Fr Marcus Francis appointed Palmerston North Vicar General

The appointment was made official at a Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Palmerston North on June 24. During the liturgy, Bishop John Adams led Fr Francis in the Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity, as required by canon law for those assuming offices of ecclesiastical governance. These formal acts marked the beginning of Fr Francis’ term as Vicar General.

The Mass was attended by clergy, parishioners and visitors from across the diocese, including a number of attendees who travelled from Hastings, where Fr Francis is the parish priest.

A vicar general assists the diocesan bishop in the administrative and pastoral leadership of the diocese. He is the highest official in a diocese after the diocesan bishop. He represents and acts in the place of the bishop in his absence.

He has the same executive authority as the diocesan bishop across the whole of the diocese as belongs by Church law to the diocesan bishop. Once appointed, the vicar general is to act with the mind of the diocesan bishop with respect to the scope of the authority of his ecclesiastical functions. The Vicar General maintains frequent communication with the diocesan bishop so that he may always act in harmony with the intention and mind of the bishop.

The vicar general has executive, but not legislative or judicial, authority.

FULL STORY

Updates from Around the Diocese | July 2025 (Tūmanako/Catholic Diocese of Palmerston North)

Office of the Vicar General (Catholic Archdiocese of Perth)

The Curia (Catholic Diocese of Christchurch)

Vicar General of the Diocese (Diocese of Superior)