Irish Church Act 1869

20 Existing law to subsist by contract.

The present ecclesiastical law of Ireland, and the present articles, doctrines, rites, rules, discipline, and ordinances of the said Church, with and subject to such (if any) modification or alteration as after the first day of January one thousand eight hundred and seventy-one may be duly made therein according to the constitution of the said Church for the time being, shall be deemed to be binding on the members for the time being thereof in the same manner as if such members had mutually contracted and agreed to abide by and observe the same, and shall be capable of being enforced in the temporal courts in relation to any property which under and by virtue of this Act is reserved or given to or taken and enjoyed by the said Church or any members thereof, in the same manner and to the same extent as if such property had been expressly given, granted, or conveyed upon trust to be held, occupied, and enjoyed by persons who should observe and keep and be in all respects bound by the said ecclesiastical law, and the said articles, doctrines, rites, rules, discipline, and ordinances of the said Church, subject as aforesaid; but nothing herein contained shall be construed to confer on any archbishop, bishop, or other ecclesiastical person any coercive jurisdiction whatsoever : Provided always, that no alteration in the articles, doctrines, rites, or, save in so far as may be rendered necessary by the passing of this Act, in the formularies of the said Church, shall be binding on any ecclesiastical person now licensed as a curate or holding any archbishopric, bishopric, benefice, or cathedral preferment in Ireland, being an annuitant or person entitled to compensation under this Act, who shall within one month after the making of such alteration signify in writing to the Church body hereafter mentioned his dissent therefrom, so as to deprive such person of any annuity or other compensation to which under this Act he may be entitled.