Irish Church Act 1869

Construction of Act

72 Interpretation of terms.

In the construction and for the purposes of this Act the following words and expressions shall have the meanings hereby assigned to them respectively, unless there be something in the subject or context repugnant thereto; (that is to say,)

• " Lord Lieutenant " shall mean and include the lords justices or other chief governors or governor of Ireland :

• " Lease " shall include an agreement for a lease, or other contract of tenancy, and the estate or interest created or agreed to be created thereby:

• " Ecclesiastical person " shall mean and include any archbishop or bishop, or person holding any benefice or cathedral preferment as herein-after defined:

• " Church " shall include a public chapel or chapel of ease, also a cathedral or collegiate church :

• " Benefice " shall mean and include every parish, rectory, vicarage, perpetual curacy, donative, chantry, endowed public chapel, parochial chapelry, and chapelry or district annexed, or reputed to be annexed, to any church or chapel, and whether the same be or be not within any exempt or peculiar jurisdiction :

• " Glebe house " shall mean a house of residence belonging to any benefice as herein-before defined :

• " Cathedral preferment " shall mean and include every deanery, archdeaconry, prebend, canonry, chaplaincy, office of minor canon, chantry, office of priest vicar, vicar choral or choirman, having any prebend or endowment belonging thereto, or belonging to any body corporate consisting of persons holding any such office, and also every precentorship, treasurership, sub-deanery, chancellorship of the church, and other dignity and office in any cathedral or collegiate church :

• " Cathedral corporation " shall mean any dean and chapter or chapter, and also any corporation of minor canons, or vicars and choirmen, or vicars choral, or any other subordinate corporation of or belonging to or connected with any cathedral or collegiate church in Ireland :

• " Curate " shall include residentiary preacher or reader :

• " Property " shall include things in action and rights of action :

• " Jurisdiction " shall mean legal and coercive power, and shall not extend to or include any power or authority which may be exercised in a voluntary religious association, upon the footing of mutual contract or agreement.