Definitor

Definitor

A definitor is, in Latin, he who defines. In the Catholic Church, however, this is a title with different specific uses. There are secular definitors, who have a limited amount of oversight over a part of a diocese. There are also definitors in religious orders who generally provide council and assistance to the superiors general and provincial superiors of their order.

Secular definitors

In a deanery or vicarate forane, which is a grouping of several neighboring parishes within a diocese, a definitor is either the second (and unique) highest office, immediately below the dean or vicar forane and his deputy, or is the priest in charge of any of a number of even smaller districts within the deanery, called definitio. They oversee the ecclesiastical property and generally assist the dean, under the ordinary authority of the bishop. Alternative titles for this position are chamberlain or treasurer. These diocesan offices are not prescribed by canon law, and can be omitted.

Regular definitors

In the Cistercian order, the abbot general is assisted by a council of five definitors, traditionally two French-speaking, one German-speaking, one English-speaking and one Dutch-speaking. In the Order of Franciscan Observantines, the definitor is the second highest office of the congregation, below the procurator general. In the Camaldolese order, definitor may be given as the personal title of an abbot. In the Dominican Order a provincial definitor serves under the provincial superior.

The title definitor general is used in the Discalced Carmelites, the Order of Friars Minor, the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, the Minor Franciscans, and the Franciscan Reformati. These officers are generally elected by the general chapter of their order for a specified period of time.

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  • DEFINITOR — officium Monastic. Visitator. Gregorius IX. in Constit. pro Benedictinis p. 837. apud Brol. Omnes vero Abbates et Priores, annis singulis ad Capitulum venientes, diffinitiones, siquae factae fuerint, in suo reditu habeant bis in anno, in suis… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • Definitor — De|fi|ni|tor, der; s, ...oren [mlat. definitor < lat. definitor = Bestimmer, Verordner] (kath. Kirche): a) [meist mit Aufgaben der Finanzverwaltung betrauter] Gehilfe, Vertreter eines Dechanten; b) Rat des Generalkapitels …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Definitor — De|fi|ni|tor der; s, ...oren <aus lat. definitor »Bestimmer, Verordner«>: 1. Verwaltungsbeamter der kath. Kirche in einem Bistum od. Dekanat. 2. Rat, Visitator od. gewählter Leiter des Generalkapitels im Mönchswesen …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • definítor — ja m (ȋ) rel. svetovalec, pomočnik predstojnika samostanskega reda: definitor v kapucinskem samostanu …   Slovar slovenskega knjižnega jezika

  • Definitor (in Canon Law) — • An official in secular deaneries and in certain religious orders Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Definitor (in Canon Law)     Definitor (in Canon Law) …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • definitor — def·i·ni·tor …   English syllables

  • definitor — ˈdefəˌnīd.ə(r), ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ noun ( s) Etymology: Medieval Latin, from Late Latin, teacher, from Latin definitus (past participle of definire to determine, bring to an end, explain) + …   Useful english dictionary

  • Laurentius a Brundusio, B. (28) — 28B. Laurentius a Brundusio, (7. al. 22. Juli), General des Kapuziner Ordens und wohl einer der größten Männer desselben, wurde am 22. Juli 1559 zu Brindisi (Brundusium), der bekannten uralten Seestadt des Königreichs Neapel, von sehr vornehmen… …   Vollständiges Heiligen-Lexikon

  • définiteur — [ definitɶr ] n. m. • 1646; lat. ecclés. definitor ♦ Relig. Religieux choisi, dans certains ordres, pour assister le général ou le provincial dans l administration de l ordre. ● définiteur nom masculin (bas latin definitor) Religieux délégué au… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • John of the Cross — Infobox Saint name=Saint John of the Cross birth date=24 June 1542 death date=Death date and age|1591|12|14|1542|06|24 feast day=14 December 24 November (General Roman Calendar, 1738 1969) venerated in=Roman Catholic Church; Anglican Communion;… …   Wikipedia

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