Legal Definitions - faculties

Definition: In historical ecclesiastical law, faculties refer to:

1. An authorization granted to a person to do something that would otherwise not be allowed.
2. The extent of a husband's estate, particularly their ability to pay alimony.

Example 1: A priest may be granted faculties to perform certain sacraments, such as marriage or confession, in a diocese where they are not officially assigned.

Example 2: In a divorce case, the court may consider the husband's faculties, or their ability to pay alimony, when determining the amount of support to be awarded to the wife.

These examples illustrate how faculties can refer to both legal permissions and financial abilities. In both cases, faculties are granted or considered in order to allow or restrict certain actions or outcomes.