Simple English definitions for legal terms
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An appropriator is a term used in the history of church law. It refers to a spiritual corporation, often a monastery, that permanently owns a benefice. A benefice is a position or income granted by the church to a member of the clergy. So, an appropriator is the entity that possesses a benefice that has been permanently attached to it.
An appropriator is a term used in historical ecclesiastical law to refer to the corporate possessor of an appropriated benefice. This means that the benefice has been permanently attached to a spiritual corporation, often a monastic house.
For example, in medieval England, many churches and other religious institutions were owned by monasteries. The monasteries were the appropriators of these benefices, which meant that they had the right to appoint the priests who would serve in these churches and receive the income from them.
Another example of an appropriator would be a bishop who has the right to appoint a priest to a particular benefice within his diocese.
These examples illustrate how the appropriator had significant power and control over the spiritual and financial affairs of the benefice. They were responsible for ensuring that the church or institution was properly maintained and that the priest or clergy member appointed was suitable for the role.