rec·tor / ˈrektər/ • n. 1. (in the Episcopal Church) a member of the clergy who has charge of a parish. ∎  (in the Roman Catholic Church) a priest in charge of a church or of a religious institution. ∎  (in the Church of England) the incumbent of a parish where all tithes formerly passed to the incumbent. Compare with vicar.2. the head of certain universities, colleges, and schools.DERIVATIVES: rec·tor·ate / -rət/ n.rec·to·ri·al / rekˈtôrēəl/ adj.rec·tor·ship / -ˌship/ n.

"Rector"

One of the spirit controls of William Stainton Moses, said to have been Hippolytus, pupil of Irenaeus, who was Bishop of Portus, the harbor of Rome opposite to Ostia. He was banished in 235 C.E. , when Maximin succeeded Alexander Severus. "Rector" first manifested on January 4, 1873. His distinctive sign was his heavy tread, which shook the room. His main duty was to act as amanuensis for "Imperator" and the other spirits. After the earlier books, almost all the writing was done by him.

He had the power of reading books paranormally. The experiments which were conducted to test this ability proved highly successful. When the "Imperator" group took control of the séances of the medium Leonore E. Piper, "Rector" manifested in his old role as amanuensis and spiritual adviser again.

Rector. The title of certain Christian priests: (i) in the Church of England, an incumbent of a parish whose tithes were in the past not appropriated by anyone else (cf. VICAR); (ii) in the Roman Catholic Church a priest serving certain churches other than parish churches; (iii) the head of a Catholic seminary or university.

rector †ruler, governor XIV; incumbent of a parish whose tithes are not impropriate; head of a university, etc. XV. — OF. rectour (mod. recteur) or L. rēctor, -ōr-, f. pp. stem of regere rule.
So rectory (-ORY1) benefice held by a rector XVI; rector's residence XIX. — AN., OF. rectorie or medL. rēctōria; see -Y2.