Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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SUBDELEGATION

The delegation to a third party of one's right to ecclesiastical jurisdiction, originally received as a delegate from a higher authority in the Catholic Church. thus a bishop who is delegated by the Holy See may subdelegate his jurisdiction to another biship, priest, or even lay person. Subdelegation may pertain to a single act or a series of acts, unless ecclesiastical law or the nature of the cae provides otherwise.