(Latin, beneficium, a benefit) A juridical entity erected or constituted in perpetuity by competent ecclesiastical authority, consisting of a sacred office and the right of receiving the revenues accruing to that office. These revenues may arise from: property, movable or immovable owned by the benefice; obligatory contributions made by a family or some moral person; the voluntary offerings of the faithful or stole fees to be paid according to diocesan statute or laudable custom; the choir distributions, except a third part of the same, if the entire revenues consist of such distributions. Benefices are divided by the Code into: consistorial, which are usually conferred in a consistory, or non-consistorial; secular or religious, according as they are confided to the care of the secular or religious clergy; double (residential), which have attached the obligation of residence, or simple (non-residential); manual (temporary, removable), or perpetual (irremovable), according as the incumbent can be removed at will or not; and curata, which involved the cure of souls, or non-curata. According to an official reply from Rome, 1921, parishes in the United States are regarded as benefices.
This dictionary contains not only definitions and explanations of every subject in Religion, Scripture, tradition, doctrine, morals, sacraments, rites, customs, devotions and symbolism, but also accounts of the Church in every continent, country, diocese; missions, notable Catholic centers, cities, and places with religious names; religious orders, church societies, sects and false religions. It has brief articles also on historical events and personages, on the Old Testament and New, and on popes, prelates, priests, men and women of distinction, showing what the Church has done for civilization and correcting many errors which have hitherto passed for history.Wikipedia
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