Canon 475 of the Code of Canon Law stipulates each diocese must have a vicar general who assists him in the governance of the diocese and who has executive power except that "which the bishop has reserved to himself". In his role as moderator of the curia, the vicar general is the immediate supervisor of those who work in the chancery and finance offices. In the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, the vicar general also handles issues pertaining to clergy such as ministry authorization and letters of good standing, while the chancellor handles the records and archives and serves as an ecclesiastic notary.
For questions about ministry authorization or obtaining a celebret or letter of good standing, please contact our Vicar General, Msgr. Roch Martin.
The chancellor is appointed by the bishop to gather, arrange, and safeguard the acts of the diocesan curia (official documents required for diocesan governance) and conserve them in the diocesan archives (canon 482).
The archives of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie acquires, preserves, and makes available for internal and limited external research the acts of the curia and supplemental documents and artifacts which reflect the ministry and institutions of the diocese, according to Catholic canon law and Canadian archival professional standards.
Canon 486 of the Code of Canon Law requires all dioceses and parishes to maintain their own archives. Records serve as evidence of business activity; the diocese preserves them to comply with ecclesiastic and civil legal requirements and to support accountability. In addition, the diocese keeps archival records for historical and cultural purposes. The documents in the archives tell the story of our diocese and life in Northern Ontario from the mid-19th century to the present.For questions about records management and archives, please contact our archivist, Laura Markiewicz.
For sacramental certificate requests, please contact the parish where the sacrament was celebrated. If you do not know, please contact Laura Markiewicz.