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Glossary of the Catholic Church
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This is a glossary of terms used within the Catholic Church. Some terms used in everyday English have a different meaning in the context of the Catholic faith, including brother, confession, confirmation, exemption, faithful, father, ordinary, religious, sister, venerable, and vow.
A
[edit]- Abbess – the female head of a community of nuns (abbey)
- Abbot – the male head of a community of monks (monastery)
- Acolyte
- Actual grace
- Ad limina visits – visit by diocesan bishop to the Holy See, usually every five years
- Alexandrian Rite
- Altar
- Altar server
- Altarage – the revenue reserved for the chaplain (altarist or altar-thane) in contradistinction to the income of the parish priest, it came to signify the fees received by a priest from the laity when discharging any function for them
- Ambo
- Ambry
- Amovibility
- Annulment – see: Declaration of Nullity (below)
- Apostolic administrator
- Apostolic Chancery – a former office of the Roman Curia
- Apostolic life, Society of – see: Society of apostolic life (below)
- Apostolic nuncio – see: Nuncio (below)
- Apostolic prefect
- Apostolic succession
- Apostolic vicar
- Apse
- Archbishop – the bishop of an archdiocese, with limited jurisdiction over his suffragan sees; a titular and largely honorary designation granted to certain bishops, often Nuncios and other members of the Holy See diplomatic corps
- Archpriest (Latin Church) – see: Vicar Forane (below)
- Auxiliary bishop
B
[edit]- Baptism
- Baptism of Jesus
- Baptismal font
- Beatification
- Bishop – an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith, ruling the Church, and sanctifying her people
- Bishop emeritus (or Archbishop emeritus) – the title given to a retired bishop or archbishop
- Bishops' conference – see: Episcopal conference (below)
- Blessed (beatified person) – see: Beatification (above)
- Brother – a male lay member of a Catholic religious institute
- Byzantine Rite
C
[edit]- Canon law
- Cardinal
- Cardinal Vicar
- Catholicism – the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioural characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole
- Catechism – a document containing an approved exposition of Church teachings
- Chancery, Apostolic – see: Apostolic Chancery (above)
- Chancery, Diocesan – see: Diocesan chancery (below)
- Chaplain of His Holiness
- Clergy, Regular – see: Regular clergy (below)
- Clergy, Secular – see: Secular clergy (below)
- Coadjutor bishop – an auxiliary bishop with the legal right of succession to the see of which he is coadjutor
- Code of Canon Law, 1917
- Code of Canon Law, 1983
- Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
- College of Cardinals
- College of Consultors
- Communion – see: Eucharist (below) and Full communion (below)
- Communion rite
- Communion of Saints
- Conclave
- Confession – see: Sacrament of Penance (below)
- Confirmation
- Congregation, Religious
- Congregation (Roman Curia)
- Congregation, Sacred – see: Congregation (Roman Curia) (above)
- Consecrated life
- Consecrated life (Catholic Church)
- Consecrated life, Institute of – see: Institute of consecrated life (below)
- Corpus Juris Canonici
- Council, Pontifical – see: Pontifical Council (below)
- Counter-Reformation – the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War
- Credence table
- Crosier
- Crucifix
- Curia, Moderator of the – see: Moderator of the Curia (below)
- Curia
- Curia, Roman – see: Roman Curia (below)
D
[edit]- Deacon
- Dean – see: Vicar forane (below)
- Declaration of Nullity – a canonical judicial sentence declaring that the matrimonial covenant was invalid from the beginning due to impediments or defect of consent
- Definitor
- Diaconate – see: Deacon (above)
- Dicastery
- Diocesan administrator
- Diocesan bishop
- Diocesan chancery
- Diocesan curia – see: "Curia (Roman Catholic Church)" (above)
- Divine Liturgy
- Diocesan priest
- Diocesan tribunal – see: Tribunal (below)
- Discalceation
- Dulia – see also: Hyperdulia (below)
E
[edit]- East–West Schism – forcibly divided medieval Christianity's Eastern (Greek) from its Western (Latin) jurisdiction, which later became known as the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, respectively
- Eastern Catholic Churches
- East Syriac Rite
- Ecclesiastical judge
- Eminence – see: His Eminence (below)
- Encyclical
- Eparchy
- Episcopal conference
- Episcopal see
- Episcopal vicar
- Eucharist – a Christian sacrament, generally considered to be a commemoration of the Last Supper, in which Jesus Christ shared his Body and Blood with his disciples before his betrayal and crucifixion
- Exarch
- Excardination – see also: Incardination
- Excitator – the excitator in seminaries, monasteries and convents was the person charged with the job of awakening community members each morning[1]
- Exclaustration
- Excommunication – a medicinal religious penalty that bars the person from reception of the sacraments, the rights of office, and other privileges in the Church
- Exemption
- Exorcism – the practice of expelling demons from a person, place, or thing which they are believed to possess or inhabit
F
[edit]- Faithful – the collective members of the church incorporated into it through sacramental baptism[2][3]
- Fall of Man – the willful transition of the first humans from a state of original holiness, in communion with God, to a state of guilt and perennial disobedience
- Family wage
- Father (cleric) – a traditional title of priests
- Father, God the – a name for the First Person of the Blessed Trinity
- Five Ways – see: Quinque Viæ (below)
- Font, Baptismal – see: Baptismal font (above)
- Font, Holy water – see: Holy water font (below)
- Friar
- Full communion
G
[edit]H
[edit]- Hierarchy
- His Eminence
- His Holiness
- Holy Communion – see: Eucharist (above)
- Holy Orders
- Holy See – the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome (who is commonly known as the Pope), and is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church
- Holy water font (or stoup) (church)
- Holy water stoup (home) – see: Home stoup (below)
- Home stoup
- Honorary Prelate
- Horarium – the schedule of daily prayers for those living in a religious community or seminary[4] See also Liturgy of the Hours
- Hyperdulia – veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary see also: dulia
- Hypostasis – in Jesus Christ, the union of two natures, divine and human, in the one divine person of the Son of God
I
[edit]- Immaculate Conception – the dogma that Mary was conceived without original sin (not to be confused with the Incarnation of Christ)
- Incardination – see also: excardination (above)
- Incarnation – the Word of God taking on a human nature and becoming true man, Jesus Christ (not to be confused with the Immaculate Conception of Mary)
- Institute of consecrated life
- Institute, Religious – see: Religious institute (below)
- Institute, Secular – see: Secular institute (below)
J
[edit]L
[edit]- Laity
- Lapsed Catholic – a Catholic who has ceased practising the Catholic faith
- Latin Church
- Latin liturgical rites
- Law, canon – see: Canon law (above)
- Lay communion – the status of a cleric who is in communion with the Church, but only with the standing of a lay person
- Lay ecclesial ministry
- Lectio Divina
- Lectionary
- Lector – see: Reader (below)
- Limbo – an idea of speculative theology about the afterlife condition of those unbaptized who die in Original Sin rather than assigning them to the Hell of the damned. Limbo is not a formally defined doctrine of the Catholic Church
- Latria – worship and prayer owed to God alone
- Liturgy – public worship
- Local ordinary
M
[edit]- Mass – the usual English-language name for the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Catholic Church
- Mariology – the theology concerned with the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ
- Mediatrix – the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a mediator in the salvation process
- Metropolitan archbishop
- Military ordinariate
- Missal
- Missal, Roman – see: Roman Missal (below)
- Mission sui juris
- Mitre
- Monk
- Monsignor
- Most Holy Trinity – see:Trinity (below)
N
[edit]O
[edit]- Officialis – see: Judicial vicar (above)
- Order, Religious – see: Religious order (below)
- Ordinariate, Military – see: Military ordinariate (above)
- Ordinariate, Personal – see: Personal ordinariate (below)
- Ordinary – see: Local ordinary (above)
P
[edit]- Papal court
- Parish
- Parishioner – churchgoer
- Pastor
- Patriarch
- Patriarchate
- Penance – see: Sacrament of Penance (below)
- Permanent deacon – see: Deacon (above)
- Personal ordinariate
- Personal prelature
- Pew
- Pontiff
- Pontifical Council
- Pope
- Prefect apostolic – see: Apostolic prefect (above)
- Prelate
- Prelate, Honorary – see: Honorary Prelate (above)
- Prelature, Personal – see: Personal prelature (above)
- Prelature, Territorial – see: Territorial prelature (below)
- Priest
- Priest, Diocesan – see: Diocesan priest (above)
- Priest, Religious – see: Regular clergy (below)
- Prior
- Prioress
- Protonotary apostolic
- Pulpit – see: Ambo (above)
Q
[edit]- Quinque Viæ – Aquinas' famous philosophical proofs for the existence of God found in his Summa Theologiæ
R
[edit]- Ratum sed non consummatum
- Reader
- Reconciliation – see: Sacrament of Penance (below)
- Rector (cathedral or seminary)
- Regular clergy
- Religious
- Religious brother – see: Brother (above)
- Religious congregation – see: Congregation, Religious (above)
- Religious institute (Catholic)
- Religious order
- Religious priest – see: Regular clergy (above)
- Rite to Being – the rite of being left alone to pray to Jesus Christ
- Religious sister – see: Sister (below)
- Right of Option – a way of obtaining a benefice or a title, by the choice of the new titulary
- Roman Catholic – the Roman rite of the Catholic Church
- Roman Curia – "the complex of dicasteries and institutes that help the Roman Pontiff in the exercise of his supreme pastoral function for the good and service of the whole Church and of the particular Churches"[5]
- Roman Missal
S
[edit]- Sacrament of Penance – commonly called Confession, Reconciliation or Penance, becoming free of sin by confession and repentance
- Sacred congregation – see: Congregation (Roman Curia) (above)
- Sacred Tradition
- Saints, Communion of – see: Communion of Saints (above)
- Sanctifying grace – see: Grace (Christianity) (above)
- Sanctuary
- Secular clergy
- Secular institute
- Sede vacante
- See, Episcopal – see: Episcopal see (above)
- Seminarian
- Server – see: Altar server (above)
- Side altar
- Simple vow – any vow which is not a solemn vow
- Sister
- Society of apostolic life
- Solemn vow
- Stoup, Holy water – see: Holy water font (above) and Home stoup (above)
- Summa Theologiæ – a theological work by Thomas Aquinas
- Supreme Pontiff – see: Pontiff (above)
T
[edit]- Territorial prelature
- Titular bishop
- Titular church
- Tradition, Sacred – see: Sacred Tradition (above)
- Transept
- Transitional deaconsee: Deacon (above)
- Transubstantiation
- Tribunal – an ecclesiastical court
- Trinity, The
U
[edit]- Universal Church – title that refers to the Catholic Church. From Greek 'katholikos 'universal' from kata 'in respect of' + holos 'whole'
V
[edit]- Vacant see – see: Sede vacante (above)
- Venerable
- Vatican (disambiguation)
- Vicar apostolic – see: Apostolic vicar (above)
- Vicar forane – also known as "dean" or, in the Latin Church, "archpriest"[6]
- Vicar general
- Vicar, judicial – see: Judicial vicar (above)
- Vicar of Christ
- Vow – see: Simple vow (above) or Solemn vow (above)
W
[edit]- Wage, Family – see: Family wage (above)
- War, just – see: Just war (above)
- Ways, Five – see: Quinque Viæ(above)
- West Syriac Rite
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Consuetudinarium Provinciae Marylandiensis-Neo Eboracensis Societatis Jesu
- ^ Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd ed.). Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 2019. Paragraph 871.
- ^ CIC 1983, c. 204.
- ^ Cunningham, Lawrence S.; John J. Reich (2010). Culture & Values. Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-0-495-56925-1.
- ^ John Paul II, Pastor Bonus Article 1
- ^ Canon 553 §1, 1983 Code of Canon Law
Works cited
[edit]- Code of Canon Law (CIC). Vatican Publishing House. 1983.
Glossary of the Catholic Church
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Introduction
Purpose and Scope
This glossary seeks to define terms integral to Catholic doctrine, liturgy, canon law, and devotion as they have been consistently understood in the Church's 2,000-year tradition, offering clarity amid efforts in some academic and media circles to redefine them in alignment with modern ideologies. Designed for theologians, clergy, catechists, and lay inquirers, it emphasizes fidelity to the magisterium's authoritative usage, rejecting dilutions that prioritize inclusivity over orthodoxy, as evidenced by post-conciliar documents insisting on terminological precision to preserve revealed truth. By focusing on undiluted ecclesiastical language, it counters the equivocations that have arisen in progressive theological discourse, where terms like "mercy" are sometimes decoupled from justice or repentance. The scope covers core vocabulary from foundational sources, including Sacred Scripture (compiled by the late 4th century AD), ecumenical councils such as the First Council of Nicaea (AD 325), which articulated the divinity of Christ against Arianism,[5] and the Council of Trent (1545–1563), which codified responses to Reformation challenges on sacraments and justification. It also incorporates the Catechism of the Catholic Church, promulgated by Pope St. John Paul II on 11 November 1992 as a compendium of faith for universal use.[1] Excluded are neologisms lacking grounding in these traditions or those repurposed without magisterial endorsement, ensuring coverage remains tethered to verifiable historical and doctrinal continuity rather than speculative reinterpretations. Etymological origins, frequently from Latin and Greek roots shaped by patristic and scholastic thought, are noted where they illuminate precise connotations, as in the philosophical categories of ousia (substance) from Greek ontology adopted at Nicaea to defend Trinitarian dogma. This approach upholds semantic stability against shifts in secular discourse, where terms evolve to accommodate relativism, thereby maintaining the Church's capacity for exact theological articulation as affirmed in conciliar decrees and papal encyclicals.Authoritative Sources
The primary authoritative sources for defining terms in Catholic doctrine derive from Sacred Scripture, as interpreted through the Church's Vulgate tradition, which traces to St. Jerome's fourth-century Latin translation and was affirmed as authentic by the Council of Trent in 1546 for liturgical and doctrinal use until the Nova Vulgata's revision in 1979 to align more closely with Hebrew and Greek originals while preserving patristic exegesis. This scriptural foundation, comprising 73 books including the deuterocanonicals, underpins all terminology related to revelation, with the Church's magisterium safeguarding its causal role in faith formation against individualistic interpretations. Complementing Scripture are the writings of the Church Fathers, such as St. Augustine of Hippo's Confessions (composed between 397 and 400 AD), which elucidate personal conversion and Trinitarian theology through experiential reasoning grounded in biblical causality. Among the 37 Doctors of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologica (written 1265–1274) provides systematic metaphysical analysis, employing first-principles arguments on essence, existence, and grace to resolve terminological ambiguities in sacraments and virtues.[6] These patristic and scholastic sources emphasize ontological realism over subjective glosses, informing definitions of concepts like actus purus (pure act) in divine simplicity. Ecumenical councils, numbering 21 in Catholic recognition from Nicaea I (325 AD) to Vatican II (1962–1965), define dogmas infallibly when ratified by papal approval, as in Vatican I's 1870 declaration on papal infallibility in Pastor Aeternus, which specifies conditions for ex cathedra pronouncements on faith and morals.[7][8] Papal encyclicals, such as Leo XIII's Aeterni Patris (4 August 1879), further authoritative guidance by mandating Thomistic philosophy for theological precision, countering modern rationalism.[9] The Catechism of the Catholic Church (promulgated 1992) synthesizes these but requires verification against pre-conciliar compendia like Heinrich Denzinger's Enchiridion Symbolorum (first edition 1854, updated editions compiling creeds and decrees), to affirm immutable dogmas amid post-1960s pastoral ambiguities lacking doctrinal force unless explicitly magisterial.[1][10] This hierarchical sourcing ensures definitions reflect the deposit of faith's unbroken transmission, prioritizing causal fidelity over contemporaneous reinterpretations.[11]Approach to Definitions
This glossary employs a methodical framework for definitions that commences with the term's etymology—typically from Latin (ecclesia for "church," denoting assembly) or Greek (katholikos for "universal")—followed by its official delineation in magisterial texts such as the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992), which synthesizes Scripture, Tradition, and councils.[1] Scriptural foundations are cited from original contexts, prioritizing the Septuagint, Masoretic Text, or New Testament Greek, with Vulgate renderings for Latin-derived terms; conciliar bases draw from ecumenical councils like Trent (1545–1563), which codified doctrines against Reformation challenges. This ensures entries anchor in primary empirical evidence, eschewing secondary interpretations unless corroborated by apostolic succession. Historical usage traces evolution per St. John Henry Newman's Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine (1845), which posits seven notes of authentic development—preservation of type, continuity of principles, and logical sequence—contrasting it with ruptures that alter essence, as seen in Arianism's denial of Christ's divinity despite patristic precedents. Entries delineate such progressions, e.g., Marian dogmas unfolding from scriptural seeds (Luke 1:28, "full of grace") without contradiction, while flagging innovations lacking these criteria, informed by causal analysis of theological fidelity over chronological accretion. For praxis-oriented terms, definitions integrate scriptural rationale and historical pragmatics, presenting advantages and exceptions sans ameliorative language; clerical celibacy, for example, derives from 1 Corinthians 7:32-35's emphasis on undivided service to the Lord, yielding empirical benefits like enhanced apostolic focus documented in early monastic rules, against infrequent married clergy in the first millennium prior to universal Latin discipline (Council of Elvira, c. 305). Pros include reduced familial encumbrances for evangelization, per patristic testimonies; cons acknowledge human frailty but reject modern reframings as mere "discipline" detachable from evangelical counsel. Deviations normalized in contemporary discourse—equating "tolerance" with acquiescence to error—are critiqued via causal linkages to heresy, as in Pascendi Dominici Gregis (1907), where Pope St. Pius X exposed modernism's vital immanence as eroding supernatural revelation through subjective evolution, a flaw echoed in post-conciliar relativism despite Lumen Gentium (1964)'s reaffirmation of hierarchical authority. [12] Prioritization favors traditional realism, rooted in objective ontology, over dialogic paradigms that prioritize consensus; source selection discounts academia's systemic inclination toward progressive historicism—evident in selective patristic citations—favoring unaltered magisterial and scriptural primaries for unvarnished verity.A
Terms Beginning with A
AbbotAn abbot serves as the superior of an abbey, defined under Canon Law as a monastery or equivalent house governed by its own statutes. Elected by the monastic community in accordance with the institute's proper law, such as the Benedictine Rule composed around 530 AD, the abbot exercises paternal authority over the monks, fostering obedience and communal life.[13] Benedictine monks profess a vow of stability, committing to lifelong residence in their specific monastery under the abbot's guidance, which underscores the abbot's role in maintaining the community's enduring spiritual discipline.[14] Absolution
Absolution constitutes the essential form of the Sacrament of Penance, wherein a priest, acting in persona Christi, declares God's forgiveness of sins confessed by the penitent, rooted in Christ's commission to the apostles in John 20:23 to forgive or retain sins. This formulaic pronouncement requires the penitent's contrition and purpose of amendment for validity, distinguishing it from rarer general absolution, permitted only in imminent danger of death or grave necessity without opportunity for individual confession, as stipulated in Canon 961.[15] Advent
Advent marks the liturgical season of preparation for Christ's Nativity and Second Coming, commencing on the First Sunday of Advent—typically late November or early December—and spanning four Sundays until Christmas Eve.[16] Priests wear violet vestments during this period, symbolizing penance and expectant waiting, with the third Sunday (Gaudete) allowing rose vestments to signify emerging joy.[17] Annulment
A marriage annulment, or declaration of nullity, asserts that a purported marriage lacked essential validity from the outset due to defects in consent, such as grave lack of due discretion (Canon 1095, 2°), error regarding the person's qualities, or simulation of consent, rather than dissolving a valid bond as in civil divorce. Empirical grounds include antecedent and perpetual impotence (Canon 1084) or psychological incapacity preventing fulfillment of marital obligations, evaluated through ecclesiastical tribunals based on evidence from witnesses and experts.[18] Apostolic Succession
Apostolic succession refers to the uninterrupted transmission of spiritual authority from the apostles to bishops through the laying on of hands in ordination, ensuring the authentic handing down of teaching, sacraments, and governance in the Church.[19] Early witness appears in St. Ignatius of Antioch's letters circa 107 AD, urging fidelity to bishops as successors preserving unity with Christ and the apostles. This succession causally underpins the validity of holy orders and sacraments, distinguishing Catholic episcopal lineage from other Christian traditions lacking such historical continuity.[20]
B
Terms Beginning with B
Baptism is the first sacrament of Christian initiation, conferring rebirth from sin through water and the invocation of the Trinity, imprinting an indelible spiritual character on the soul. It remits original sin and actual sins, incorporates the recipient into Christ's body the Church, and is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who can request it, as affirmed by the Council of Florence in its 1442 decree Cantate Domino, which states that the sacrament of Baptism is the door to the other sacraments and without it, no one can enter the kingdom of heaven. The rite typically involves immersion, pouring, or sprinkling of water accompanied by the formula "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," effecting regeneration as referenced in John 3:5. Beatitudes refer to the eight declarations pronounced by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-12), promising eternal reward to those who embody dispositions such as poverty of spirit, meekness, righteousness, mercy, purity of heart, peacemaking, and endurance of persecution for justice.[21] These teachings outline the path to heavenly beatitude, fulfilling human longing for happiness by orienting virtues toward divine grace rather than mere natural fulfillment, as they describe the attitude of the children of God who seek first the Kingdom. Bishop denotes an ordained minister who succeeds the apostles in overseeing a diocese, possessing the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders to teach, sanctify, and govern the faithful under the Pope's authority. Biblical qualifications include being irreproachable, married only once if at all, temperate, hospitable, and apt to teach (1 Timothy 3:1-7), reflecting the apostolic role of shepherding the flock. Bishops collectively form the episcopal college, sharing infallibility when united with the Roman Pontiff in defining matters of faith and morals, ensuring doctrinal continuity. Blessed Sacrament is the consecrated Eucharistic species reserved after Mass for adoration, Communion of the sick, and Viaticum, wherein Christ's body, blood, soul, and divinity are present wholly and substantially due to transubstantiation—the conversion of bread and wine's substance into Christ's while accidents remain. This real presence enables perpetual worship outside liturgy, as the Church professes Christ's abiding sacramental presence to sustain the faithful unto eternal life. Basilica signifies a church elevated by papal concession to enjoy privileges such as the right to a conopaeum (umbrellicum), tinkling bell at the tabernacle, and precedence in processions, denoting honor without altering its status as a parish or cathedral. Exemplified by Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, dedicated on November 18, 1626, by Pope Urban VIII, these churches often house relics or hold historical significance tied to apostolic origins.[22]C
Terms Beginning with C
Cardinal. Cardinals are senior members of the Catholic hierarchy appointed by the Roman Pontiff to serve as his principal counselors and to elect his successor in conclave. The College of Cardinals, formalized as the exclusive body for papal election from 1059 onward under Pope Nicholas II, consists of those under 80 years of age who participate in the election process as stipulated in Universi Dominici Gregis.[23] [24] Their distinctive red attire signifies willingness to shed blood in defense of the faith, echoing the Church's tradition of martyrdom readiness among its princes.[25] Catechism. A catechism is a systematic exposition of Catholic doctrine intended for instruction in the faith, serving as a tool for doctrinal transmission across generations. The Roman Catechism, promulgated in 1566 following the Council of Trent, addressed Protestant challenges by summarizing orthodoxy in creed, sacraments, commandments, and prayer.[26] The modern Catechism of the Catholic Church, approved by Pope John Paul II on June 25, 1992, and revised in 1997, draws on scripture, tradition, liturgy, and magisterial teaching to combat dilutions of faith in contemporary contexts.[1] Celibacy. Clerical celibacy in the Latin Church is a disciplinary norm, not an unchangeable dogma, requiring priests and deacons to abstain from marriage to devote themselves undividedly to the kingdom of God, as exemplified in Matthew 19:12 where some "renounce marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven."[27] Its earliest codified expression appears in Canon 33 of the Council of Elvira around 306 AD, prohibiting sexual relations between clerics and their wives and mandating continence.[28] Reaffirmed against Reformation critiques at the Council of Trent in the 16th century, it remains a law under Canon 277 of the 1983 Code, fostering undivided service while allowing exceptions like married converts to the diaconate.[29] Communion of saints. The communion of saints denotes the mystical unity binding all baptized Christians—those on earth (Church Militant), souls in purgatory (Church Suffering), and the blessed in heaven (Church Triumphant)—sharing in holy things and mutual charity as professed in the Apostles' Creed. This bond enables the intercession of saints through the Church's treasury of merits, where satisfactions from Christ and the faithful exceed what's needed for their own sins, allowing application to others via indulgence or prayer.[30] Confirmation. Confirmation is the sacrament that completes baptism by conferring the fullness of the Holy Spirit's gifts—wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord—sealing the Christian for witness amid trials, as seen in Acts 8:14-17 where apostles laid hands for Spirit reception. Administered through anointing with chrism on the forehead, accompanied by words "Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit," it is ordinarily conferred by a bishop to signify apostolic succession and unity.[31] [32]D
Terms Beginning with D
Deacon. In the Catholic Church, a deacon is an ordained minister of the major order of diaconate, instituted for service as described in Acts 6:1-6, where the Apostles appointed seven men to assist in the distribution of goods to widows, freeing the Apostles for prayer and preaching. Deacons exercise functions including assisting bishops and priests in the liturgy, proclaiming the Gospel, preaching homilies, baptizing, and officiating at weddings and funerals, but they lack faculties to consecrate the Eucharist or hear sacramental confessions.[33] The diaconate comprises two forms: permanent deacons, who may be married men ordained for lifelong service and bound by promises of obedience and simplicity of life, and transitional deacons, who are celibate seminarians preparing for priestly ordination typically after a period of formation.[34] Permanent deacons, restored universally following Vatican II, emphasize diakonia (service) in charity, word, and liturgy, aligning with the Church's deontological imperative for hierarchical order in pastoral ministry.[35] Diocese. A diocese, also termed a particular church, constitutes a territorial jurisdiction governed by a bishop in communion with the Roman Pontiff, serving as the fundamental unit of ecclesiastical governance for the pastoral care of the faithful.[36] Per Canon 369 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, it comprises "a portion of the people of God which is entrusted to a bishop for him to shepherd with the cooperation of the presbyterium," ensuring ordered administration of sacraments, teaching, and discipline within defined boundaries, subject to adjustments by the Holy See for pastoral needs.[36] This structure upholds canonical rigor, with the bishop exercising ordinary jurisdiction over clergy, religious, and laity, fostering unity and accountability in line with the Church's hierarchical constitution as derived from apostolic succession. Dogma. Dogma refers to a divinely revealed truth concerning faith or morals, solemnly defined by the Church's magisterium as infallibly certain, requiring the assent of faith from all Catholics under pain of heresy.[37] Such definitions occur through ecumenical councils or the Pope speaking ex cathedra, as in the 1950 apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus by Pius XII, which proclaimed the Assumption of Mary—her bodily assumption into heaven at life's end—as a dogma de fide, binding on the universal Church based on Scripture, Tradition, and theological consensus.[38] Dogmas embody deontological obligations of belief, impervious to revision, distinguishing Catholic teaching from probabilistic or evolving doctrines; rejection incurs anathema in conciliar definitions, preserving the deposit of faith against relativism. Divine Office. The Divine Office, formally the Liturgy of the Hours, comprises the official daily prayer of the Church, structured around psalms, hymns, readings, and intercessions to sanctify the course of the day in union with Christ's paschal mystery.[39] Canon 1174 mandates that clerics recite it according to approved liturgical books, with obligations scaled by office—full for bishops and priests, partial (e.g., Lauds and Vespers) for permanent deacons—while religious and laity are encouraged to participate.[40] Rooted in the Jewish prayer hours and apostolic practice, it enforces a rhythm of praise and supplication, aligning personal devotion with communal worship and underscoring the ethical duty of clerics to maintain this canonical discipline for spiritual governance.E
Terms Beginning with E
EucharistThe Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion, is the sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper, wherein bread and wine are transubstantiated into the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ, present truly, really, and substantially.[41] This doctrine was dogmatically defined at the Council of Trent in its thirteenth session on October 11, 1551, affirming that the whole Christ is contained under each species and every part, rejecting purely spiritual or symbolic interpretations.[42] The Eucharist serves as the source and summit of the Christian life, from which all ecclesial strength flows and to which all activity tends, as the liturgy pours forth grace upon the faithful.[43] Ex cathedra
Ex cathedra, Latin for "from the chair," refers to the solemn exercise of the papal office wherein the Roman Pontiff, as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the universal Church, invoking his supreme apostolic authority and protected from error by divine assistance.[7] This infallible teaching authority was dogmatically proclaimed in the First Vatican Council's constitution Pastor Aeternus on July 18, 1870, specifying conditions including intent to teach definitively as supreme pastor.[44] An example is Pope Pius IX's definition of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, 1854, in Ineffabilis Deus, declaring Mary's preservation from original sin from the first moment of her conception. Excommunication
Excommunication is a severe ecclesiastical penalty that excludes a baptized person from the liturgical rites and sacramental life of the Church, prohibiting participation in the Eucharist and other sacraments, while remaining a member of the Church but deprived of communion.[45] Codified in Canon 1331 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, it functions primarily as a medicinal sanction to prompt repentance and correction for grave offenses, such as heresy, schism, or profanation of the Eucharist, often incurred latae sententiae (automatically) for specified acts causing public scandal.[45] The penalty underscores the Church's commitment to doctrinal integrity and communal holiness, with absolution reserved to competent authority upon reconciliation.[45] Evangelization
Evangelization denotes the Church's mission to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations, fulfilling Christ's mandate in Mark 16:15 to "preach the gospel to the whole creation." Rooted in apostolic tradition, it involves initial proclamation of salvation through Christ, inviting conversion and baptism, distinct from but leading to catechesis. Pope Paul VI's apostolic exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi (December 8, 1975) emphasizes it as the Church's essential duty, transcending mere dialogue to bear witness to Christ's redemptive work amid modern secularism.[46] Eschatology
Eschatology, the theological study of the "last things," encompasses death, particular judgment, heaven, hell, purgatory, the resurrection of the body, and the final consummation of the world at Christ's second coming, affirming personal immortality and ultimate divine justice. Catholic doctrine holds that each soul faces immediate judgment post-death, with eternal union or separation from God, as previewed in Scripture and councils like Lyons II (1274), which defined the soul's persistence and punishment for unrepentant sin.
F
Terms Beginning with F
FastThe Catholic practice of fasting entails reducing food intake, typically one full meal and two smaller ones, on designated days to promote penance, self-denial, and union with Christ's suffering. Canon 1251 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law mandates abstinence from meat on all Fridays of the year unless a solemnity falls on that day, with both fasting and abstinence required on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday; Episcopal Conferences may adapt the form of abstinence locally.[47] This discipline mortifies the flesh, subduing bodily appetites to enhance prayer and spiritual focus, as rooted in scriptural calls to fasting in times of repentance (e.g., Joel 2:12). Feast
A feast in the Catholic liturgical calendar denotes a celebration of intermediate rank, below solemnities but above memorials, honoring saints, scriptural events, or doctrines through elevated Mass readings, prefaces, and Gloria recitation. Feasts integrate into the sanctoral cycle, elevating the temporal order by commemorating heavenly intercessors and mysteries like the Eucharist. The Solemnity of Corpus Christi exemplifies this, instituted by Pope Urban IV via the 1264 bull Transiturus de hoc mundo to affirm the Real Presence amid 13th-century Eucharistic devotion, typically observed on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday with processions in many traditions.[48] Filioque
The Filioque ("and [from] the Son") is the Latin clause inserted into the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed to specify the Holy Spirit's eternal procession from the Father and the Son, guarding against subordinationist errors. First professed in this form at the Third Council of Toledo in 589, convened under Visigothic King Reccared after his conversion from Arianism, it affirmed Trinitarian consubstantiality in Spain where Arian influences lingered.[49] Eastern Orthodox critiques, viewing the addition as unilateral and altering the original creed's pneumatology, arose later, though Catholic theology maintains its orthodoxy as compatible with patristic sources like Augustine's De Trinitate.[50] Filial Piety
Filial piety constitutes the virtue of honoring parents through respect, obedience, and gratitude for life, education, and sustenance, enshrined in the Fourth Commandment ("Honor your father and mother"). The Catechism of the Catholic Church (n. 2215) derives this duty from natural law and divine precept, extending to material and moral support in their need, while subordinating it to higher obligations like faith if conflicts arise. In moral theology, it fosters social order and counters individualism, paralleling ascetic practices like fasting by disciplining self-will toward familial and divine authority.
G
Terms Beginning with G
Grace (gratia in Latin) denotes the supernatural assistance freely bestowed by God upon humanity to enable salvation, holiness, and supernatural merit. Sanctifying grace constitutes a stable, habitual disposition infused into the soul by the Holy Spirit, perfecting it to dwell in divine friendship, act through God's love, and reciprocate that love, while healing the effects of sin. Actual grace, by contrast, comprises transient divine interventions that prompt specific good thoughts, desires, or actions without altering the soul's habitual state. The Second Council of Orange, convened in 529 under Pope Boniface II's approval, decreed that even initial faith requires prevenient grace, rejecting semi-Pelagian views that human initiative could precede divine aid; it affirmed grace's necessity for all merit, stating, "If anyone says that we obtain the glory of resurrection... by the power of nature and not by the grace of God... let him be anathema." This council's 25 canons integrated Augustinian insights on grace's primacy while preserving free will's cooperation, influencing subsequent theology against Pelagian errors that undervalued original sin's impact. Gregorian chant represents the monophonic, unaccompanied liturgical music proper to the Roman Rite, sung in Latin with modal scales, neumatic notation, and texts drawn from Scripture or patristic sources to elevate prayer and contemplation. Tradition credits its systematic form to Pope St. Gregory I (r. 590–604), who purportedly received melodic visions from the Holy Spirit via a dove or compiled disparate Gallican and Roman chants into a unified cantus planus during his pontificate, as recounted in medieval accounts like those by John the Deacon in 873. Evolving from early Christian synagogue influences and antiphonal psalmody, it emphasizes textual clarity and spiritual interiority over rhythmic complexity. The Second Vatican Council's Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963) declared it "specially suited to the Roman liturgy" and deserving "pride of place" in worship, other forms being equal, to foster active participation through its contemplative quality.[43] Guardian angel signifies the specific angel divinely appointed to accompany, protect, and enlighten each person from baptism or birth, interceding for their moral and spiritual welfare amid life's perils. Grounded in Matthew 18:10—"their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven"—this doctrine draws from Old Testament precedents like the angels aiding Lot (Genesis 19) or Tobias (Tobit 5–12), and patristic elaborations by figures such as St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, who in Summa Theologica (I, q. 113) described the angel's role in custody, governance, and illumination without usurping free will. The Church's Catechism implicitly upholds it through teachings on angelic ministry (CCC 336), while the Congregation for Divine Worship's Directory on Popular Piety (2001) consolidates it as ancient biblical-patristic wisdom, encouraging devotion like prayers for the angel's guidance without superstition. Popes, including St. Pius X and recent audiences by Pope Francis on October 2, 2014, have urged attentiveness to this "doctrine on the angels" as non-imaginative reality for daily protection.[51][52]H
Terms Beginning with H
Heresy is defined in the Code of Canon Law as "the obstinate denial or obstinate doubt after the reception of baptism of some truth which is to be believed by divine and Catholic faith."[53] This post-baptismal obstinacy distinguishes heresy from mere error or ignorance, requiring deliberate rejection of defined doctrine after sufficient enlightenment.[54] The Church views heresy as a grave rupture in unity, automatically incurring excommunication under canon 1364 §1 for those who publicly maintain it.[55] A historical exemplar is Arianism, which posited that Christ was created by the Father and thus not consubstantial, thereby denying His eternal divinity; it was formally condemned by over 300 bishops at the First Council of Nicaea on July 25, 325 AD, through the Nicene Creed affirming homoousios (same substance).[56] Despite imperial favor under emperors like Constantius II, Arianism's refutation preserved the Church's Trinitarian orthodoxy, illustrating how heresy disrupts the hierarchical transmission of apostolic faith from Christ as Head.[56] Holy Orders constitutes the sacrament by which the Church's apostolic ministry is perpetuated, configuring the recipient indelibly to Christ the Head and Shepherd through three degrees: episcopate (bishops), presbyterate (priests), and diaconate (deacons). Promulgated in the Second Vatican Council's Lumen Gentium (promulgated December 4, 1963, effective 1964), it emphasizes bishops' fullness of orders, derived from apostolic succession via laying on of hands and prayer, enabling governance, sanctification, and teaching in ordered communion with the Pope.[12] Reserved to baptized males, this sacrament establishes the hierarchical structure essential for sacramental efficacy and doctrinal fidelity, countering deviations that undermine priestly mediation. Holy See denotes the supreme juridical authority of the Roman Pontiff and the central bodies aiding his universal governance, including the Roman Curia, distinct from Vatican City State yet exercising sovereignty therein. The Lateran Treaty, signed February 11, 1929, between Italy and the Holy See under Pope Pius XI and Benito Mussolini, resolved the "Roman Question" by recognizing the Holy See's independence, establishing Vatican City's 44-hectare territory, and affirming the Pope's extraterritorial rights over key Roman basilicas and properties. This accord, ratified June 7, 1929, ensures the Holy See's freedom from secular interference, safeguarding hierarchical unity against nationalistic encroachments that historically fragmented Church authority.I
Terms Beginning with I
Immaculate ConceptionThe Immaculate Conception refers to the Catholic dogma that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was conceived without original sin, preserved by a singular grace from God in anticipation of her role as the Mother of the Redeemer. This preservation occurred at the first moment of her conception, freeing her from the stain of original sin while subjecting her to the general law of human generation.[57] The doctrine emphasizes that this privilege was granted through the merits of Christ, not as a result of her own merits, and it underscores Mary's unique sanctity as fitting for her divine motherhood. Pope Pius IX defined this dogma ex cathedra in the apostolic constitution Ineffabilis Deus on December 8, 1854, stating that the Blessed Virgin Mary "by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved immaculate from all stain of original sin."[57] This definition was based on Scripture, Tradition, and the ordinary magisterium, including liturgical feasts dating back to the 7th century in the East and widespread belief among theologians, despite earlier debates resolved in favor of the doctrine.[58] Indulgence
An indulgence is the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due to sin, granted by the Church from the treasury of merits accumulated by Christ and the saints, applicable to souls in purgatory or the living faithful who perform prescribed good works with proper disposition. This remission presupposes sacramental absolution, which forgives guilt and eternal punishment, but addresses the lingering effects of sin requiring satisfaction.[59] The practice derives from the Church's power to bind and loose, exercised through keys given to Peter (Mt 16:19), and involves conditions such as detachment from sin, confession, Holy Communion, and prayers for the Pope's intentions.[59] The Council of Trent, in its twenty-fifth session on December 4, 1563, upheld the efficacy of indulgences against Protestant critiques, affirming they encourage works of piety, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, while condemning abuses like the sale of indulgences that had occurred prior to the Reformation.[60] Trent specified that indulgences draw value from Christ's satisfaction and the superabundant merits of the saints, forming the Church's spiritual treasury, and mandated episcopal oversight to prevent exploitation.[60] Pope Paul VI's Indulgentiarum Doctrina (1967) reformed the granting of indulgences, emphasizing personal conversion over mechanical acts and classifying them as partial or plenary based on the recipient's charity.[59] Infallibility
Infallibility in Catholic doctrine denotes the charism by which the Church's magisterium, under specific conditions, is preserved from error in defining doctrines of faith and morals, ensuring the faithful's adherence to revealed truth. This gift extends to the universal Church, ecumenical councils, and the Roman Pontiff speaking ex cathedra.[61] Papal infallibility, as defined by the First Vatican Council in the constitution Pastor Aeternus on July 18, 1870, applies when the Pope, as supreme pastor, defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the universal Church, invoking his apostolic authority in union with the college of bishops dispersed worldwide.[61] The conditions require explicit intent to teach definitively, not mere theological opinion or prudential judgment, and the definitions are irreformable by their own nature, rooted in divine assistance promised by Christ (Jn 16:13; Lk 22:32).[62] Ecclesiastical infallibility operates in ecumenical councils when, in union with the Pope, they solemnly define doctrines, as seen in councils like Trent and Vatican I, guarding against heresy while allowing development in understanding.[61] This charism does not imply impeccability or universal knowledge but targeted protection for salvation-essential truths, with historical instances including the definitions of the Immaculate Conception (1854) and Assumption (1950).[62]
J
Terms Beginning with J
JubileeThe Jubilee, or Holy Year, in the Catholic Church is a designated period of grace marked by the remission of sins through plenary indulgences, pilgrimages to Rome, and acts of mercy, drawing from the biblical Jubilee in Leviticus 25, which mandated every 50th year as a time of liberation, debt forgiveness, and restoration of land to original owners.[63] The first Christian Jubilee was proclaimed by Pope Boniface VIII in 1300 via the bull Antiquo rerum fide, initially set for every 100 years but later adjusted to 50, then 33, and ordinarily every 25 years since 1470 to facilitate broader participation.[63] These years emphasize reconciliation between God and humanity, exemplified by the opening of the Holy Doors in major Roman basilicas, symbolizing passage from sin to grace, as extended in papal bulls of indiction like Pope Francis's Spes non confundit for the 2025 Jubilee.[64] Judgment, particular
The particular judgment occurs immediately after death, when each person's soul receives its eternal destiny—heaven, purgatory, or hell—based on the life lived in relation to Christ, as stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1021-1022), which references Hebrews 9:27: "It is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment." This judgment assesses the state of the soul at death, determining initial retribution without awaiting the body's resurrection, distinct from the final judgment.[39] Judgment, general (or last)
The general judgment, also called the Last Judgment, takes place at the end of time following the resurrection of the dead, when Christ returns to judge all humanity publicly, revealing the full consequences of each person's actions and vindicating divine justice over earthly injustices, per CCC 1038-1041. Drawing from Revelation 20:11-15, it confirms the particular judgments, assigns final states to body and soul united, and manifests God's love triumphing through Christ's mercy intertwined with justice. This event underscores the Church's eschatological hope, where hidden deeds are exposed, and the righteous enter eternal glory.
L
Terms Beginning with L
Laity designates the non-ordained members of the Christian faithful who, by baptism, share in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly mission of Christ within the Church and the world. The Decree Apostolicam Actuositatem, promulgated by the Second Vatican Council on November 18, 1965, defines the laity's apostolate as participation in the Church's salvific mission through secular activities, such as family, work, and social engagement, while maintaining submission to ecclesiastical authority and the hierarchy's guidance to ensure unity and doctrinal fidelity.[65] This apostolate involves evangelization and sanctification in temporal affairs, distinct from the ordained ministry, with the laity called to infuse worldly structures with Gospel values without usurping clerical roles.[65] Canon Law comprises the codified norms enacted by the Church's legislative authority to regulate the governance, sacraments, rights, and obligations of the faithful. The 1983 Code of Canon Law, promulgated by Pope John Paul II on January 25, 1983, serves as the universal law for the Latin Church, providing juridical structure derived from divine law, natural law, and ecclesiastical tradition to foster the Christian life and protect ecclesiastical communion.[66] It addresses matters such as clerical discipline, matrimonial consent, and penal sanctions, emphasizing the supremacy of divine revelation over positive law and requiring interpretation in light of Scripture and Tradition.[3] Unlike civil law, canon law binds in conscience and aims at spiritual ends, with the Roman Pontiff holding supreme legislative power.[66] Last Things (Latin: novissima) denote the four ultimate realities of human destiny—death, particular judgment, heaven or hell (with purgatory for the elect), and the general judgment at Christ's second coming—as outlined in Catholic eschatology. The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2005) lists them as death, judgment, hell, and heaven, underscoring death as the separation of soul from body due to original sin, followed immediately by particular judgment determining eternal union with or separation from God.[39] Heaven entails the beatific vision of the Trinity for the purified; hell, eternal punishment for unrepented mortal sin; and the last judgment reveals God's justice publicly, confirming individual verdicts while resurrecting bodies for glorified or tormented states.[1] These doctrines, rooted in Scripture (e.g., Hebrews 9:27 on judgment after death) and councils like Lyons II (1274), compel moral vigilance without speculative excess.[1] Limbo refers to a historical theological opinion hypothesizing a posthumous state of natural happiness for unbaptized infants dying without actual sin, excluding them from the supernatural beatific vision due to original sin's privation of sanctifying grace. Never defined as dogma, limbo emerged in medieval theology (e.g., via St. Thomas Aquinas) as compatible with the necessity of baptism for salvation (Council of Trent, 1547), but the International Theological Commission's 2007 document, The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptised—approved by Pope Benedict XVI—rejects it as overly restrictive, affirming God's merciful desire for all to be saved and entrusting such souls to divine equity, possibly through baptism of desire or unforeseen graces, while upholding original sin's reality and baptism's ordinary necessity.[67] This position avoids universalism, preserving free will's role in rejecting grace, and prioritizes hope over definitive exclusion without contradicting defined faith.[67] Liturgy constitutes the Church's official, public cultus—the participation of the faithful in Christ's redemptive sacrifice through structured rites, prayers, and sacraments ordered to God's glory and human sanctification. The Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, promulgated by the Second Vatican Council on December 4, 1963, describes liturgy as the summit and source of ecclesial life, vertically oriented toward adoring the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit, with the assembly acting as Christ's body but not as the primary actor or end in itself.[43] Reforms emphasize active, conscious participation by the laity under priestly presidency, restoration of ancient traditions, and vernacular elements where pastorally beneficial, while safeguarding sacredness, universality, and objective transcendence over subjective communal experience.[43] The Mass, as liturgy's center, re-presents Calvary objectively, demanding reverence and doctrinal purity to avoid anthropocentric dilutions.[43]M
Terms Beginning with M
Magisterium. The Magisterium constitutes the Church's authentic teaching authority, exercised by the Pope and bishops in communion with him, to interpret and transmit divine revelation through Scripture and Tradition.[68] This authority operates in ordinary form via consistent doctrinal pronouncements and in extraordinary form through ecumenical councils or ex cathedra papal definitions, ensuring fidelity to revealed truth without alteration. The Second Vatican Council's Dei Verbum (November 18, 1965) affirms the Magisterium's role in safeguarding the deposit of faith, distinguishing it from private theological opinions.[68] Mariology. Mariology encompasses the theological study of the Virgin Mary, focusing on doctrines defined by the Church's Magisterium regarding her role in salvation history. Central is the title Theotokos (God-bearer), proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus on June 22, 431, affirming Mary's motherhood of the divine Word incarnate against Nestorian separation of natures. Other dogmas include her Immaculate Conception (ineffable privilege from original sin, defined December 8, 1854, by Pope Pius IX) and Assumption (bodily into heaven, defined November 1, 1950, by Pope Pius XII), rooted in Scripture (e.g., Luke 1:28, Revelation 12:1) and Tradition without implying co-redemption or mediation equaling Christ's unique role.[38] These teachings counter excesses like equating Mary with divinity, emphasizing her as exemplar of faith and intercessor subordinate to the Trinity. Matrimony. In Catholic doctrine, matrimony is the sacrament elevating the natural marriage contract between one man and one woman to a supernatural bond conferring grace for mutual sanctification and fulfillment of divine ends. Canon 1055 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law states it is ordered by its nature toward the spouses' good and procreation/education of children, with indissolubility mirroring Christ's fidelity (Mark 10:9).[69] Unlike civil unions, sacramental matrimony among baptized persons admits no dissolution except by death (Canon 1141), rejecting divorce or remarriage as adulterous absent proven nullity via ecclesiastical declaration of invalidity from outset (e.g., lack of consent, impediments).[69] The Catechism (§§1601–1666) underscores its public, ecclesial character, prohibiting contraception as obstructing procreative purpose (Humanae Vitae, July 25, 1968).N
Terms Beginning with N
NovenaA novena is a traditional Catholic devotional practice consisting of nine consecutive days or weeks of private or public prayer, often invoking specific graces or intercession from God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, or saints.[51] This form originates from the nine days the Apostles and Mary spent in continuous prayer in the upper room after Christ's Ascension and before Pentecost, as described in Acts 1:13-14, awaiting the [Holy Spirit](/page/Holy Spirit). Novenas may incorporate Psalms, litanies, or Scripture readings, with examples including the Christmas novena to prepare for the Nativity or those dedicated to saints like St. Jude for desperate causes; their efficacy relies on persistent faith rather than the duration itself, aligning with Christ's teaching on persevering prayer in Luke 18:1-8.[51] Apostolic nuncio
An apostolic nuncio serves as the permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a nation or international organization, holding the rank of ambassador and facilitating relations between the Vatican and civil authorities.[25] According to Canon 364 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, the nuncio's primary duty is to strengthen unity between the Apostolic See and local Churches while acting in the Pope's name to advance pastoral objectives effectively.[25] Appointed by the Pope, nuncios also assist in bishop selections by gathering information on candidates (Canon 377 §3) and enjoy diplomatic immunity under international law, with the first modern nunciatures established in the 16th century to counter Reformation challenges.[25] Their role emphasizes the Church's spiritual mission over political power, distinct from pronuncios or delegates who lack full ambassadorial status. Natural law
In Catholic teaching, natural law refers to the moral law inscribed by God in human nature, accessible through reason, enabling discernment of good from evil independent of divine revelation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1954) describes it as the original moral sense that expresses humanity's rational participation in eternal law, rooted in Scripture such as Romans 2:14-15, where Gentiles "do by nature things required by the law" because it is "written on their hearts." St. Thomas Aquinas systematized this in the Summa Theologica (I-II, q. 91, a. 2), positing natural law as universal precepts like "do good and avoid evil," derived from human inclinations toward self-preservation, procreation, and truth-seeking, which reason applies to specific acts. It serves as the foundation for positive divine law and human legislation, immutable across cultures (CCC 1958), though obscured by sin and requiring grace for full adherence.
O
Terms Beginning with O
Holy Orders is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his Apostles is exercised in the Church by bishops, priests, and deacons. This sacrament configures the recipient to Christ by a special grace of the Holy Spirit, enabling service as an instrument for the Church through the essential rite of laying on of hands and prayer of consecration. It comprises three degrees—episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate—each conferring distinct participation in Christ's priesthood, with the episcopate holding the fullness of the sacrament. Ordinary, in canon law, designates those who possess power of governance by the law itself, including the Roman Pontiff, diocesan bishops, and others such as vicars general or apostolic administrators, even if temporarily.[70] This ordinary jurisdiction is proper, vicarious, and personal, exercised for the good of the Christian faithful in a stable manner, distinct from delegated power which requires specific grant.[70] The local ordinary, typically the diocesan bishop, holds authority over the territory of the diocese, ensuring pastoral governance unless restricted by law.[70] Original sin refers to the first sin committed by Adam and Eve, which transmitted to all humanity a state of deprivation of original holiness and justice, along with a propensity to sin.[67] The Council of Carthage in 418 explicitly condemned Pelagianism by affirming that infants contract original sin from Adam, rejecting claims of their innate sinlessness and underscoring the need for baptism to remit this inherited fault.[67] This doctrine, rooted in Scripture (e.g., Romans 5:12), establishes the ontological reality of human nature's fallen condition, necessitating divine redemption through Christ for restoration to grace.[71] Baptism effects the forgiveness of original sin by incorporating the baptized into Christ's death and resurrection, though the inclination to sin (concupiscence) persists.[71]P
Terms Beginning with P
Penance
The sacrament of penance, also known as reconciliation or confession, is one of the seven sacraments instituted by Christ for the forgiveness of sins committed after baptism.[72] It involves contrition, confession to a priest, absolution, and satisfaction to repair the harm caused by sin.[72] Christ conferred this authority on the apostles, stating, "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained," as recorded in John 20:23.[72] The sacrament requires the penitent to perform acts of repentance, including examination of conscience, sorrow for sin, and amendment of life, followed by the priest's absolution.[73] Satisfaction, such as prayer, fasting, or almsgiving, addresses the temporal punishment due to sin, distinguishing it from eternal punishment remitted by absolution.[72]Pope
The pope is the Bishop of Rome and successor of Saint Peter, serving as the Vicar of Christ and visible head of the Catholic Church on earth. This role derives from Christ's words to Peter in Matthew 16:18: "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church." The pope exercises universal jurisdiction over the Church, as affirmed in the papal bull Unam Sanctam issued by Boniface VIII on November 18, 1302, which declares that submission to the Roman pontiff is necessary for salvation and that both spiritual and temporal powers are under the pope's authority for the sake of the Church's unity.[74] He possesses full, supreme, and universal power, which he exercises in person or through delegates, ensuring the unity and teaching authority of the bishops and faithful. The office ensures the perpetuity of Peter's primacy, with the pope infallible when defining doctrines of faith and morals ex cathedra.Priest
A priest in the Catholic Church is ordained through the sacrament of holy orders to the ministerial priesthood, configured to Christ the High Priest to offer sacrifice and sanctify the faithful.[75] The Council of Trent, in its Twenty-Third Session on July 15, 1563, defined that sacred orders imprint an indelible character, conferring the Holy Spirit for the priestly functions of teaching, sanctifying, and governing.[76] Priests act in persona Christi during the Eucharist, celebrating Mass as a propitiatory sacrifice for the living and dead, and administering other sacraments.[75] This differs from the common priesthood of the baptized, which participates in Christ's priesthood through faith, hope, charity, and witness, but lacks the ministerial power to confect the Eucharist or forgive sins sacramentally.[75] Ordination requires celibacy in the Latin Rite for diocesan priests, emphasizing total dedication to the Church.[76]Purgatory
Purgatory is the state of final purification after death for those who die in God's grace and friendship but are still imperfectly purified, achieving the holiness necessary to enter heaven.[77] This doctrine draws from scriptural support, including 2 Maccabees 12:46, which describes prayers and sacrifices for the dead to loosen them from sin.[77] Pope Benedict XII's constitution Benedictus Deus, issued on January 29, 1336, teaches that souls undergoing temporal punishment for venial sins or remitted mortal sins are cleansed after death, after which they behold the divine essence immediately upon entering heaven.[78] Purgatory differs from hell's eternal punishment, involving purifying suffering rather than damnation, and is distinct from heaven's immediate beatific vision.[77] The Church encourages prayers, Masses, and indulgences for the souls in purgatory to aid their purification.[77]Q
Terms Beginning with Q
Quarant'ore The Quarant'ore, also known as the Forty Hours' Devotion, is a Catholic Eucharistic devotion consisting of continuous prayer, adoration, and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for forty consecutive hours, typically involving relays of the faithful to maintain vigilance.[79] This practice commemorates the approximately forty hours during which Christ's body lay in the tomb from his death on Good Friday to his resurrection on Easter Sunday, drawing on biblical numerology where forty signifies periods of trial, preparation, or divine testing, as in the Israelites' forty years in the desert or Christ's forty days of fasting.[80] The devotion includes solemn exposition of the Eucharist in a monstrance, Masses at the beginning and end, processions, litanies, and acts of reparation, often invoked for protection against calamities like plague or war.[81] Its origins trace to Milan in 1527, during the aftermath of the Sack of Rome (1527) and regional plagues, when it emerged as an exceptional supplicatory rite rather than a fixed liturgy; the precise initiator remains obscure, though early instances involved Dominican or proto-Capuchin friars responding to civic crises with intensified adoration.[79] [81] The practice spread rapidly through Italy via the Capuchin order, founded in 1525, and received formal promotion under St. Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, who in 1577 integrated it into diocesan life following the Council of Trent's emphasis on Eucharistic devotion.[82] St. Philip Neri further popularized it in Rome from the 1550s, establishing perpetual adoration cycles among Oratorians.[83] By 1592, Pope Gregory XIV mandated its observance in Roman churches during carnival season to counter moral laxity, evolving into a rhythmic, city-wide rotation that persists in places like Rome.[81] The rite underscores the Real Presence doctrine, affirmed at Trent (1551), prioritizing empirical liturgical continuity over speculative innovations.[82] Quadragesima Quadragesima, from the Latin quadraginta meaning "forty," denotes the forty-day Lenten season of fasting, penance, and preparation for Easter, excluding Sundays, originating in early Church practices modeled on Christ's forty-day fast in the wilderness (Matthew 4:2).[84] The term also refers specifically to the First Sunday of Lent, marking the season's onset with violet vestments, the Gloria omitted, and readings focused on temptation and repentance.[84] This quantitative structure reflects patristic computations aligning roughly forty weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday, as codified in the Roman Missal, emphasizing ascetic discipline over symbolic abstraction.R
Terms Beginning with R
RedemptionIn Catholic doctrine, redemption denotes the salvific work of Jesus Christ, who, as the incarnate Son of God, offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to atone for humanity's sin, thereby reconciling the world to God the Father. This act addresses the infinite offense against divine justice caused by sin, with Christ's obedience and passion providing superabundant satisfaction. St. Anselm of Canterbury systematized this understanding in Cur Deus Homo (completed around 1098), arguing that only God-man could render the required satisfaction due to the dual nature of the debt—finite in human offense but infinite in offense against God—and Christ's voluntary death as both victim and priest.[85] The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms that Christ "came to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mt 20:28), purchasing humanity's freedom from sin's slavery through his blood, extended via the sacraments. Relic
A relic in the Catholic Church is the physical remains of a saint, martyr, or blessed, or an object intimately associated with them, such as clothing or instruments of their martyrdom, venerated as a memorial of their union with Christ and as a channel of divine grace. Veneration (dulia) honors the saint through the relic, distinct from worship (latria) reserved for God alone, with the practice rooted in Scripture (e.g., 2 Kgs 13:21; Acts 19:12) and early Church tradition. The Council of Trent's Twenty-Fifth Session (December 3-4, 1563) upheld relic veneration while mandating the removal of superstitions and profiteering, declaring that "the bodies of the martyrs and other saints... should be held in veneration" for their role in invoking God's aid, provided authenticity is ensured through ecclesiastical approval.[86] Requiem
Requiem, derived from the Latin introit "Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine" ("Grant them eternal rest, O Lord"), designates the traditional Mass for the Dead in the Catholic liturgy, offered to pray for the souls in purgatory and commend the deceased to God's mercy. It features distinctive elements like black vestments (pre-1970 Roman Rite), the absence of the Gloria, and the sequence Dies Irae, a 13th-century hymn attributed to Thomas of Celano depicting the Last Judgment's terror and Christ's redemptive plea: "Dies irae, dies illa / Solvet saeclum in favilla" ("Day of wrath, that day / Shall dissolve the world in ashes"). The Dies Irae underscores eschatological judgment and intercession, retained in the 1962 Missal for requiems though optional post-Vatican II, emphasizing the Church's belief in praying for the dead (2 Macc 12:46). Rosary
The Rosary is a devotional prayer in the Catholic Church consisting of meditative recitation of the Hail Mary, Our Father, and Glory Be, structured around 15 or 20 decades grouped into sets of mysteries—Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous (added by Pope John Paul II in 2002)—contemplating events in Christ's and Mary's lives. Tradition attributes its origin to St. Dominic around 1214, who received it from the Virgin Mary in a vision at Prouille, France, as a spiritual weapon against the Albigensian heresy, promoting its use for conversion and meditation on Scripture.[87] Though historical development involved earlier prayer beads and contributions from figures like Alan de la Roche (d. 1475), the Dominican order propagated the full form, with popes like Leo XIII (13 encyclicals, 1883-1903) affirming it as a compendium of the Gospel and remedy for sin.[88]
S
Terms Beginning with S
SacramentIn Catholic doctrine, a sacrament is an efficacious sign of grace, instituted by Jesus Christ and entrusted to the Church, through which divine life is dispensed.[89] The Council of Trent's Seventh Session, held on March 3, 1547, defined the seven sacraments as Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction (now Anointing of the Sick), Holy Orders, and Matrimony, affirming they were all instituted by Christ and numbering precisely seven.[90] These sacraments operate ex opere operato, meaning they confer grace by the valid performance of the rite itself, independent of the personal holiness of the minister, provided no obstacle is placed by the recipient.[91] Saint
A saint in the Catholic Church is a deceased member of the faithful who, after a rigorous process of investigation, has been canonized by the Pope as enjoying definitive beatitude in heaven and worthy of public veneration and invocation as an intercessor. Canon 1401 of the Code of Canon Law reserves the adjudication of canonization causes exclusively to the Church under special pontifical law, emphasizing the Roman Pontiff's authority in declaring saints.[92] Canonization requires evidence of heroic virtue, miracles attributed to intercession, and martyrdom in some cases, serving to propose models of Christian life and foster devotion without implying worship due to God alone. Schism
Schism constitutes the refusal of submission to the Supreme Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him, as defined in Canon 751 of the Code of Canon Law.[53] This grave offense disrupts ecclesiastical unity, distinct from heresy (obstinate denial of truth) or apostasy (total repudiation of faith), though often overlapping in historical instances.[93] A prominent example is the Great Schism of 1054, when mutual excommunications between Cardinal Humbert of Silva Candida and Patriarch Michael I Cerularius formalized the separation between the Latin West and Greek East, exacerbated by disputes over papal primacy, the Filioque clause, and liturgical practices, leading to the enduring divide between the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches.[94][95] Synodality
Synodality refers to the Church's practice of journeying together in discernment, listening, and decision-making under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, involving the whole people of God at local, regional, and universal levels.[96] The Synod on Synodality, convened by Pope Francis from 2021 to 2024, comprised three phases: consultation of the faithful (2021-2022), discernment by bishops (2023 assembly), and implementation (post-2024), culminating in a final document approved on October 26, 2024, emphasizing co-responsibility without altering doctrine.[97] Critics, including some theologians, argue it risks elevating collegiality to undermine papal primacy, potentially introducing democratic elements foreign to traditional ecclesiology, though proponents maintain it complements rather than challenges the Petrine office.[98][99]
