Part 8

Miscellaneous and General

Administrative provisions

Assistant curates
99
1
The bishop of a diocese may by an instrument under his hand direct that any office of assistant curate in his diocese may be described in such terms as may be specified in the instrument and, where an instrument is in force under this section, any licence issued to a person to exercise the office shall refer to the assistant curate by that description and any reference in any enactment, Canon or other instrument to an assistant curate shall be construed accordingly.
2
Before issuing an instrument under this section the bishop shall consult the incumbent or priest in charge of the benefice or, in the case of a team ministry, the team chapter of the team ministry in which the assistant curate exercises or is to exercise the office.
3
An instrument under this section may be varied or revoked by a further instrument after carrying out the like consultation as is referred to in subsection (2) and after consulting the assistant curate (if any) exercising the office.
4
On making an instrument under this section the bishop shall send a copy to the registrar of the diocese, and the registrar shall file it in the diocesan registry.
5
When a bishop issues a licence to an assistant curate to exercise his or her office in any benefice the bishop, after carrying out the like consultation as is referred to in subsection (2), may, in the licence, assign to the assistant curate—
a
a special cure of souls in a part of the area of the benefice, whether or not with responsibility for a particular church, or
b
a special responsibility for a particular pastoral function,
but any such provision is without prejudice to—
i
the general duties and responsibilities of the incumbent or priest in charge, or
ii
in the case of an assistant curate who exercises or is to exercise the office in a team ministry, any duties or responsibilities under section 34, of any member of the team chapter or any other member of the team, including any vicar appointed to act as rector under subsection (16) of that section.