One who erects or maintains a benefice; if a church is necessary for a benefice, one who gives the land, builds the church and provides for its maintenance; or, one who does any of these three things. The right of patronage is the sum of rights and obligations of a person, the patron, in connection with the assignment or administration of a benefice. As this right is of a spiritual order, it is subject to ecclesiastical jurisdiction, though the property involved is a matter for the civillaw and court. Patronage may be acquired by inheritance, presentation by the patron to another, by exchange, purchase, or prescrlption. The rights of patronage are:

of presentation, in case of vacancy of a benefice, of one suitable to receive it
of honor, precedence in processions, a sitting in the church, burial with special distinction
allowance of support from the revenues over and above the needs of the church, if the patron be in need through no fault of his own
the right and duty of keeping in good order what constitutes the benefice

Bibliography Information
Entry for 'Patron'. 1910 New Catholic Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ncd/p/patron.html. 1910.

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1910 New Catholic Dictionary

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Patron