Understand Physical Access Control

An overview of physical access control

An Apostolic administration in the Catholic Church is administrated by a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for a specific area. Either the area is not yet a diocese (a stable 'pre-diocesan', usually missionary apostolic administration), or is a diocese, eparchy or similar permanent ordinariate (such as a territorial prelature or a territorial abbacy) that either has no bishop (an apostolic administrator sede vacante, as after an episcopal death or resignation) or, in very rare cases, has an incapacitated bishop (apostolic administrator sede plena)

Former Apostolic administrations of physical access control

Latin in EuropeApostolic Administration of esk Tn (Czech Republic)

Apostolic Administration of Eastern Siberia (Russia)

Apostolic Administration of EupenMalmedySankt Vith (Belgium; promoted Diocese of EupenMalmedy, later suppressed into Lige diocese)

Apostolic Administration of European Russia

Apostolic Administration of Grlitz (Germany; promoted Diocese)

Apostolic Administration of Haarlem (Netherlands; promoted Diocese, renamed HaarlemAmsterdam)

Apostolic Administration of Lubaczw (promoted and renamed diocese of Zamo-Lubaczw, Poland)

Apostolic Administration of Moldova (Moldavia; now diocese of Chisinau)

Apostolic Administration of Northern European Russia

Apostolic Administration of Novosibirsk (Russia)

Apostolic Administration of Prizren, a former diocese (and later titular bishopric) in Kosovo (ex-Yugoslavian autonomous province in Serbia) (in 1969 absorbed by Skopje in the present North Macedonia), restored in 2000, elevated in 2018 as diocese, immediately subject to Rome

Apostolic administration of Schwerin (partitioned Germany, merged into Hamburg archbishopric)

Apostolic Administration of Southern European Russia

Apostolic Administration of Trnava (Slovakia; promoted Archdiocese, lost Metropolitan status when restored after merger into Bratislava)

Apostolic Administration of Ttz (then Germany, see moved to Schneidemhl (now Pia), elevated to Territorial Prelature, dissolved, now in Poland)

Apostolic Administration of Upper Silesia (Poland; now Archdiocese of Katowice)

Apostolic Administration of Western Siberia (Russia)

Apostolic Administration of West Vlaanderen (West Flanders province in Belgium; promoted diocese and renamed Brugge (Bruges) after its see)

Apostolic Administration of Yugoslav Baka (Serbia; now Diocese of Subotica)

Apostolic Administration of Yugoslav Banat (Serbia; now Diocese of Zrenjanin)Eastern Catholic in EuropeApostolic Administration of Lemkowszczyzna (Poland; Ukrainian Catholic, promoted Apostolic Exarchate, suppressed)

Ruthenian Catholic Apostolic Administration of Bosnia-Hercegovina (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Byzantine Rite; suppressed)

Ruthenian Catholic Apostolic Administration of Targul-Siret (Romania, Byzantine Rite; suppressed)Latin OverseasIn AsiaApostolic Administration of Almaty (Kazachstan; promoted Diocese)

Apostolic Administration of Astana (Kazachstan; promoted Archdiocese)

Apostolic Administration of Kazakhstan (promoted Diocese and renamed Karaganda after its see)

Apostolic Administration of Latakia (Maronite, Syria; now an Eparchy: Eastern Catholic Diocese)

Apostolic Administration of Okinawa and the Southern Islands, alias Ryukyus (Japan; now Diocese of Naha)In AmericaApostolic Administration of Copiap (Chile; now a diocese)

Apostolic Administration of El Petn (Guatemala; promoted Apostolic Vicariate)

Apostolic Administration of Izabal (Guatemala; now a diocese)

Apostolic Administration of Rio Branco (Brazil; promoted Territorial Prelature, renamed and again promoted Diocese of Roraima)In AfricaApostolic Administration of the Comoros Archipelago (Comoros; now Apostolic Vicariate of the Comoros Archipelago)

Apostolic Administration of Mbuji-Mayi (now Diocese of Mbujimayi, in Congo)

Apostolic Administration of Zanzibar and Pemba (now Diocese of Zanzibar, in Tanzania)

Characteristics of physical access control

Apostolic administrators of stable administrations are equivalent in canon law with diocesan bishops, meaning they have essentially the same authority as a diocesan bishop. This type of apostolic administrator is usually the bishop of a titular see.

Administrators sede vacante or sede plena only serve in their role until a newly chosen diocesan bishop takes possession of the diocese. They are restricted by canon law in what they can do to the diocese they temporarily administer. For example, such an administrator may not sell real estate owned by the diocese. This type of administrator is commonly an auxiliary bishop of the diocese, a priest serving as the vicar general of the diocese, or the ordinary of a neighboring diocese.

Normally when a diocese falls vacant, either the previously appointed Coadjutor bishop takes possession of the see or (lacking such successor) a vicar capitular/diocesan administrator is chosen locally, but the Pope, having full governmental power, can preempt this choice and name an apostolic administrator instead. Sometimes a retiring, promoted or transferred (arch)bishop is designated to be apostolic administrator until his successor is designated and takes office, sometimes the Metropolitan or a fellow suffragan is appointed.