THE PAROCHIAL VICAR

By Fr. Casmir Odundo

The bell to the rectory rang. Fr. Maxwell, the Parochial Vicar (Curate) ran to open the door. It was Mrs. Edna. “Good morning Father Maxwell, I am looking for Fr. Protus, the Parish Priest.” She said. “Good Morning, he is not around, he has left for a one week seminar. Is there anything I can help you with?” Asked Fr. Maxwell. She kept quiet for a while, then she said she will come back next week. Fast forward to the next week, she was again at the rectory. This time it was Fr. Protus, the Parish Priest who opened the door. “Mrs. Edna, glad you are here, I was told you were looking for me, last week, what’s up?”

“Father, I just wanted you to bless my rosary.” She said pulling out her rosary.

“And you had to wait for a whole week. Why couldn’t you ask Fr. Maxwell to bless it for you?”

 “Well,” he is just a Curate, you are the Parish Priest.” She added.

“Mrs. Edna, the “Real Parish Priest” is in the tabernacle, we are only helpers.” Added Fr. Protus, the Parish Priest.

A Parish…

A parish is a certain community of the Christian faithful stably constituted in a particular church, whose pastoral care is entrusted to a parish priest (parochus) as its proper pastor (pastor) under the authority of the diocesan bishop (Can. 515 §1).

A typical parish has several members, clergy and lay working together for the spiritual good of souls. Among the ordained, precisely, priests working in a parish there are several designations: A Parish Priest, a Parish Administrator, Parochial Vicar(s) and supply/visiting priests.

A Parish Priest

St. John Maria Vianney: Patron of Parish Priests

The first and the most important of the above is the Parish priest. In other places he is called a Pastor. Strictly speaking, there is no parish without a Parish Priest. He is the condition sine qua non of a Parish just as a Diocesan Bishop is the condition sine qua non of a diocese.  

“The Parish Priest (parochus) is the proper pastor of the parish entrusted to him, exercising the pastoral care of the community committed to him under the authority of the diocesan bishop… for that same community he carries out the functions of teaching, sanctifying, and governing, with the cooperation of other priests or deacons and with the assistance of lay members of the Christian faithful, according to the norm of law.” (Cf. Can. 519) 

Because of his important role in the Parish, the Church gives him the privilege of stability and he therefore is appointed by the Diocesan Bishop for an indeterminate period of time. (Cf. Can. 522). Ideally, a Parish Priest can only serve one Parish at a time, however, because of shortage of priests, neighbouring parishes are sometimes entrusted to one Parish priest.  Furthermore, in any given parish, there can only be one and only one Parish Priest at a time.

A Supply Priest

Though this term is not mentioned explicitly in the Code of the Canon law. A supply priest as used in the contemporary ecclesial sense refers to a priest not assigned specifically to a certain parish but who all the same,  assists or fills in for any of the priests assigned in a parish, who may be on vacation, sick leave, or performing other diocesan functions. Supply priests are also sometimes visitors to the area or retired priests.” Strictly speaking, unless delegated, these priests have no administrative roles in a parish.

A Parochial Administrator

This is the canonical term for a priest who serves as an Acting Parish Priest. According to Can. 539, “When a parish becomes vacant or when a parish priest is prevented from exercising his pastoral function in the parish by reason of captivity, exile or banishment, incapacity or ill health, or some other cause, the diocesan bishop is to designate as soon as possible a parochial administrator, that is, a priest who takes the place of the pastor.” This priest, is bound by the same rights as the Pastor unless the diocesan bishop establishes otherwise. (Cf. Can. 540.)

 Parochial Vicar(s)

In some places parochial vicar(s) is/are called Assistant Pastor(s) or Associate Pastor(s) or Assisting Priest(s).In many English Speaking countries, the Parochial Vicar is also sometimes called Curate. The term is derived from the French cur’e (meaning “one who exercises care of or cure for the souls”); interestingly however, In France, and in many French speaking countries the term cur’e (curate) actually designates the Parish Priest. The appropriate term, though technical, is Parochial Vicar as envisioned in the 1983 Code of the Canon Law.

Can. 545 §1 states, “ Whenever it is necessary or opportune in order to carry out the pastoral care of a parish fittingly, one or more parochial vicars can be associated with the Parish Priest. The appointment of Parochial Vicar(s) in a parish is thus an exception rather than the norm. That is why not all parishes have parochial vicars. When appointed, Parochial vicar(s) serve as “co-workers with the Parish Priest and sharers in his concern.  They are to offer service in the pastoral ministry by common counsel and effort with the Parish Priest and under his authority.” (ibid). The last two prepositions are important if we are to understand the work and the place of a Parochial Vicar. He is a Priest just like the Parish Priest. He is of course not less a priest than the parish priest and the parish priest is of course not more a priest than him. They both share in the same ministerial priesthood. That is why he works with (cum) the Parish Priest. However, in the general organization of a parish, which is always under one leader, so to speak, he is a Vicar and that is why he works under (sub) the Parish priest.

Like the Parish Priest, the Parochial Vicar is also appointed, transferred and removed by the Diocesan Bishop. Unlike the Parish Priest, Parochial vicars can be one, many or none in a parish. Unlike Parish Priests who are more stable in a parish, parochial Vicars are less stable.  “The office of a Parish priest requires, fullness and stability.” (Cf. Congregation For the Clergy, The Priest: Pastor and Leader of the Community n. 19).

 As a principle, because the structural organization of a parish, as laid out by the Code of the Canon Law, somehow mirrors, albeit analogously, the structural organization in a diocese. That is why in both we have finance councils, pastoral councils and e.t.c. It can be said, analogously, that while the Parish priest is to the Parish what the Diocesan Bishop is to the Diocese. The Parochial Vicar(s) are to the Parish what the auxiliary bishop(s) are to the diocese.

What can a Parochial Vicar do and not do?

Unless the letter of the diocesan bishop expressly provides otherwise, a parochial vicar is obliged to assist the parish priest in the entire parochial ministry by reason of office. (Cf. Can. 548 §2). This means that he can do/assist the Parish Priest in all his duties and obligations (Cf. Duties of a parish Priest in Canons 528, 529 and 530).   However, there is only one thing that a Parochial Vicar cannot do/ assist the Parish Priest to do. This has to do with Canon 534. In accordance with Can. 548 §2, a Parochial Vicar cannot apply mass (Misa pro Populo) for the people on holidays of obligations and Sundays as is required of the Parish Priest. He may however do so, in the event. where the office of the Parish Priest is vacant according to the norm of law.

The Parish Priest and the Parochial Vicar are obliged to collaborate because all of them are responsible for the pastoral care of the parish (Can. 548 §3). Therefore the Parochial Vicar is “to report to the parish priest regularly concerning proposed and existing pastoral endeavors,” the reason for this is for unity of purpose and common effort.

Is the Parochial Vicar involved in the administration of the Parish?

Many have erroneously held that the Parochial Vicar has no role in Parish administration. A Parochial Vicar is not a supply priest. Of course, the level of administration is not the same as that of the Parish Priest. However, the office of a Parochial Vicar is an administrative office all the same.

As we have already seen, his role in a parish can be compared, albeit analogously, to the role of auxiliary Bishop(s) in a diocese. We know from the code of the Canon Law, as a general rule, an auxiliary Bishop is usually appointed as a Vicar General in a diocese or at least an Episcopal Vicar. The same is applied, analogously, in the case of a Parochial Vicar.

The code of the Canon law, envisions that in the event that the office of a Parish Priest falls vacant, before the Diocesan Bishop appoints another Parish Priest or a Parish Administrator. The Parochial Vicar automatically takes charge of the interim governance of the Parish. If there are a number of Parochial Vicars, the one most senior by appointment takes charge. (Cf. Can 541).

Indeed the Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Christifideles Laici called for the involvement and collaboration of the laity in the mission of the Church. This happens in many ways today.  However, this collaboration must happens first and foremost in the hierarchical order. E.g. in the case of a   Parish Priest who works with Parochial Vicar(s) and Deacons then the laity. A priest always has precedence over deacons and non-ordained faithful.

What kind of ministries can the Parochial Vicar be involved in?

According to the Code of the Canon Law, “depending on the specification from the letter of appointment from the Bishop: A parochial vicar(s) can be assigned either to assist in exercising the entire pastoral ministry for the whole parish, or a determined part of the parish e.g. a zone, or a certain group of the Christian faithful of the parish, or even to assist in fulfilling a specific ministry in different parishes together e.g. to be a chaplain in schools e.t.c. (Cf. can 545). The last statement therefore means that one can be appointed Parochial Vicar in several parishes.

The Code of the Canon Law leaves it to Diocesan Statues, Letter of Appointment from Diocesan Bishops and direction of the Parish Priests (Can. 548) as regards the specific nature of the apostolate of the Parochial Vicars.

In some religious congregations, for example the Salesians, if for example two priests are working in a parish. One as the Parish Priest and the other as Parochial Vicar. In addition to the Pastoral work, the Parochial Vicar will also handle the finances of the Parish.

In some dioceses the Parochial Vicars are automatically Chaplains for schools or special apostolates e.g.  young people and etc. In some Parishes, they are given special ministries such as family life, catechetical work, liturgy e.t.c.

Conclusion

In summary, two priests are better than one. And parishes with two or more priests are more advantaged that parishes with just a single priest. Parochial Vicars bring, many benefits to parishes. The greatest challenge is how to effectively make good use of them.

The author is Parochial Vicar: St. Veronica Keringet, Parish; Diocese of Nakuru.

Email: casmirthomas28@gmail.com