Roman Catholic Church. a priest deputized by a bishop to assist him in the administration of a diocese.
Church of England. an ecclesiastical officer, usually a layperson, who assists a bishop or an archbishop in the discharge of his judicial or administrative duties.
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Monsignor Stephen Doktorczyk, vicar-general for the Diocese of Orange, said McElroy’s leadership skills have been impressive.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 22, 2022
The project has personal significance for the Rev. Alex Karloutsos, longtime vicar-general for the archdiocese.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 8, 2021
Rossi was for years the vicar-general to DiNardo, the Catholic archbishop of Galveston-Houston and president of the U.S. bishops conference who has been leading the U.S. hierarchy’s response to the sexual abuse scandal.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 21, 2019
John F. Donovan, vicar-general of the Maryknoll Fathers last week, looking back over Bishop Walsh's long career.
From Time Magazine Archive
But the government made no objection when the newly elected priest of Geneva, Mermillod, a Jesuit of the purest water, assumed the title and rank of an episcopal vicar-general for the whole canton.
From Church History, Vol. 3 of 3 by Kurtz, J. H.
The Rev. James Anguiano, moderator of the Curia and vicar general of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, delivered a homily in Spanish and English.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2024
Police attacked the protesters, among whom were some priests, said a clerical official, Eugine H. Pereira, the vicar general of the archdiocese.
From Reuters ● Nov. 28, 2022
In a subsequent email, the archdiocese’s vicar general, Msgr.
From New York Times ● Aug. 25, 2021
In such cases, the day-to-day running of the diocese shifts to an auxiliary bishop, a vicar general or someone else.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 6, 2021
Francis, having received the resignation of his vicar general, on his return from his visitations, deferred the choice of his successor till the assembly of the chapter which was held on Whitsunday.
From The Life and Legends of Saint Francis of Assisi by Chalippe, Father Candide
I spent a few days in a provincial town, where, in the absence of the bishop, I passed my evenings with three clergymen, his vicars-general, persons who would have done honor to any church.
From The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 03 (of 12) by Burke, Edmund
Such a body might be the vicars-general, of whom two should be appointed for each diocese.
From The Irish Ecclesiastical Record, Volume 1, November 1864 by
In the midst presided the Archbishop of Paris, Christopher de Beaumont; surrounded by his four arch priests and his vicars-general.
From The Crayon Papers by Irving, Washington
In 1518 Hugo von Landenberg, bishop of Constance, made him one of his vicars-general, and Pope Leo X. appointed him papal protonotary.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 1 "Evangelical Church Conference" to "Fairbairn, Sir William" by Various
His lordship, the bishop, condescended to wish the joy of it, and intrusted me with the design he had formed of honoring the assembly of his vicars-general, by making him our colleague.
From The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints January, February, March by Butler, Alban
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
