Title during sede vacante

[PeterLD]

Hi I was wondering whats the title of an auxiliary bishop after the seat falls vacant but before before he (or someone else) is officially elected diocesan administrator by the college of consultors? Thanks.

 

[MarkThompson]

Do you mean, I assume, during the sede vacante of his see, rather than the Holy See (which is what the phrase is usually applied to)? Maybe I’m missing why this is an issue, but what makes you think a vacant see’s auxiliaries’ titles might change?

EDIT: looking a little harder, I see Canon 409:
§2. When the episcopal see is vacant and unless competent authority has established otherwise, an auxiliary bishop preserves all and only those powers and faculties which he possessed as vicar general or episcopal vicar while the see was filled until a new bishop has taken possession of the see. If he has not been designated to the function of diocesan administrator, he is to exercise this same power, conferred by law, under the authority of the diocesan administrator who presides offer [sic, for “over”] the governance of the diocese.
On my reading, then, an auxiliary bishop would remain auxiliary bishop, not exercising any powers except those due to his position as a vicar, to which he was appointed pursuant to Canon 406. He would not be deposed as bishop of his titular see, nor made, somehow, no longer an auxiliary of his real diocese.

 

[PeterLD]

well when the auxiliary bishop is elected by the consultors to administer the See until a new bishop is appointed he becomes the “diosesan administrator”.

I used to to think that when a see falls vacant the auxiliary bishop (or the most senior if there’s several) automatically becomes the dioscesan administrator, but thats not how it works! The consultors have to elect one within a certain period. Eight days I think it is.

Now say, for some reason, it takes the consultors seven days to elect a diosesan administator. Someone has to administer the see during those seven days. Luckily governance of the see does automatically pass someone, either an auxiliary bishop or the consultors as a whole.

Which brings me back to my original question: what is the title of that person who governs the see during those hypothetical seven days? The diocesan administator’s predecessor. The acting diocesan administrator?

 

[ChadS]

well when the auxiliary bishop is elected by the consultors to administer the See until a new bishop is appointed he becomes the “diosesan administrator”.

I used to to think that when a see falls vacant the auxiliary bishop (or the most senior if there’s several) automatically becomes the dioscesan administrator, but thats not how it works! The consultors have to elect one within a certain period. Eight days I think it is.

Now say, for some reason, it takes the consultors seven days to elect a diosesan administator. Someone has to administer the see during those seven days. Luckily governance of the see does automatically pass someone, either an auxiliary bishop or the consultors as a whole.

Which brings me back to my original question: what is the title of that person who governs the see during those hypothetical seven days? The diocesan administator’s predecessor. The acting diocesan administrator?

When a see is vacant and even without a diocesan administrator the offices and various ministries keep functioning, the lights still come on, the phone still gets answered and people still come into work. I think we might be overestimating what exactly the bishop’s role is in the day to day operations of his diocese. Certainly while the see is vacant there are no more appointments or reassignments and big structural and progam changes he had in the works may be put on hold, but things keep functioning. Even with a diocesan adminstrator there are certain decisions that need to be put on hold until a new bishop takes up residence. Due to various scandals at different points in history and keeping with best accounting practices the bishop wouldn’t be involved in most of the day to day financial decisions - so his presence probably isn’t strictly necessary for people to get paid. Department heads can keep making decisions pursuant with their authority. It’s just that major decisions like policy changes, key personnnel changes, new ministry agendas or goals have to be put on the back burner.

ChadS

 

[dans0622]

Which brings me back to my original question: what is the title of that person who governs the see during those hypothetical seven days? The diocesan administator’s predecessor. The acting diocesan administrator?

Hello PeterLD,

I know of no title for this person. He is not an “acting diocesan administrator,” because he does not have the power of an administrator. He has the power of a vicar general, but is not a vicar general. Since the law does not have a title, I guess you’d have to make up a title, if you really need one…something like “Interim Diocesan Governor.” (Canon 419 says “the governance of the diocese devolves upon” this person.)

Dan

 

[Matthew_Holford]

Hi I was wondering whats the title of an auxiliary bishop after the seat falls vacant but before before he (or someone else) is officially elected diocesan administrator by the college of consultors? Thanks.

I believe that what you are looking for is found in Canon 419 (1).

When a see is vacant and until the designation of a diocesan administrator, the governance of a diocese devolves upon the auxiliary bishop or, if there are several, upon the one who is senior in promotion. If there is no auxiliary bishop, however, it devolves upon the college of consultors unless the Holy See has provided otherwise.

The one who so assumes governance of the diocese is to convoke without delay the college competent to designate a diocesan administrator.

My canon law commentary (2) says gives the following information.

Before the appointment of a diocesan Administrator, the law provides for the interim government of a diocese by entrusting that responsibility to the auxiliary Bishop if there is one or to the senior auxiliary if there is more than one. Should there be no auxiliary Bishop, the law entrusts the immediate government of the diocese to the college of consultors – unless, of course, the Holy See has determined otherwise, e.g. by appointing an apostolic Administrator. The primary duty of whoever takes over the diocese at this point is to convoke the body whose role it is to appoint a diocesan Administrator, i.e. the college of consultors (see Can. 421 §1) or the cathedral chapter (see Can. 502 §3). This responsibility must be discharged immediately so that the election may take place within the required time.

So, I don’t think the (senior) auxiliary Bishop of the diocese assumes any special title prior to the election of the diocesan Administrator.

I hope this helps.

Sources:

1. vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P1H.HTM (accessed 01/12/2010 15:57)
2. Sheehy, G., Brown, R., Kelly, D., and McGrath, A. (eds) (1995) The Canon Law Letter and Spirit. London: Geoffrey Chapman. p.237.

 

[PeterLD]

Thanks for the replies. I guess you’re all right, it doesn’t really matter. Whoever he is will only have the job for a few days anyway. Whereas appointing a new bishop takes at least nine months and can take up to two years, so the position of diocesan administrator is somewhat more permanent.

 

[laszlo]

As far as I know, auxiliary bishops have the title of extinct dioceses, and they have no jurisdiction as their own neither in the life of the ordinary nor after his death.

If there is coadjutor bishop that has the governing power in the life and after the death of the Ordinary.

If there is no coadjutor bishop in case of vacant sede the Vicar General has the power over the diocese.

In my original archdiocese (Esztergom Hungary) after the arrest of Cardinal Mindszenti in 1949 his Vicar General blessed Bishop Zoltan Meszlenyi get the power. He was arrested (and martyred) shortly thereafter so his appointed Vicar General Miklos Beresztocy get the power. He also was arrested and broken in the prison. This resulted a real vacancy until Apostolic Administrator was appointed in 1951