In Commendam
Encyclopedia
In canon law
, commendam (or in commendam) was a form of transferring an ecclesiastical benefice
in trust to the custody of a patron
. The phrase in commendam was originally applied to the provisional occupation of an ecclesiastical benefice, which was temporarily without an actual occupant – in contrast to the conferral of a title, in titulum, which was applied to the regular and unconditional occupation of a benefice.
Granting a benefice
in commendam became most common with monasteries, and the commendatory abbot
drew a portion of the revenue of the monastery, but without fulfilling the duties of the abbot or even residing at the monastery.
was a way of guaranteeing the financial stability of the Church. Real property and other goods donated to the Church were erected as a stable fund, and the revenue was attached to a particular office. The parish priest, bishop, or other minister would have the right to receive the income of the benefice to support himself and to cover the expenses related to his ministry.
There is clear evidence that the granting of a benefice in commendam was practiced in the fourth century. In a letter Ambrose
mentions a church which he gave in commendam, while he was Bishop of Milan: "Commendo tibi, fili, Ecclesiam quae est ad Forum Cornelii... donec ei ordinetur episcopus" (Epistle ii) ("I entrust unto thee, my son, the church which is at the Cornelian Forum ... while [the bishop is allotted to it]").
Temporarily unoccupied church property (ecclesiastical benefice) could be entrusted to the protection of a member of the church, to safeguard and manage it until order was restored and a new permanent holder of the position was granted in titulum. The patron would receive any revenues generated from the property in the meantime. Each of the early basilica
s of Rome was under the guardianship of a patron.
The benefice held in commendam could be used to provide a temporary administrator to a church or monastery that was at risk for financial ruin. It also provided a steady income for whoever was nominated, and St. Gregory the Great (590-604) on gave vacant monasteries in commendam to bishops who had been driven from their sees by the invading barbarians, or whose own churches were too poor to furnish them a decent livelihood.
In the eighth century, the practice became widely abused when kings claimed the right to appoint abbots in commendam over monasteries, often nominating their own vassals, who were not monks but laymen, as a way of rewarding them. These abbots did not have spiritual care of the monks but did have the right to manage the temporal affiars of the monastery, and some were driven into financial ruin.
When in 1122 the Investiture Controversy
was settled in favor of the church, the appointment of laymen as abbots in commendam was abolished. Clergy, however, could still be appointed as commendatory abbots, and the practice was used to provide an income to a professor, student, priest, or cardinal. This cleric would name another man to fulfill the daily responsibilities of the office.
The practice was open to abuse: favored cardinals began to receive multiple benefices, accepting them like absentee landlord
s, increasing their personal possessions to the detriment of the Church. The arrangements were no longer temporary and could be held for a lifetime. Monastic communities, from which these grants were taken, lost revenues and gained nothing in return, suffering from spiritual and temporal mismanagement.
By the 16th century the practice had been substantially reformed. Following the Second Vatican Council, the Church drastically reformed and, in most cases, completely abolished the system of benefices.
, but similar provision with respect to the bishop of Sodor and Man
was made by the Sodor and Man Act 1838 (c.30), section 3.
singular of the Low Latin noun commenda, "trust", or "custody", which is derived from the verb commendare
("to entrust"). The phrase in commendam was originally applied to the provisional conferral and occupation of an ecclesiastical benefice which was temporarily without an actual occupant, in contrast to the phrase in titulum which was applied to the normal unconditional conferral of benefices.
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
, commendam (or in commendam) was a form of transferring an ecclesiastical benefice
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
in trust to the custody of a patron
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
. The phrase in commendam was originally applied to the provisional occupation of an ecclesiastical benefice, which was temporarily without an actual occupant – in contrast to the conferral of a title, in titulum, which was applied to the regular and unconditional occupation of a benefice.
Granting a benefice
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
in commendam became most common with monasteries, and the commendatory abbot
Commendatory abbot
A commendatory abbot is an ecclesiastic, or sometimes a layman, who holds an abbey in commendam, drawing its revenues but not exercising any authority over its inner monastic discipline...
drew a portion of the revenue of the monastery, but without fulfilling the duties of the abbot or even residing at the monastery.
History
The establishment of eccelsiastical beneficesBenefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
was a way of guaranteeing the financial stability of the Church. Real property and other goods donated to the Church were erected as a stable fund, and the revenue was attached to a particular office. The parish priest, bishop, or other minister would have the right to receive the income of the benefice to support himself and to cover the expenses related to his ministry.
There is clear evidence that the granting of a benefice in commendam was practiced in the fourth century. In a letter Ambrose
Ambrose
Aurelius Ambrosius, better known in English as Saint Ambrose , was a bishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the 4th century. He was one of the four original doctors of the Church.-Political career:Ambrose was born into a Roman Christian family between about...
mentions a church which he gave in commendam, while he was Bishop of Milan: "Commendo tibi, fili, Ecclesiam quae est ad Forum Cornelii... donec ei ordinetur episcopus" (Epistle ii) ("I entrust unto thee, my son, the church which is at the Cornelian Forum ... while [the bishop is allotted to it]").
Temporarily unoccupied church property (ecclesiastical benefice) could be entrusted to the protection of a member of the church, to safeguard and manage it until order was restored and a new permanent holder of the position was granted in titulum. The patron would receive any revenues generated from the property in the meantime. Each of the early basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
s of Rome was under the guardianship of a patron.
The benefice held in commendam could be used to provide a temporary administrator to a church or monastery that was at risk for financial ruin. It also provided a steady income for whoever was nominated, and St. Gregory the Great (590-604) on gave vacant monasteries in commendam to bishops who had been driven from their sees by the invading barbarians, or whose own churches were too poor to furnish them a decent livelihood.
In the eighth century, the practice became widely abused when kings claimed the right to appoint abbots in commendam over monasteries, often nominating their own vassals, who were not monks but laymen, as a way of rewarding them. These abbots did not have spiritual care of the monks but did have the right to manage the temporal affiars of the monastery, and some were driven into financial ruin.
When in 1122 the Investiture Controversy
Investiture Controversy
The Investiture Controversy or Investiture Contest was the most significant conflict between Church and state in medieval Europe. In the 11th and 12th centuries, a series of Popes challenged the authority of European monarchies over control of appointments, or investitures, of church officials such...
was settled in favor of the church, the appointment of laymen as abbots in commendam was abolished. Clergy, however, could still be appointed as commendatory abbots, and the practice was used to provide an income to a professor, student, priest, or cardinal. This cleric would name another man to fulfill the daily responsibilities of the office.
The practice was open to abuse: favored cardinals began to receive multiple benefices, accepting them like absentee landlord
Absentee landlord
Absentee landlord is an economic term for a person who owns and rents out a profit-earning property, but does not live within the property's local economic region. This practice is problematic for that region because absentee landlords drain local wealth into their home country, particularly that...
s, increasing their personal possessions to the detriment of the Church. The arrangements were no longer temporary and could be held for a lifetime. Monastic communities, from which these grants were taken, lost revenues and gained nothing in return, suffering from spiritual and temporal mismanagement.
By the 16th century the practice had been substantially reformed. Following the Second Vatican Council, the Church drastically reformed and, in most cases, completely abolished the system of benefices.
Church of England
In the Church of England the stipends of some bishops were sometimes augmented by the stipends of benefices held in commendam. These were made illegal by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners Act 1836 (c.77), section 18, which is still in force. The Act does not extend to the Isle of ManIsle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
, but similar provision with respect to the bishop of Sodor and Man
Diocese of Sodor and Man
Sodor and Man is a diocese of the Church of England. Originally much larger, today it covers just the Isle of Man and its adjacent islets.-Early history:...
was made by the Sodor and Man Act 1838 (c.30), section 3.
Etymology
The word "commendam" is the accusativeAccusative case
The accusative case of a noun is the grammatical case used to mark the direct object of a transitive verb. The same case is used in many languages for the objects of prepositions...
singular of the Low Latin noun commenda, "trust", or "custody", which is derived from the verb commendare
("to entrust"). The phrase in commendam was originally applied to the provisional conferral and occupation of an ecclesiastical benefice which was temporarily without an actual occupant, in contrast to the phrase in titulum which was applied to the normal unconditional conferral of benefices.