Roman Catholicism in the Czech Republic

The Roman Catholic Church in the Czech Republic is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope, curia in Rome, and the Conference of Czech of Bishops.

There are 1.08 million Catholics in the country representing about 1/10 of the total population (census 2011). There are eight dioceses including two archdiocese. In addition, there is a separate jurisdiction for those of the Byzantine Rite. Although the Catholic Church is the largest Christian religious grouping in the country, Czechs have historically been more loosely attached to the church for nationalistic reasons,^{[citation needed]} such as the Habsburg rule, the Hussite influence and communist regime, in contrast to the Poles, who stayed more attached.^{[citation needed]}

Communist regime

The Communist regime, which seized power in 1948 in what was then Czechoslovakia, confiscated all the property owned by churches and persecuted many priests. Churches were then allowed to function only under the state's strict control and supervision and priests' salaries paid by the state. Churches were seized, priests jailed or executed and those allowed to lead religious services did so under the supervision of the secret police. After the Velvet Revolution, some churches and monasteries were returned, but the churches have since sought to get back other assets such as farms, woodlands and buildings.

During the Communist regime, various underground Catholic movements existed. Among these is the Koinotes group, centered on Bishop Felix Davidek, whose vicar general was Ludmila Javorová, ordained by him to the presbyterate.

2012 Agreement

In January 2012 the Czech government agreed to pay billions of dollars in compensation for property seized by the former totalitarian regime to the Church. The compensation plan — to be spread over 30 years — proved a win-win situation: The state no longer wanted to pay the priests' salaries, and religious organizations expressed relief after previous failed attempts.

Under the plan, the country's 17 churches, including Catholic and Protestant, would get 56 percent of their former property now held by the state — estimated at 75 billion koruna ($3.7 billion) — and 59 billion koruna ($2.9 billion) in financial compensation paid to them over the next 30 years. The state will also gradually stop covering their expenses over the next 17. In 2008, a similar bill was approved by the government but Parliament rejected it.

Structure

Roman Catholic Church in Czech Repub

• Province of Bohemia
  • Archdiocese of Prague with the following suffragans:
  • Diocese of Plzeň
  • Diocese of Litoměřice
  • Diocese of České Budějovice
  • Diocese of Hradec Králové

• Province of Moravia
  • Archdiocese of Olomouc with the following suffragans
  • Diocese of Brno
  • Diocese of Ostrava-Opava

• Apostolic Exarchate in the Czech Republic (immediately subject to the Holy See)

• Military Vicarate of Czech Republic