C
- Canonization
- The process by which a person is declared a saint by the Church. Typically, this takes many years.
- Church Fathers
- The Church Fathers (or Fathers of the Church) were writers and theologians who defended, explained, and clarified doctrines, especially in the first five centuries of Christianity.
- Corpus Christi
- Latin for “Body of Christ,” Corpus Christi is a feast celebrated to honor the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist
D
- Desert Fathers
- Early Christian hermits who lived mainly in the Egyptian Desert and laid the foundation for monasticism
- Devotional
- A short, structured prayer guide on a specific topic
- Diocese
- A district which is administered by a bishop
E
- Ecumenical
- Of or relating to ecumenism, that is the unity of all Christian churches.
- Eucharist
- The word Eucharist comes from the Greek eucharistia, meaning “thanksgiving.” Jesus Himself instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist at the Last Supper with His disciples (Matt. 26:26–28).
It is defined by The Catholic Encyclopedia as “the Real Presence of God, Jesus Christ, body and blood, under the appearances of bread and wine.” This belief is grounded in Jesus’ words in the John 6 discourse.
In a key passage, we see that some of His followers are ready to leave Him because of His insistence that He is actual Bread of Life that must be eaten. Instead of stating that He is referring to a symbolic partaking of His Flesh and Blood, Jesus re-emphasizes the literal meaning of His words, saying, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.” (John 6:53, NABRE)
No wonder then that the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to the Eucharist as “the source and summit of Christian Life” (CC 1324).
H
- Holy Communion
- The act of receiving the Sacrament of the Eucharist
- Holy Tradition
- Tradition when spelled with a capital T and used in the context of Holy Tradition or Scripture and Tradition in the Church (CCC §§80-83), refers to the handing down of the teachings of Christ by the Apostles to their successors and passed down through the generations to this present day. Along with Scripture, it is one of the pillars of the Church. Early Christians had no written Word (Scripture) but only Tradition to rely on. Thus, Tradition precedes Scripture, and together Scripture and Tradition form the basis of the Catholic faith.
L
- Latin Vulgate
- Same as Vulgate.
The 4th-century Latin translation of the Bible, prepared chiefly by St. Jerome, from ancient Greek manuscripts, original Hebrew and Aramaic texts, and existing Latin translations. This was the official Latin Bible of the Catholic Church until 1979.
The term vulgate is derived from the Latin versio vulgata, which means “the version commonly used.” (Latin was the common language at the time.)
- Lectio Divina
- Latin for “divine reading,” it is a prayerful and slow reading of Scripture, with the goal of entering into deeper communion with God. Learn how to grow in faith with Lectio Divina.
N
- Novena
- Stemming from the Latin “novem,” meaning nine, a novena is a series of prayers that are prayed over nine consecutive days. It is often dedicated to a saint or offered for a specific intention.
P
- Parish
- A parish is a smaller unit or subdivision of a diocese, which has its own local church. Priests are appointed by the bishop of the diocese to serve the people of a parish.
- Parish Priest
- In Catholic usage, a parish priest (also called pastor) is the priest appointed by the bishop of the diocese to lead and attend to the pastoral and administrative needs of the people of a specific parish.
- Patron Saint
- A patron saint is a saint who is considered a special intercessor in a specific area of life or for a particular place. Some saints are patrons of specific places (country, city, region). Many saints are patrons or special advocates for professions, sports, physical or mental ailments, causes, crafts, or even states of life. A patron saint is often associated with the work they did while on earth. For example, St. Matthew the Apostle is the patron saint of accountants, Sts. Louis and Zelie are patron saints of marriage and parenting, while St. Ignatius of Loyola is the patron of soldiers and educators.
T
- Tradition
- Tradition when spelled with a capital T and used in the context of Holy Tradition or Scripture and Tradition in the Church (CCC §§80-83), refers to the handing down of the teachings of Christ by the Apostles to their successors and passed down through the generations to this present day. Along with Scripture, it is one of the pillars of the Church. Early Christians had no written Word (Scripture) but only Tradition to rely on. Thus, Tradition precedes Scripture, and together Scripture and Tradition form the basis of the Catholic faith.
V
- Vatican II
- The Second Vatican Council or Vatican II, was the twenty-first ecumenical council of the Catholic Church, convened between 1962 and 1965. It significantly transformed liturgy and thought, and brought about increased lay involvement and engagement with contemporary world issues.
- Vulgate
- Same as Latin Vulgate.
The term Vulgate is used to describe the 4th-century Latin translation of the Bible, prepared chiefly by St. Jerome, from ancient Greek manuscripts, original Hebrew and Aramaic texts, and existing Latin translations. This was the official Latin Bible of the Catholic Church until 1979.
The term comes from the Latin versio vulgata, which means “the version commonly used.” (Latin was the common language at the time.)