Editing Curate (section)

==History==
Originally a [[bishop]] would entrust a priest with the "[[cure of souls]]" (pastoral ministry) of a parish. When, in medieval Europe, this included the legal [[Fee simple|freehold]] of church land in the parish, the [[parish priest]] was a "[[perpetual curate]]" ({{lang|la|curatus perpetuus}}), an assistant would be a (plain) curate ({{lang|la|curatus temporalis}}).

The words {{lang|la|perpetuus}} and {{lang|la|temporalis}} distinguish their appointments but not the length of service, the apparent reference to time is accidental. A curate is appointed by the parish priest and paid from parish funds. A perpetual curate is a priest in charge of a parish who was (usually) appointed and paid by the bishop.

As the church became more embedded into the fabric of [[feudal]] Europe, various other titles often supplanted "curate" for the parish priest. "[[Rector (ecclesiastical)|Rector]]" was the title given to a priest in possession of the [[tithe]] income. This right to the income was known as a "living". The title of rector comes from {{lang|la|regere}}, 'to rule'.

Those parishes where a monastery had appropriated the rights to the tithe income, a portion of this income was set aside for a priest to occupy the parish, essentially acting on behalf of the monastery, in other words vicariously – hence "vicar". In some cases, a portion of a tithe for a vicar could exceed the income of some rectors, depending on the value of the livings being compared.