Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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SUPPLIED JURISDICTION

In ecclesiastical law, a form of delegation supplied by the Church, enabling a priest who is otherwise unauthorized to validly absolve penitents in the sacrament of penance. Thus jurisdiction is supplied in the case of common error (when people think that the priest has furisdiction); in doubt of law or fact, assuming that the doubt is sincere; and if a priest's jurisdiction had inadvertently expired.