So Bishop Burbidge appointed me as a Vicar Forane (= Dean). Thank you bishop for your confidence and entrusting this work to me. It is a five year appointment, renewable for a second term at the discretion of the bishop.

Which begs the questions: ‘what is a Vicar Forane? And do you get to wear a fancy new hat?’

First: no new hat.

Second: the position of Vicar Forane, is appointed by the local bishop. His role is to oversee the priests of
a particular area. Each diocese is divided into areas called vicariates. In the United States, the position is usually referred to as a dean and the region as a deanery.

Canon Law lists among the duties of the Dean: to oversee the spiritual needs of the priests in his region, to be attentive to pastoral issues in his region, to coordinate regional pastoral responses, to ensure that religious functions are celebrated according to the provisions of the Sacred Liturgy, to check that the parish registers are correctly entered and duly safeguarded, to check that ecclesiastical goods are carefully administered, to encourage the clergy to attend at the prescribed time lectures and theological meetings or conferences, to visit each parish in the Deanery at a frequency determined by the bishop.

Cliff notes: In essence, the role is to assist the bishop in the smaller but essential matters of the diocese, the wellbeing of the clergy, and the administration of parishes.

Also you still call me ‘Father.’ No new hat, no new trim on my cassock, but I do get to update the bulletin with the title! So the bulletin will have me listed as Very Rev. John Paul Mosimann, Vicar Forane, Pastor.

I am still your pastor, that isn’t changing!

pax,

Very Reverend John P. Mosimann, Vicar Forane, Pastor