Who holds ordinary jurisdiction in canon law?

• A. Priests
• B. Deacons
• C. Lay faithful in particular cases
• D. Bishops and major superiors

Answer: (D)

Ordinary jurisdiction is the inherent authority to govern within a particular Church structure, attached to certain offices rather than to individuals by chance. In canon law, a bishop possesses ordinary, immediate, and universal jurisdiction over his diocese—the authority to govern, teach, sanctify, and regulate without needing a special mandate for each action. Similarly, major superiors of religious institutes have ordinary jurisdiction over their communities and individual members, as dictated by the institute’s rules and constitutional norms.

Priests and deacons operate within this framework as ministers who typically exercise their authority by delegation from their bishop or major superior; their jurisdiction over others is not inherent in the same way as a bishop’s or a major superior’s. Lay faithful do not hold ordinary jurisdiction over the governance of the Church. Because ordinary jurisdiction rests with those who hold the relevant office, the question’s correct answer points to bishops and major superiors.