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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OCCUPANCY
The taking of something that belongs to no one, with manifest intention of holding it as one's own. This implies that an object is not actually owned by anyone, as a piece of land, but is capable of being owned. It also implies that the occupant must take the thing with the purpose of making it his or her own, and moreover makes this intent known to others by some suitable sign to indicate intent of acquiring the property.
