Vatican Permits Lay People as Bishops’ "Vicars"

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Vatican Permits Lay People as Bishops’ "Vicars"

gloria.tv | October 8, 2025

Since 2020, Bishop Charles Morerod of Lausanne, Geneva, and Fribourg in Switzerland has repeatedly appointed lay people instead of priests to lead diocesan regions.

According to Kath.ch on 7 October, he stated that this had caused "a minor earthquake" among Catholics.

An unnamed representative of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith informed Bishop Morerod that his decision had been criticised internationally, particularly in Italy and English-speaking countries.

The Congregation assured Bishop Morerod of its support, dismissing the justified criticism as "false rumours".

Furthermore, the Congregation has sent letters to the nunciatures, asking them to deny the "rumours" and support the bishop.

The Congregation has even permitted Bishop Morerod to appoint laypeople as "vicars".

However, Bishop Morerod has not done so. "We are still in a kind of start-up phase, even though many positive aspects are already becoming apparent," he said.