Code_of_Canon_Law

who are equivalent to him, to the exclusion of the Vicar general and the episcopal Vicar except
by special mandate.
Can. 135 §1 The power of governance is divided into legislative, executive and judicial power.
§2 Legislative power is to be exercised in the manner prescribed by law; that which in the
Church a legislator lower than the supreme authority has cannot be delegated, unless the law
explicitly provides otherwise. A lower legislator cannot validly make a law which is contrary to
that of a higher legislator.
§3 Judicial power, which is possessed by judges and judicial colleges, is to be exercised in the
manner prescribed by law, and it cannot be delegated except for the performance of acts
preparatory to some decree or judgement.
§4 As far as the exercise of executive power is concerned, the provisions of the following canons
are to be observed.
Can. 136 Persons may exercise executive power over their subjects, even when either they
themselves or their subjects are outside the territory, unless it is otherwise clear from the nature
of things or from the provisions of law. They can exercise this power over peregrini who are
actually living in the territory, if it is a question of granting favours, or of executing universal or
particular laws by which the peregrini are bound in accordance with can. 13 §2, n. 2.
Can. 137 §1 Ordinary executive power can be delegated either for an individual case or for all
cases, unless the law expressly provides otherwise.
§2 Executive power delegated by the Apostolic See can be subdelegated, either for an individual
case or for all cases, unless the delegation was deliberately given to the individual alone, or
unless subdelegation was expressly prohibited.
§3 Executive power delegated by another authority having ordinary power, if delegated for all
cases, can be subdelegated only for individual cases; if delegated for a determinate act or acts, it
cannot be subdelegated, except by the express grant of the person delegating.
§4 No subdelegated power can again be subdelegated, unless this was expressly granted by the
person delegating.
Can. 138 Ordinary executive power, and power delegated for all cases, are to be interpreted
widely; any other power is to be interpreted strictly. Delegation of power to a person is
understood to include everything necessary for the exercise of that power.
Can. 139 §1 Unless the law prescribes otherwise, the tact that a person approaches some
competent authority, even a higher one, does not mean that the executive power of another
competent authority is suspended, whether that be ordinary or delegated.