May 302009
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
- 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
- simple (non-residential)
- manual (temporary, removable)
- perpetual (irremovable), according as the incumbent can be removed at will or not
- curata, which involved the cure of souls
- non-curata
According to an official reply from Rome in 1921, parishes in the United States are regarded as benefices.