Vicar general

A vicar general is an ecclesiastical office of the Roman Catholic Church. A diocesan bishop must appoint at least one vicar general for his diocese. Vicars general serve a similar function as a vice president would: they share in the bishop's ordinary power over the entire diocese. The bishop can always overrule their decisions if necessary. Vicars general must be either priests, auxiliary bishops, or coadjutor bishops.

The similarly titled vicar episcopal shares in the bishop's ordinary power over a particular section of a diocese. These too must either be priests, auxiliary bishops, or coadjutor bishops.