commendam
/kəˈmɛndæm/
noun
- A vacant benefice (church position with income) temporarily placed in the care of someone, often to support them while they perform other duties.
- The bishop held the parish in commendam until a new priest could be appointed.
- The practice of granting a commendam was sometimes abused for personal gain.
- In medieval times, a commendam allowed a cleric to receive income from a church without residing there.