Role of the Office

THE VICAR GENERAL

The Vicar General is a priest who functions as the Bishop’s deputy. He has wide-ranging responsibility for the executive functioning of the Diocese.

• The Vicar General is the principal deputy of the Bishop for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the Vicar General exercises the bishop’s ordinary executive power over the entire diocese (c. 475, §1). He is delegated to act as the Bishop in the absence of the Bishop.
• The Vicar General, by virtue of his office, can perform all administrative acts, except those, which the Bishop has reserved to himself or which by law require a special mandate (c. 479, §1).
• The Vicar General advises the Bishop on a wide variety of issues and represents the Diocese on behalf of the Bishop to a variety of internal and external publics.
• He participates in decisions regarding the assignment of priests and responds to requests from extern priests to perform ministerial service within the Diocese.
• He serves as Vicar for Religious, and serves on the Priests Mutual Benefit Society (PMBS). He also serves as an ex officio member of the Presbyteral Council, the Diocesan Council of Consultors, and the Diocesan Finance Council.
• Oversees the work of Permanent Diaconate Formation.
• Oversees the Director of Deacons in coordinating the ministry of permanent deacons.

 

THE MODERATOR OF THE CURIA
The Moderator of the Curia, under the authority of the Bishop, is to coordinate the exercise of administrative responsibilities, to oversee that all members of the Curia dutifully fulfill the offices entrusted to them, and to assist the Bishop in coordinating the activity of the members of the curia in accord with the prescripts of Canon 473 §2 of the Code of Canon Law. The Moderator of the Curia fosters unity, identity, and purpose within the Curia. He guides and directs diocesan departments in the implementation of the Diocese’s mission and the priorities of the Bishop.

Letter of Good Standing/Suitability

Clergy

Request Form for Letters of Good Standing/Suitability for clergy (click here)

Lay People/ Religious Sisters and Brothers

Request Form for Letters of Good Standing/Suitability for lay people/ Religious Sisters and Brothers (click here)

Any time we have a guest speaker from outside of our diocese coming into a diocesan or parish event, we need to request a Letter of Good Standing from that speaker. If you are sending the request, you may state that it is a policy of our diocese to have a current Letter of Good Standing submitted from any speaker coming from another diocese.

You can attach this sample/template letter stating that the Letter of Good Standing from their parish/religious community/diocese should be similar in nature to the one attached. If it is a youth event, the letter must include information about compliance with their diocesan safe environment policies.