1. Definition. The parish priest is the physical person (sacerdos) or juridical person (in incorporated parishes) to whom the parish is entrusted for the exercise of pastoral care (CIC, can. 451, para. 1).

2. Canon law. The legal definition of the rights and duties of the parish priest, especially his relationship to episcopal authority, has changed in the course of the history of the parish. In the early Christian system of titular churches he was the helper and delegate of the bishop. Now he has potestas ordinaria et propria, subo…