Differentiate ordinary jurisdiction from delegated jurisdiction and describe common methods of delegation in the Church.

• A. Ordinary jurisdiction is inherent to the office; delegated jurisdiction is power given temporarily for a specific task or case; common methods include vicar general, judicial vicar, tribunal judges; it can be withdrawn.
• B. Ordinary jurisdiction is temporary; delegated is permanent and cannot be withdrawn.
• C. Ordinary jurisdiction and delegated jurisdiction are the same.
• D. Delegated jurisdiction replaces the bishop's ordinary jurisdiction entirely.

Answer: (C)

Ordinary jurisdiction is the personal authority that a bishop possesses by virtue of his office to govern the diocese and decide cases; it is inherent to the episcopal office and ordinarily exercised directly by the bishop himself. Delegated jurisdiction, on the other hand, is authority the bishop grants to another person or body to act in his name for a defined task or range of cases. The delegation allows routine governance or specific judicial functions to proceed without the bishop needing to act in every instance, but the bishop remains the superior and can revoke the delegation.

Common methods of delegation include appointing a vicar general to exercise broad administrative power on behalf of the bishop; appointing a judicial vicar to oversee the diocesan tribunal and handle certain matters in the bishop’s name; and delegating authority to tribunal judges to decide cases within the defined remit. Additional forms can include episcopal vicars or other commissaries who supervise particular regions or domains. Delegation specifies its scope and duration and can be withdrawn by the bishop at any time, preserving the distinction that the underlying authority remains rooted in the bishop’s ordinary jurisdiction.