Rev. Msgr. John C. Peters

“A vicar general assists the diocesan bishop in the gover-nance of the entire diocese and is endowed with ordinary power according to the canons. As a general rule, only one vicar general is appointed unless the size of the diocese, the number of its inhabitants or other pastoral reasons warrant otherwise. In virtue of his office, the vicar general possesses the executive power in the entire diocese which belongs to the diocesan bishop in law, that is, he possesses the power to place all administrative acts with the exception of those which the bishop has reserved to himself or which in law require the special mandate of the bishop.”  (Canons 475 §1 and §2 and 479 §1)