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In theCatholic Church, adefinitor (Latin for 'one who defines') is a title with different specific uses. There are secular definitors, who have a limited amount of oversight over a part of adiocese, and also definitors inreligious orders who generally provide counsel and assistance to thesuperiors general andprovincial superiors of their order.
In adeanery or vicarate forane, which is a grouping of several neighboring parishes within adiocese, a definitor is either the second (and unique) highest office, immediately below thedean orvicar forane and his deputy, or is thepriest in charge of any of a number of even smaller districts within the deanery, calleddefinitio. They oversee the ecclesiastical property and generally assist the dean, under the ordinary authority of thebishop. Alternative titles for this position arechamberlain ortreasurer. These diocesan offices are not prescribed bycanon law, and can be omitted.
In theCistercian Order, theAbbot General is assisted by a council of five definitors, traditionally two French-speaking, one German-speaking, one English-speaking and one Dutch-speaking. Among the Franciscan Observants, the Definitor is the third highest office of the Order, below theMinister General andProcurator General. In theCamaldolese Order, Definitor may be given as the personal title of aprior. In theDominican Order a Provincial Definitor serves under thePrior Provincial.
The title Definitor General is used by theDiscalced Carmelites, the Friars Minor and theCapuchins. These officers are generally elected by theGeneral Chapter of their Orders for a specified period of time.
