage in the history of the Estonian Catholic Church has begun.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Philippe Jourdan was born on 30 August 1960 in Dax, France. He was awarded a diploma in mathematics and engineering from the École des Ponts ParisTech, Paris, in 1983, and a doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome, in 1987.
He was ordained a priest and incardinated in the Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei on 20 August 1988.
He has held the following offices: chaplain of the Colegio de Fomento Aldeafuente, Madrid (1988-1989), chaplain of the Centre Culturel Garnelle, Paris (1989-1993), pastoral animator of various student residences in Paris (1992-1995), vicar general of the apostolic administration in Estonia (1996-2005), and parish priest of the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Tallinn (1999-2001). On 23 March 2005 he was appointed titular bishop of Pertusa and apostolic administrator of the apostolic administration of Estonia.
https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2024/09/26/240926b.html
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