A positive law loses its coercive power when its fulfilment is in conflict with the common good, or with natural or divine law . Epikeia 's use is limited to those cases in which there is a danger for the common good, or the natural or divine law are violated. One can easily see the importance of studying and developing this issue. This is another momentous and extremely delicate question, and I just want to outline it. The power of jurisdiction is either ordinary or delegated.
Ordinary power is either personal or vicarious.
Ordinary vicarious jurisdiction is exercised by a Vicar General on behalf of his Ordinary, by the Roman Tribunals and Congregations on behalf of the Pope. When a Pope dies , the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary continues to exercise vicarious papal ordinary jurisdiction for all questions concerning the internal forum. Meanwhile, the other offices of the Roman Curia are paralyzed until a new Pope is elected. But, as it happened in the past, if the conclave takes a long time and it appears that the vacancy will continue for an extended period of time, all the essential mechanisms of the Roman Curia will slowly start moving, although restricting to emergencies the use of their ordinary vicarious jurisdiction. Another scenario in which the exercise of the Supreme Pontiff's ordinary vicarious jurisdiction is to be contemplated would be the one in which the Pope is unable to fulfil his office .