All Things Catholic (a Glossary of Catholic Terms)greenspun.com : LUSENET : Catholic : One Thread |
I thought that perhaps a Glossary of Catholic Terms may be useful for any new Catholics or non-Catholics who may be interested in the threads on the forum, but don't understand some of the terms used. The following is a combination of my writing and 'tweaking' with a bit of plagiarism thrown in!GENERAL TERMS
Absolution: Act by which a priest, acting as the agent of Christ, grants forgiveness of sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Adoration: Refers to the external acts of reverent admiration or honour given to a thing or person.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Prayer to Christ, who is recognized as being truly present in the Sacrament. During Adoration, the Blessed Sacrament is displayed for the people.
Apostolate: The ministry or work of an apostle. In Catholic usage, a term covering all kinds and areas of work and endeavour for the service of God and the Church and the good of people.
Apostolic Nunciature: The offices of the Holy Father’s representative to a country or to the Church in that country.
Archdiocese: The chief diocese of an ecclesiastical province.
Basilica: A church to which special privileges are attached. It is a title of honor given to various kinds of churches.
Beatification: Final step toward canonization of a saint.
Blessed Sacrament: The Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ.
Canon: Greek for rule, norm, standard, measure. Designates the Canon of Sacred Scripture, the list of books recognized by the Church as inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Canon Law: The codified body of general laws governing the Church.
Canonization: A declaration by the Pope that a person who died a martyr or practiced Christian virtue to a heroic degree is in heaven and is worthy of honor and imitation by the faithful. Verification of miracles is required for canonization (except for martyrs).
Catechesis: Religious instruction and formation for persons preparing for baptism (catechumens) and for the faithful in various stages of spiritual development.
Catechetical: Referring to catechesis.
Catechetics: From the Greek meaning “to sound forth,” it is the procedure for teaching religion.
Catholic: Greek word for universal. First used in the title Catholic Church in a letter written by St. Ignatius of Antioch to the Christians of Smyrna about 107 A.D.
Cloister: Part of a convent or monastery reserved for use by members of the order that live in that facility.
Collegiality: The shared responsibility and authority that the whole college of bishops, headed by the Pope, has for the teaching, sanctification and government of the Church.
Confession: Part of the Sacrament of Penance , not a term for the sacrament.
Confirmation: One of the three sacraments of initiation, along with Baptism and Eucharist.
Convent: the term refers to a house of women religious.
Cross/Crucifix: An object is a crucifix only if it depicts Christ on a cross; otherwise it is a cross.
Diocesan Curia: The personnel and offices assisting the bishop in directing the pastoral activity, administration and exercise of judicial power of the diocese.
Diocese: A fully organized ecclesiastical jurisdiction under the pastoral direction of a bishop as local Ordinary.
Dispensation: An exemption from Church law.
Eastern-Rite (Oriental) Church: Term used to describe the Catholic churches which developed in Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa. They have their own distinctive liturgical and organizational systems. Each is considered equal to the Latin rite within the Church. Encyclical: A pastoral letter addressed by the Pope to the whole Church.
Episcopal: Refers to a bishop or groups of bishops as a form of Church government, in which bishops have authority.
Eschatology: Doctrine concerning the last things: death, judgment, heaven and hell, and the final state of perfection of the people and the kingdom of God at the end of the world.
Evening Prayer: Evening Prayer, most commonly known as Vespers, is the official prayer that marks the end of the day. It consists primarily of sung psalms and other readings from Scripture.
Exarch/Exarchy: A church jurisdiction, similar to a diocese, established for Eastern-rite Catholics living outside their native land. The head of an exarchy, usually a bishop, is an exarch.
Excommunication: A penalty of censure by which a baptized person is excluded from the communion of the faithful for committing and remaining obstinate in certain serious offences specified in canon law.
Hierarchy: In general, the term refers to the ordered body of clergy, divided into bishops, priests, and deacons. In Catholic practice, the term refers to the bishops of the world or of a particular region. Holy See: 1) The diocese of the Pope, Rome. 2) The Pope himself or the various officials and bodies of the Church’s central administration— the Roman Curia — which act in the name and by authority of the Pope.
Host, The Sacred: The bread under whose appearance Christ is and remains present in a unique manner after the consecration of the Mass.
Immaculate Conception: Catholic dogma concerning Our Lady and the name of a feast in her honour celebrated Dec. 8. It refers to the belief that Mary was without sin from the moment she was conceived.
Indulgence: The remission before God of the temporal punishment due for sins already forgiven.
Keys, Power of the: Spiritual authority and jurisdiction in the Church, symbolized by the “keys” to the kingdom of heaven. Christ promised the keys to St. Peter and future heads of the Church.
Lay Ministries: These are ministries within the Church that are carried out by laypersons. Included are altar servers, Eucharistic ministers and lectors.
Liturgical Colours: Colours used in vestments and altar coverings to denote special times in the Church year. Green is used in ordinary time, red denotes solemn feast days, purple denotes penitential times and white is used for joyful occasions including Christmas, Easter and some saints’ feast days.
Liturgy: The public prayer of the Church.
Liturgy of the Hours: This is the preferred term in the Latin rite for the official liturgical prayers sanctifying the parts of each day. Monastery: An autonomous community house of a religious order, which may or may not be a monastic order. The term is used more specifically to refer to a community house of men or women religious in which they lead a contemplative life
Ordain – Ordination: The proper terms in Catholic usage for references to the conferral of the sacrament of Holy Orders on a deacon, priest or bishop.
Proselytize: To bring one to another’s viewpoint whether in religion or other areas.
Province: 1) A territory comprising one archdiocese called the metropolitan see and one or more dioceses called suffragan sees. The head of an archdiocese, an archbishop, has metropolitan rights and responsibilities over the province. 2) A division of a religious order under the jurisdiction of a provincial superior.
Retreat: A period of time spent in meditation and religious exercise. Retreats may take various forms, from traditional closed forms, to open retreats which do not disengage the participants from day-to-day life. Both clergy and lay people of all ages participate in retreats. Houses and centres providing facilities for retreats are called retreat houses.
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA): The norms and rituals of the Catholic Church for people who wish to join the Church. Part of the process is intended for baptized Christians who wish to become Catholics. The term is used in a general sense to refer to the process of entering the Catholic Church.
Rome - Diocese of: The City of Rome is the diocese of the Pope, who also serves as the Bishop of Rome.
Rosary: A prayer of meditation primarily on events in the lives of Mary and Jesus, repeating the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be. Generally, the rosary is said on a physical circlet of beads.
Sanctuary: The part of the church where the altar is located.
Sanctuary Light – kept near the Tabernacle and is lit when the Eucharist is present.
Second Vatican Council: A major meeting of the Bishops of the world convened by Pope John XXIII to bring about a renewal of the Church for the second half of the 20th century. It ran from 1962 to 1965 and produced important documents involving liturgy, ecumenism, communications and other areas.
Secular Institutes: Societies of men and women living in the world who dedicate themselves to observe the evangelical counsels and to carry on apostolic works suitable to their talents and opportunities in every day life.
See: Another name for diocese or archdiocese.
Seminary: An educational institution for men preparing for the priesthood or diaconate.
Shrine: Erected to encourage private devotions to a saint. It usually contains a picture, statue or other religious feature capable of inspiring devotional prayer.
Sign of the Cross: A sign, ceremonial gesture or movement in the form of a cross by which a person professes faith in the Holy Trinity, and intercedes for the blessing of himself, as well as other persons or things.
Stations of the Cross: Also known as The Way of the Cross, this devotion to the suffering of Christ consists of prayers and meditations on fourteen occurrences experienced by Jesus on His way to His crucifixion and death. A cross represents each of these events. Stations can be done individually, or in groups with one person leading the prayers and moving from cross to cross. Superior: The head of a religious order or congregation. He or she may be the head of a province or of an individual house.
Titular Sees: Dioceses where the Church once flourished but which later died out. Bishops without a territorial or residential diocese of their own, e.g., auxiliary bishops, are given titular sees.
Tribunal: A tribunal (court) is the name given to the person or persons who exercise the Church’s judicial powers.
Vatican Councils: Councils of all bishops of the Church called by the Pope. These councils usually are called to discuss specific matters of interest to the Church.
Vespers: A portion of the Church’s divine office recited each day by priests.
THE MASS
Entrance Procession: Priest, deacon, altar servers, lectors, enter the church or designated place for celebration of the liturgy.
Entrance Song/Music: The song/music which takes place during the entrance procession.
Veneration of the Altar: The revering of the altar with a kiss and the optional use of incense.
Greeting: The celebrant greets all pre-sent at the liturgy, expressing the presence of the Lord to the assembled community.
Penitential Rite: A general acknowledgment of sinfulness by the entire assembly, accompanied by requests for God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Gloria: Ancient hymn of praise in which the Church glorifies God. It is used on all Sundays (outside of Advent and Lent), and at solemn celebrations. The text originates from the Christmas narrative in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:14).
Opening Prayer: This prayer by the celebrant expresses the general theme of the celebration
Liturgy of the Word: That section of the celebration where readings from the Scriptures are proclaimed and reflected upon. On Sundays and major feasts, there are three readings: Old Testament selection, New Testament selection (from the Epistles) and the Gospel reading. During Eastertide the Old Testament is replaced by the Acts of the Apostles.
Responsorial Psalm: Between the first and second readings, a psalm is spoken or sung by the entire assembly. The response is repeated after each verse. If sung, a cantor or choir sings the verses of the psalm. Alleluia Acclamation: This acclamation of praise to God follows the second reading and prepares the assembly for the Gospel.
Homily: The homily (sermon) is a reflection by the celebrant or other minister on the Scripture readings and on the application of the texts in the daily lives of the assembled community.
Profession of Faith: The assembly together recalls and proclaims the fundamental teachings of the Roman Catholic faith. The Profession of Faith, also referred to as the Creed, is used on all Sundays and Holy Days.
General Intercessions: Prayer of intercession for all of humankind; for the Church, civil authorities, those with various needs, for all peoples, and for the salvation of the world. The celebrant invites all to pray, another minister proclaims the prayers of petition and the assembly responds by asking God to hear and to grant their requests.
Liturgy of the Eucharist: The section of the celebration when the gifts of bread and wine are prepared and the Eucharistic Prayer is proclaimed by the celebrant, and the Blessed Sacrament is distributed to the assembly.
Preparation of the Gifts: The time in the Mass when the bread and wine to be used in the celebration are brought to the celebrant, usually by representatives of the faithful.
Offertory Song: Music used during the presentation of gifts to the celebrant and as the altar is prepared for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Washing of Hands: An expression of the desire for inward purification. The celebrant washes his hands in symbolic cleansing to prepare himself just as the gifts have been prepared as an offering to the Lord.
Prayer Over the Gifts: The prayer by the celebrant asking that the gifts to be offered be made holy and acceptable in the eyes of the Lord.
Eucharistic Prayer: The prayer of thanksgiving and sanctification. It is the centre and high point of the celebration. During the Eucharistic Prayer the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. (The Consecration).
Consecration: The prayer and blessing during which the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
Intercessions: A series of prayers for the Church, the world, the Pope, clergy and laity, and the dead. Final Doxology A final prayer of praise of God.
Amen: Also called the Great Amen. It is the acclamation by the people expressing their agreement with all that has been said and done in the Eucharistic prayer.
Lord ’s Prayer (“Our Father…”: The prayer of petition for both daily food (which for Christians means also the Eucharistic bread) and the forgiveness of sins.
Doxology: The response of the people acclaiming the sovereignty of God.
Sign of Peace: Before sharing the Body and Blood of Christ the members of the assembly are invited to express their love and peace with one another.
Breaking of the Bread: The celebrant recreates gestures of Christ at the Last Supper when He broke the bread to give to His disciples. The action signifies that in communion the many are made one in the one Bread of Life which is Christ.
Lamb of God (“Agnus Dei ”): An invocation during the breaking of the bread in which the assembly petitions God for mercy and peace. Holy Communion: After saying a preparatory prayer, the celebrant (or other designated ministers) gives communion (the consecrated bread and wine) to himself and the other ministers at the altar, and then communion is distributed to the congregation.
Communion Song: The music that is used as the consecrated bread and wine – the Body and Blood of Christ – is distributed to the faithful. Prayer After Communion: The final prayer by the celebrant in which he petitions that the Sacrament be beneficial for all.
Concluding Rite: The brief rite which consists of the celebrant’s greeting to all present, final blessing and dismissal; followed by a concluding song and concluding procession.
PEOPLE/ORGANISATIONS
Abbot: A title given to the superior of twelve or more monks.
Acolytes: Ones who assist in the celebration (i.e., carrying candles, holding the Pope’s staff, mitre, etc.).
Apostle - Apostolic – Disciple: Literally “one sent.” Normally this refers to the 12 men chosen by Jesus to be the bearers of his teachings to the world. The term “apostolic” generally refers back to the 12 apostles. In the Church it characterizes certain documents, appointments or structures initiated by the Pope or the Holy See. The term “disciple” refers to one who follows the teachings of Jesus.
Auxiliary Bishop: A bishop assigned to a diocese or archdiocese, to assist a residential bishop.
Archbishop: Title given automatically to bishops who govern archdioceses.
Bishop: The chief priest of a diocese. Bishops are responsible for the pastoral care of their dioceses. In addition, bishops have a responsibility to act in council with other bishops to guide the Church.
Brother: A man who is a member of a religious order, but is not ordained or studying for the priesthood.
Canon: Member of the Chapter of Canons, whose primary task is to support the bishop
Cantor: One who leads the singing during the liturgy (i.e., the responsorial psalm).
Cardinal: Cardinals are appointed by the Pope they aid him as his chief counsellors.
Celebrant: The one who presides over the assembly and consecrates the Eucharistic Sacrament.
Chancellor: The chief archivist of the official records of a diocese. Also a notary and secretary of the diocesan curia.
Clergy: Collective term referring to male persons who administer the rites of the Church through Holy Orders.
College of Cardinals: The College of Cardinals is made up of the cardinals of the Church, who advise the Pope, assist in the central administration of the Church,, head the various congregations, administer the Holy See during a vacancy, and elect a new Pope.
Concelebrants: Those priests and bishops who join the Celebrant in celebrating the Mass.
Contemplative: A religious man or woman who devotes his/her entire life in the cloister to prayer and reflection.
Deacons/Diaconate: The diaconate is the first order or grade in ordained ministry. Any man who is to be ordained to the priesthood must first be ordained as a transitional deacon. Deacons serve in the ministry of liturgy, of the word, and of charity. The Permanent Diaconate is for men who do not plan to become ordained priests.
Dean/Vicar: The title of a priest appointed by the bishop to aid him in administering the parishes in a certain vicinity, called a “deanery.” The function of a dean involves promotion, coordination, and supervision of the common pastoral activity within the deanery or vicariate.
Layman, Woman, Person: Any Church member who is neither ordained nor a member of a religious order. When the Second Vatican Council spoke of the laity, it used the term in this more common meaning.
Master of Ceremonies: One who assists in the preparation of the liturgy and is present to facilitate the movement of the entire celebration.
Metropolitan: The archbishop of an archdiocese in a province. He has limited supervisory powers and influence over the other dioceses and bishops in the province.
Minister: From the Latin word for “servant,” in the ecclesiastical sense a minister is (1) an ordained cleric or (2) one who has the authority to minister to others.
Ministers of Communion: Those who assist in the distribution of Communion; also called Eucharistic Ministers.
Monk – Friar: A man who belongs to one of the monastic orders in the Church.
Monsignor: An honorary ecclesiastical title granted by the Pope to some diocesan priests.
Order, Congregation, Society: A religious order is the title loosely applied to all religious groups of men and women. A society is a body of clerics, regular or secular, organized for the purpose of performing an apostolic work. A congregation is any group bound together by common rules.
Ordinary: Diocesan bishops, religious superiors, and certain other diocesan authorities with jurisdiction over the clergy in a specific geographical area, or the members of a religious order.
Papal Representatives: The three types of representatives of the Roman Pontiff are: 1) Legate - An individual appointed by the Pope to be his personal representative to a nation, international conference, or local church. The legate may be chosen from the local clergy of a country. 2) Nuncio - In countries where he is dean of the diplomatic corps, his title is Apostolic Nuncio. 3) Permanent Observer to the United Nations - The Apostolic See maintains permanent legates below the ambassadorial level to several world organizations. Since the Papal Legate does not enjoy the right to vote within the organization, his title at the United Nations is that of Observer. Parish: A specific community of the Christian Faithful within a diocese, which has its own church building and is under the authority of a pastor who is responsible for providing the faithful with ministerial service. Pastor/Parish Priest: A priest in charge of a parish or congregation. He is responsible for administering the sacraments, instructing the congregation in the doctrine of the Church and other services to the people of the parish.
Pastoral Associate: A member of the laity who is part of a parish ministry team.
Pastoral Council: A group of members of the parish who advise the pastor on parish matters; also called a Parish Council.
Pontiff/Pontifical: Pontiff is used as an alternative form of reference to the Pope. Pontifical has to do with the Pope.
Religious Priest/Diocesan Priest: Religious priests are professed members of a religious order or institute. Religious clergy live according to the rule of their respective orders. In pastoral ministry, they are under the jurisdiction of their local bishop, as well as the superiors of their order. Diocesan, or secular, priests are under the direction of their local bishop. They commit to serving their congregations and other institutions.
Roman Curia: The official collective name for the administrative agencies and courts, and their officials, who assist the Pope in governing the Church. Members are appointed and granted authority by the Pope.
Sister: Any woman religious, in popular speech. Strictly, the title applies to those women religious belonging to institutes whose members have not professed solemn vows, most of which were established during and since the 19th century.
Presbyterial Council: Also known as the priests’ council, this is the principal consultative body mandated by the Code of Canon Law to advise the diocesan bishop in matters of pastoral governance. It consists of bishops and priests serving the diocese.
Superior: The head of a religious order or congregation. He or she may be the head of a province or of an individual house.
Vatican Congregation: A Vatican body that is responsible for an important area in the life of the Church, such as worship and sacraments, the clergy, and of saints’ causes.
ITEMS Alb: The white garment covering one’s street clothes.
Altar: A table on which the sacrifice of the Mass is offered to God. It is the center of importance in the place where the Mass is celebrated. Also called: “The Table of the Lord.”
Altar Linens: Corporal, on which the sacred vessels are placed; purificator, which the priest cleans the chalice with and the finger-towel for the priest’s hands.
Aspergillum: A vessel or device used for sprinkling holy water during special blessings. The ordinary type is a metallic rod with a bulbous tip which absorbs the holy water and discharges it at the motion of the user’s hand.
Biretta: A square cap with three ridges or peaks on its upper surface Book of Gospels: The book which contains the Gospel texts, from which the priest or deacon proclaims the Gospel of the day.
Cassock: A non-liturgical, full-length, close-fitting robe for use by priests and other clerics under liturgical vestments; usually black for priests, purple for bishops and other prelates, red for cardinals, and white for the Pope.
Cathedra: The Bishop’s Chair in his Cathedral
Cathedral: The major church in an archdiocese or diocese. It is the seat of the local Ordinary (diocesan bishop, religious superior or other authority).
Celebrant’s Chair: The place where the celebrant sits during the Liturgy. It expresses his office of presiding over the assembly and of leading the prayer of those present.
Chalice: The cup used to hold the wine that is consecrated to become the Blood of Christ.
Chasuble: The vestment worn over the alb by priests, bishops and Pope when celebrating the Mass.
Ciborium: A vessel used to hold the consecrated bread for the distribution of the Body of Christ during communion.
Crosier (pastoral staff): The staff which a bishop carries when he presides at the liturgy.
Dalmatic: The vestment the deacon wears over the alb on solemn occasions.
Incense: Incense (material used to produce a fragrant odour when burned) is used as a symbol of the Church’s offering; the rising smoke represents the prayers of the assembly rising to God. Lectern: The place from which the Scriptures are proclaimed.
Lectionary: The book that contains all of the readings from the Scriptures that are used in the celebration of the liturgy.
Mitre: A headdress worn at some liturgical functions by bishops
Monstrance: Container used for the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Pallium: Special stole made of lamb’s wool worn over the chasuble by the Pope and archbishops; it signifies communion of archbishops with the Holy See.
Paten: The plate used to hold the bread.
Pectoral Cross: A cross worn on a chain about the neck of bishops and abbots as a sign of office.
Processional Cross: The cross carried in processions.
Sacramentary: The book used by the celebrant, containing all the prayers for the liturgy of the Mass.
Stole: The vestment worn around the neck by all ordained ministers. For priests, bishops and Pope, it hangs down in front (under the chasuble); deacons wear it over their left shoulder crossed and fastened at the right side.
Surplice: A loose, flowing vestment of white fabric with wide sleeves. For some functions it is inter-changeable with an alb.
Tabernacle: Place in the Church where the Eucharist or sacred species are stored.
Thurible: The container, which you may see being swung during some ceremonies, used for burning incense
Vestment: The robes that ordained ministers wear
Zucchetto: Skull cap worn by the Pope (white), bishops (purple) and cardinals (red).
God bless
-- Sara (sara_catholic_forum@yahoo.co.uk), May 11, 2003
Topping
-- Sara (sara_catholic_forum@yahoo.co.uk), May 11, 2003.
Thanks Sara, great idea :-).
-- Kiwi (csisherwood@hotmail.com), May 11, 2003.
Thanks Sara! Excellent, as I added it to my Palm PDA for study.
-- Gordon (gvink@yahoo.com), May 11, 2003.
I'm sure that this will be of help to many, Sara.
Since you rightly called this a "Glossary of Catholic Terms," may I suggest that the Moderator rename the thread as ...
All Things Catholic (a Glossary of Catholic Terms).
With this subject/title, the thread will jump out at someone who is scrolling through the lists of threads in the archives.
Thanks. JFG
-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), May 11, 2003.
Thank you Sara, I am curious to know where this originally came from as I think it would be a good resource for our RCIA team.
-- Leon (vol@weblink2000.net), May 11, 2003.
LeonSome of this material is based on a glossary I found online, in a diocesan website. I used it as a basis of what words to describe/explain. I then organised it into sections, moved parts of it about to make the glossary easier to use and re-worded it in parts. I deleted irrelevant material, and added in my own material where terms were not covered.
Religious Education Material in book/cd format tends to be copyright. However, normally if you find material online you are allowed to copy this and use it as long as you are not using it for a profit-making venture. For example, you could use it in your own home or a parish setting. You couldn't, however, use it to make a book and then re-sell it. You will find many sites online which give you this type of material, and also graphics for using in parish news letters etc.
Religious Education is a strange area in many ways, for example if you wish to quote from a bible you go ahead and make the quote. However, each bible you pick up will have copyright on the front! Technically speaking you should quote which bible you've quoted from, but in reality people would rarely do that as the Word of God can't really be copyright, only the book you've actually read it from, perhaps the study notes etc would be deemed the copyright part.
The other thing to consider is, there's only so many ways one can describe something, re-word something.
Basically, what I'm saying in my long drawn-out way is, you could use this glossary in a parish-setting without fear of copyright infringement as long as it's non-profit making!
God bless
-- Sara (sara_catholic_forum@yahoo.co.uk), May 12, 2003.