This is Our Faith

Vocabulary On Being Catholic

Monstrance -The sacred vessel used for exposing the Blessed Sacrament for veneration as during Eucharistic Devotions. It has a wide base and a glass enclosure through which the Sacred Host may be viewed. The enclosure is usually framed with ornamental "rays" of silver or gold. 

 Relics - A relic is an object kept and reverenced as a memorial of a holy person. Relics include the bodily remains of such persons (i.e.bones, teeth), objects that once belonged to them or which they touched (clothing). Speculation is that such veneration may have started when early Christians celebrated Eucharist on the tombs of martyrs. Early Christians believed that martyrs were especially blessed by God because they had imitated Jesus even to the point of dying to defend the faith. Catholics should avoid abuses of relics such as having superstitions and attributing magical powers toward relics. A relic must be certified as authentic by the Church and the buying and selling of relics is forbidden. The Church reminds us that though we may honor relics as a reminder of the lives of our great saints, we only worship God.


Sabbath - From the Hebrew word for "cease, stop". It refers to the seventh day of the week (Saturday) as a day of rest and religious observance by Jews. According to Genesis, a Sabbath day is part of God's creation structure. This term
also applied to the Christian observance of the first day of the week (Sunday) as the memorial of Jesus' resurrection and it likely was originally a day of worship. From the fourth century on, Church leaders often referred to the Sabbath also
as a day of rest.

Sign of the Cross - A ritual gesture in the form of a cross by which a person confesses faith in the paschal mystery and the Holy Trinity.  In the Roman Rite, a person touches the fingers of the right hand to the forehead, below the breast, the left shoulder and then the right shoulder while saying, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." It is used in sacramental rites, to begin and end prayers and to bless people and objects. The practice can be traced back to the third century when one of the early church theologians and writers, Tertullian, reported its use as a personal gesture of piety to sanctify the actions of daily life.

Aggiornamento - Italian: Updating. This term was commonly used among Catholics because of its use by Pope John XXIII in connection with his belief in the need for reform in the Church. It became a term used and accepted by the
majority of bishops at Vatican II which he summoned. It can be used either in the meaning of an internal spiritual
renewal or an external adaptation of the Church's laws and institutions to the needs of the times.

Thurible  - (Greek, thuos, burned offering): The metal vessel used for the ceremonial burning of incense at liturgical services. It is suspended on a chain or chains which allows it to be swung during incensations at Mass, at the Liturgy of the Hours, or at Benediction. 

Stole - A liturgical vestment made of a long strip of cloth several inches wide. It is worn by deacons, priests and bishops. A deacon wears it over his left shoulder while a priest or bishop wears it around his neck allowing it to hang straight down in the front and under his chasuble. It is worn at Mass, while administering the other sacraments, and when preaching. Its color corresponds with the liturgical color of the day or season.

Advent - (Latin: adventus, an arrival) This is the four week liturgical season in which the Church prepares to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and remind us of the second coming. Readings emphasize both penitence and the joyful expectation of the arrival of our Savior. Readings may be centered around the messianic prophecies of Isaiah and John the Baptist while gospel passages may depict Jesus as the fulfillment of those prophecies. The role of the Blessed Mother is also noted in liturgy. Violet vestments are worn by the clergy to remind us of repentance and preparation. The observance of a preparatory season prior to the celebration of Jesus' birth dates back to the fourth century.

Sub Tuum - This ancient prayer is translated thus: We fly to thy patronage, O holy mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities; but deliver us from all danger, O ever glorious and blessed Virgin. For centuries it was considered a medieval prayer, but the publication in 1938 of a fragment of papyrus purchased in 1917 by the John Ryland Library in Manchester, England, led scholars to identify it as a third century composition. This is the first known prayer to Mary which expresses belief in her intercession. Consequently it is reasonable to assume that belief in Mary's intercessory power was part of an older tradition. (M. Glazier, Modern Catholic Encyclopedia)

Canticle of Zechariah  - In Latin this prayer is known as Benedictus, or "Blessed" which is the first word of the prayer. It
is attributed to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist in Luke 1: 68-79. It celebrates the birth of Jesus as savior and fulfillment of promises made in the Old Testament. It is prayed in the Liturgy of the Hours Morning Prayer.

Magnificat - Latin - magnifies. The hymn attributed to Mary in Luke 1: 46-55 as the Canticle of Mary. In it Mary rejoices that she is to be the mother of Jesus and interprets his conception as an instance of how God raises up the lowly and favors Israel.

Sacramentary - A liturgical book comprised of the prayers and directives for Mass, and various sacramental formulas. It does not include the Scripture readings for the Mass, which are collected in the Lectionary.

Miter - From the Greek word "mitra", meaning turban. It is the liturgical "hat" or headdress worn by bishops, abbots, cardinals, and the pope. It is shaped like a shield, has two lappets hanging down from the back of it, and is usually made of linen or silk. There are three types of miters, each worn according to the liturgical season or occasion. The simple miter is always white and is worn when the prelate is presiding at a funeral, during Lent, and on Good Friday. The miter is believed to be derived from the headdress of the high priest of the Temple in Jerusalem and influenced also by those worn by high ranking officials of the Roman Empire.

Holy Sepulcher - The name given both to the tomb in which Jesus was buried and the church which stands on the
traditional site of his death, burial, and resurrection. The church is in the northwest section of the Old City of Jerusalem. Since it was first built and completed in 336 by the Roman Emperor, Constantine I, it was burnt to the ground by the Persians in 614, rebuilt through the efforts of an abbot named Modestus, destroyed again in the eleventh century by the
Muslim caliph Hakim, then rebuilt by the Crusaders around 1130, partially destroyed by fire in 1808, and then rebuilt two years later. The last, rebuilt church is essentially what is in place today. The site and church are shared by the Armenian, Coptic, Greek Orthodox, and Roman Catholic Churches. It is one of the most sacred places in Christendom and plays a significant role in the Christian presence in Palestine.

Alpha and Omega - The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. In the Book of Revelation, 1:8 and 22:13, Jesus identifies himself as "the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, who is, who was, and who is to come." These letters are frequently used in decorating altars and churches. They are carved into the paschal candle in the iturgical ceremonies of the Easter Vigil.

Crosier (Crozier) - A pastoral staff, received by bishops and abbots at their installation as a symbol of their authority.
In the Western Church, the top of the crosier had traditionally been curved like a shepherd's crook to symbolize that the bishop is the shepherd who looks after the flock. From the eleventh century, popes no longer used a crosier until Pope Paul VI (1963-1978) reintroduced its use in the form of a staff with a crucifix on top. Crosiers had been very ornate and costly until the Vatican Council when most bishops started using simpler, wooden staffs.

Flagon - A large "pitcher" like container that holds the wine which will become the Blood of Christ during the Mass.

Corporal - A large square piece of linen placed in the center of the altar upon which the Eucharist is consecrated. Everything placed on the corporal on the altar during Mass should be consecrated. 

Purificator - A folded piece of rectangular white linen that is used to purify the chalice and paten when Communion is finished. A small red cross is usually embroidered on it. A purificator is also used by the Eucharistic Minister to wipe the Communion cup after a communicant has received the Precious Blood. 

Tabernacle (tab-er-nakel)  - A "safe - like" container in a church that holds the Reserved Sacrament of the Body of Christ. The Lord Jesus lives in the tabernacle. At St. Charles there is a large tabernacle on the center, back wall of the Sanctuary under the Crucifix and another in the Emmaus Chapel to the right of the altar. When a lighted, red candle is burning next to the tabernacle it means that the Lord is present. We should genuflect towards the tabernacle when we enter church, pass in front of the tabernacle and when we leave church. 

Sanctuary (sank-shoe-air-ee)  - The area of the church which includes the altar, the tabernacle, the ambo, and the presider's chair. It is the holiest part of the church building and it is where the Lord makes himself present to us in the tabernacle, during the consecration at Mass, when His Word is read, and when there is Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. 

Reserved Sacrament - The consecrated hosts - the Body of Christ placed in a ciborium inside the tabernacle. The lighted red candle next to the tabernacle tells us that Jesus is present and this is why we genuflect when we come into church, pass in front of the tabernacle and before we leave church. 

The Ambry - During Holy Week of each year, the bishop of each diocese gathers the clergy and faithful together at the Chrism Mass. At this liturgy, he blesses the oils that will be used throughout the diocese for various prayers and sacramental celebrations. These oils are stored in three glass vessels in the Ambry, which at St. Charles is the glass case which sits on a wooden pedestal to the right of the Tabernacle. One vessel contains the Oil of Catechumens for anointing those preparing for Baptism, another vessel contains the Oil of Chrism used for anointing those receiving the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders. This oil is also used in the consecration of altars, churches, chalices and patens. This symbolizes the union of the people of God and their buildings and sacred vessels. Another vessel contains the Oil of the Sick used in the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. 

The Altar - We gather around the altar to celebrate a sacrificial meal that recalls the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is called an altar of sacrifice because we believe in Jesus' own self sacrifice on the cross through which we experience the reconciliation accomplished by His sacrifice. The altar is also our family table, dating back to the early Christian practice of meeting in private homes or in secret to avoid persecution. The family table in the home was where small Christian communities gathered, ate, listened to the Word, and celebrated the Eucharistic meal. The altars in St. Charles Borromeo church is made of marble. Older churches may have a relic from a saint "embedded" in it's top, although this practice is no longer very common. 

The Ambo - While the altar is the centerpiece for the Liturgy of the Eucharist which is the second part of the Mass, the ambo, sometimes called the pulpit, is the center for the Liturgy of the Word - the first part of the Mass. The deacon, lector, or priest will proclaim the Word of God when they read Sacred Scripture from the ambo. The deacon or priest may also deliver a homily from the ambo. It is sometimes called the "table of God's Word" because it is the place from which we are nourished by the Word of God. 

The Processional Cross - As Christians, we strive to follow Jesus by emulating Him in our daily lives. He asks us to take up His cross and so the Processional Cross is carried by our altar servers to lead the way as we gather for Mass. 

The Celebrant's Chair - The chair of the priest celebrant conveys his role as the leader of prayer who acts in the person of Jesus Christ. It is distinctive from all other chairs in the church building. Its use may have its origin to the time when private houses were used for Christian gatherings to avoid persecution. The chair of the head of the household was used for whoever led the prayer and sharing of the Eucharist. The Latin word for chair is cathedra and is source of the name we give to the large church building we call a cathedral, which is usually presided over by the bishop. 

The Book of the Gospels - The Gospel is accorded special prominence of all of God's Word. We stand to hear it and believe that Christ is present when His own words are proclaimed. In reverence, we have a special book that contains the Gospels and at St. Charles Borromeo as in many other parishes The Book of the Gospels is carried in procession at the beginning of Mass and is enthroned at the ambo. 

The Candles at the Altar - The smaller candles used at Mass remind Catholics of Christ, who is the Light of the World. Early Christians were likely to have carried torches in procession ahead of a bishop or the pope into the cathedral and then placed them at the altar. By the fourth century, candles took the place of torches and were permanently placed close to or on the altar. 

Consecration - The setting apart of a person or thing by an act of the Church for a particular use or for a specific office or religious status. The most important use of the word is to describe the point during the Mass when bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. This is a time when we should maintain silence and refrain from leaving our place in the pews in reverence to the Lord who at this moment comes into our presence and makes it possible for us to receive Him when we later go to Holy Communion. 

The Choir - From the time of the Old Testament when the women of Israel danced and sang after they had come safely through the Red Sea and when David composed songs or psalms for temple worship, music has come to be an important part of the liturgy of the Church and in our prayer life. Over time a ministry has developed wherein a choir or cantor leads the people in singing praise and thanksgiving during Mass or songs for the other rites. A Cantor also proclaims the Word of God when they sing the Responsorial Psalm that is part of the Liturgy of the Word during Mass. Consecration 

The Baptistry - In early Christianity, believers were likely baptized by immersion in a lake or a river. Later, special rooms were set aside for baptisms, many times being located near the entrance to the church. Recent liturgical reform recommended that the baptismal font no longer be located in a separate room or baptistry, but instead,in the front of the church near the altar. In so doing we emphasize the central importance of baptism and its relationship to the whole Eucharistic community. 

The Biblical Commission - The Pontifical Biblical Commission is an organization entrusted with overseeing the promotion of biblical scholarship in the Roman Catholic Church. It was founded in 1902 by Pope Leo XIII. This commission is based in Rome and composed of a number of cardinals, who are assisted by an international group of biblical scholars who act as consultors 

Canticle - Latin: canticulum, "a little song". A sacred song or chant other than a psalm, the text of which is taken from the Bible. Three canticles from the New Testament - the Benedictus, or prayer of Zechariah, the Magnificat of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Nunc Dimittis of Simeon - are recited daily in the Liturgy of the Hours. 

Religious Community/Order/Society - Brothers, priests, or sisters make a profession of vows in a chosen religious order and commit themselves to fully share in its mission and way of life according to the charism of the founder of the order. There are many such religious communities around the world. The names of only a few: the Benedictines, the Dominicans, the Franciscans, the Jesuits, the Missionaries of Charity. 

Ordinary, Local - An ecclesiastic who possesses the established jurisdiction of a particular office. This authority pertains to his rights of teaching, governing, adjudicating, and administering the sacraments. The title applies to the pope and all diocesan bishops, vicars, abbots, and other major superiors of religious communities of men and prelates or prefects with regional jurisdiction. 

Novena - (Lat. novem, for "nine" and noveni for "nine at a time") A period of public or private prayer lasting nine days - either consecutively or once weekly for nine weeks. A novena is prayed to honor a special occasion, obtain a special grace, or to offer up a special intention. Novenas originated in the seventeenth century. The nine-day period is symbolic of the nine days between Christ's ascension and Pentecost when Mary and the apostles waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit. 

Postulant - A postulant is a person preparing to be admitted as a novice into a religious community. Postulancy is a preliminary stage to the novitiate. 

Novice - A novice is a new member of a religious community of vowed women or men, who, having gone through postulancy, or preparation, commences formation and initiation into the life and mission of the community. This process is called the novitiate. The novice is introduced to a deeper life of prayer, to the vowed life, and to the charism of the community. These experiences and training lead the novice through discernment of their commitment to religious life. 

Nun - A member of a religious community of women living under the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. There are many religious communities of nuns or sisters which focus their work in line with the charism of their foundress or founder such as teaching, care for the sick, acts of charity, or a life of monasticism. 

Monk - A monk is a man who is a vowed member of a monastic community of men who has professed the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. In living a monastic life they maintain silence except for prayer in community and they perform whatever labor or work that is in keeping with their founders’ charism. 

Monastery - A monastery is the home of a community of vowed men or women religious who live according to the monastic tradition of the Church. Alternatively it may be called an abbey. 

Vow - A vow is a free and deliberate commitment and an act of devotion made by a person to God. Men and women who make profession in religious communities do so by making vows, usually of poverty, chastity, and obedience. 

Seminary - A seminary is a place where men who are in formation for priesthood live. In the seminary they have an opportunity to pray, and to contemplate and celebrate the sacred mysteries of the Church personally or with others in formation. The men who are in formation are called seminarians. They are given a liturgical foundation, an understanding of Church history and theology, and an academic education. This training may take place in the seminary or in a separate college or school of theology. 

Holy Orders - One of the Seven Sacraments, it is the sacrament conferred on those members of the Catholic community who have been called by God and chosen by the Church for service as deacon, priest, or bishop. It is sometimes referred to as sacred orders. There is a rite of ordination for a bishop, a rite of ordination for a priest, and a rite of ordination for a deacon where the sacrament is conferred. 

Ministry - The active service of the baptized, dependent upon the gifts of the individual given by God, and always directed to the building up of the Body of Christ in the parish, the communities in which we live, and the world. 

Catechesis - The process through which individuals and Catholic communities systematically acquire and deepen their faith. Catechesis takes many forms: CCD, Adult Faith Formation classes, college classes, Bible Study, and RCIA are among the forms. 

Tria Munera - The phrase tria munera (three tasks) unites the mission and ministry of Jesus to the mission and ministry of all baptized, confirmed Christians. This is a major teaching of one of the decrees, called Lumen Gentium (Light of All Nations), of the Second Vatican Council. It instructs that all Christians share in the mission and ministry of Jesus. We do this by proclaiming and teaching the Word of God, participating in the administration of the Sacraments and leading all to Christ and eternal happiness. 

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults  - The RCIA, sometimes called the catechumenate, is a process for incorporating adults who have not received the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, or Confirmation into full communion with the Catholic faith. The modern RCIA was instituted as a result of the decrees of the Second Vatican Council. Adult catechumenate is not new to the Church. It actually developed in the first centuries of Christianity in order to instruct and initiate the many converts to the faith and to examine the intentions of people who had denied the faith to escape Roman persecution, and then expressed their intention to return to the faith when the persecution ended and the Church became the official religion of the Roman Empire. The modern catechumenate that has developed out of the Vatican II decrees serves an almost parallel purpose. Through RCIA, many adults who have not received the sacraments or taken part in any kind of faith formation or Catholic education either by personal choice or their upbringing, but who now desire to join the Catholic Church, can receive the necessary instruction to help them understand the basic beliefs of the faith and to make a conscious decision to receive the Sacraments of Initiation. The whole parish community is part of RCIA through their actions to invite people to "come and see" what we are our faith is about, by welcoming those who are in the catechumenate process and also by participating in RCIA as a sponsor, instructor, or aide. 

The Rosary  - The rosary is the best known private devotion in the Catholic Church. Using the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be Doxology which are repeated with the aid of a string of rosary beads and the remembrance of scenes from the life of Jesus and Mary, the rosary allows the one praying it to enter into deep prayer and meditation. The writings of St. Luke - his Gospel and Acts of the Apostles - are said to provide the elements for the mysteries of the rosary. Monastics used repetitive prayer techniques in their meditation. In the late Middle Ages, when the Albigensian heresy was devastating the country of Toulouse, St. Dominic earnestly besought the help of Our Lady and was instructed by her, so tradition asserts, to preach the Rosary among the people as an antidote to heresy and sin. From that time forward this manner of prayer was developed by St. Dominic whom different popes have in various past ages declared to be the institutor of the devotion. 

The Divine Praises - A series of praises, beginning with "Blessed be God", that are usually recited after Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, but before the Host is replaced in the tabernacle. The major portion is thought to have been compiled by Louis Felici of the Jesuit Order around 1770 to provide an act of reparation for the sins of blasphemy and profanity. You can find the Divine Praises on the back, inside cover of the Breaking Bread missal 

Pieta - Italian word meaning "pity". In painting or sculpture, the word refers to an image of the Blessed Mother Mary, seated, receiving the dead Jesus on her lap. The most famous sculpture of this type is that of Michelangelo at St. Peter's in Rome. 

Monk - A man, who by taking vows, binds and commits himself totally to the monastic life. In the Eastern Churches all male religious are monks. In the Western Church, only members of the following orders are monks: Benedictine, Camaldolese, Vallambrosan, Sylvestrine, Olivetan, Cistercian, and Carthusian. 

Oblate - (From the Latin, oblatus, meaning "offered") A member of a religious community who has offered herself or himself to the monastic life or similar form of religious ministry. In the first centuries of the Middle Ages, the term referred to laity who lived in or near a monastery and offered themselves and property to the monastery. In modern times, a number of orders have "oblate" in their title, such as Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Oblates of St. Francis DeSales. 

Catholic Relief Services - CRS is the official overseas relief and development agency of the U.S. Catholic community. It was founded in 1943 as the War Relief Services by the U.S. bishops to aid refugees of the war in Europe. Today it provides assistance to over sixty-five million people regardless of race, religion or nationality in more than 100 countries around the world. CRS provides disaster relief services as well as helping people break the cycle of poverty and disease through local community based sustainable development programs such as agricultural development, education on good health and hygiene practices, and establishment of community healthcare facilities. 

Fathers of the Desert - The hermits and monks who lived in the Egyptian deserts in the fourth century were the precursors of monasticism. They found their inspiration in Jesus' fasting in the desert and in the life of St. John the Baptist. There were a great number of monks living this life by any measure. St. Anthony the Great, one of the most notable of the Desert Fathers presided over five thousand monks in northern Egypt. Some lived alone, meeting others only for communal worship. Others lived in small groups and there were few rules. Older monks guided aspirants to this life with the customs, and exercised only basic authority. When these monks were not praying, they engaged in carpentry or weaving which helped support the community. St. Pachomius is credited with organizing the monks under his direction into monasteries and a common rule. St. Athanasius, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Augustine of Hippo spent part of their lives in the Egyptian desert before going on to become important figures in the Church. The great founders of Eastern and Western monasticism derived their ideals from these hermits and monks. 

Ecclesiology - The term covers both doctrine of the Church and theological discussion of the nature, function, and structures of the Church. Taken from the Greek term "ekklesia", meaning convocation, or assembly and adopted into Christian Latin as "ecclesia", meaning "Church". 

Acts of the Martyrs - Theses are the various accounts of the Church's early martyrdoms. They include the official court records of Christian trials and executions from records of the prosecuting government or entity as well as texts written by witnesses. The most reliable of these accounts are those based upon official reports from the trials. St. Augustine wrote that accounts of these martyrdoms have been used in the liturgy of the Western Church since the earliest times. 

Cope - From the Latin, cappa. It is a long, cape-like vestment worn by clergy at certain liturgical rites, such as benedictions, processions, and solemn Liturgy of the Hours services. It is open in the front and fastened around the shoulders by a metal clasp, and reaches to the floor. The cope may have had its origins from the raincoat worn by men of the Roman Empire. 

I.H.S - A monogram of the name of Jesus Christ. From the third century the names of our Saviour are sometimes shortened, particularly in Christian inscriptions (IH and XP, for Jesus and Christus). From the beginning, however, in Christian inscriptions the nomina sacra, or names of Jesus Christ, were shortened by contraction, thus IC and XC or IHS and XPS for Iesous Christos. These Greek monograms continued to be used in Latin during the Middle Ages. Eventually the right meaning was lost. The monogram became more popular after the twelfth century when St. Bernard insisted much on devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus, and the fourteenth, when the founder of the Jesuati, Blessed John Colombini (d. 1367), usually wore it on his breast. Towards the close of the Middle Ages IHS became a symbol. Sometimes above the H appears a cross and underneath three nails, while the whole figure is surrounded by rays. IHS became the accepted iconographical characteristic of St. Vincent Ferrer (d. 1419) and of St. Bernardine of Siena (d. 1444). St. Ignatius of Loyola adopted the monogram in his seal as general of the Society of Jesus (1541), and thus it became the emblem of his institute. IHS was sometimes wrongly understood as "Jesus Hominum Salvator", i.e. Jesus, the Saviour of men. 

Acta Apostolicae Sedis - Translated as "Acts of the Apostolic See", this is the official journal of the Vatican. It is the principal source for the promulgation of canon law and the texts of encyclical letters, Apostolic Constitutions, and other notable decrees from the pope and Roman Curia. It is published monthly by Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 

Acolyte - From the Greek term akoloutheou, meaning “follow”, acolyte refers to the order of clerics devoted to altar service. They assist the celebrant at Mass and may distribute Holy Communion as a minister when necessary. The title also refers to any layman who serves at Mass or other liturgical functions. The ministries of acolyte and lector are the 

The Missionary Society of St Paul of Nigeria - The establishment of the Missionary Society of St Paul of Nigeria was the response of the Nigerian Catholic Bishops’ Conference (CBCN) to the Decrees of the Second Vatican Council, affirming that the whole Church is essentially missionary. At the 1976 Bishops’ Conference in Kaduna, in September 1976, His Eminence, Dominic Cardinal Ekandem, first proposed the idea of a National Seminary for Nigeria. The Seminary opened at Iperu-Remo, Ogun State, on Mission Sunday, October 23, 1977. It was further decided that the headquarters of the Society be at Abuja, the new Federal Capital Territory, and on October 13, 1984, the Bishops opened the main campus of the seminary at Gwagwalada, Abuja. The Spiritual Year(s) of formation is now taken at Iperu, Philosophy and Theology are taken at Abuja. 

Alb - From the Latin word, albus, meaning white. It is the full length white robe worn by ministers and clergy during liturgical functions. Its origin is the under-tunic worn by Greeks and Romans of old. As used in the life of the Church, its simplicity and white color symbolize purity of heart. 

The Ashes on Ash Wednesday - On Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of Lent, the ashes are blessed during Mass but after the Homily. All ashes may be blessed at the first Mass of the day, at each subsequent Mass or within a celebration of the Liturgy of the Word. The ashes are made from the palms at the previous Passion Sunday ceremonies. 

Corporal - From the Latin word, corpus, meaning "body". It is the piece of white linen cloth, measuring about twenty inches square, on which the bread and wine are placed and consecrated during Mass. Church custom dictates that the corporal be placed in the tabernacle beneath any vessel holding the Blessed Sacrament, and during Benediction or Eucharistic Adoration beneath the monstrance. 

Incardination – Refers to the enlistment of a cleric under the jurisdiction of an ordinary, such as the bishop of a particular diocese. Priests and deacons become incardinated to their diocese. This affiliation is usually permanent but transfers are possible under certain conditions. This process involves excardination, or release of the clergyman from his current bishop and incardination to another bishop (ordinary). The receiving bishop must have agreed to incardinate the clergyman for the excardination to take place. 

I.N.R.I. - (Latin: Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum, "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews") These are the initials of the Latin inscription which Pontius Pilate ordered to be placed on the cross above Christ's head. This followed the Roman custom of inscribing the crime for which the person was being crucified. As to Jesus, it described him as a claimant to the Davidic throne and therefore a rebel against Roman rule. It would likely have been written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. 

Koinonia - A term in New Testament Greek meaning sharing and being sensitive to the needs of others as well as being involved in a Christian community in which such sharing is practiced. In 1 Corinthians 10, St. Paul designates the "cup of blessing" shared by Christians as a koinonia, and this is reflected by our use of the Latin equivalent "communio" which in English is "communion". 

Laetare Sunday - The fourth Sunday, or midpoint of Lent, which is meant to provide a slight relaxation of the Lenten discipline. Rose colored vestments are worn instead of the violet and flowers can be placed on the altar. The term comes from the Latin text of the Entrance Antiphon (Introit in Latin) at Mass: "Laetare Jerusalem" or in English, "Rejoice O Jerusalem". 

Liturgical Books - The collection of texts used during liturgical celebrations. The most commonly known and used liturgical books in the Roman Rite are the Lectionary and the Roman Missal, also known as the Sacramentary. The Lectionary contains the Scripture Readings, including the Gospels, responsorial psalms, and gospel acclamations to be used at Mass or the celebration of other rituals or sacraments. The Roman Missal contains the instructions and prayer texts for the celebration of Mass in the Roman Rite. 

O Salutaris Hostia - (Latin, "O Saving Victim") A short devotional hymn which is derived from the final two verses of the devotional song Verbum Supernum Prodiens, "The heavenly word issuing forth." The song is attributed to St. Thomas Aquinas and is customarily sung during Benediction. 

Pectoral Cross - A cross, usually of precious metal and suspended from a chain or silken cord, worn by abbots, bishops, archbishops, cardinals, and the pope. 

Easter Triduum - The three day period which commemorates the final three days of Christ's life on earth. It begins with the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, includes the Celebration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday, and culminates with the Easter Vigil. It concludes with the evening prayers (Vespers) on Easter Sunday night. 

Sensus Fidelium - This Latin expression literally means, "the sense of the faithful" and can be understood as the "doctrinal intuition of believers". Each Christian receives the gift of faith from the Holy Spirit at Baptism and so has a "sensus fidei". Our "sensus fideli" helps us understand Christian revelation, although there is no guarantee that our decisions about faith and morals will be correct. We must continue to pray, receive the sacraments and practice spiritual formation." Sensus fidelium" is the collective sense of the faith of the Christian community. 

Synoptic Gospels - The word synoptic means "sharing a common view". The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke give a common view of Jesus' public ministry which is different from John's Gospel. Areas of commonality are association with John the Baptist, teaching and healing ministry in Galilee, gathering of the disciples, and the passion and empty tomb. They portray Jesus as a teacher and healer and use the same titles: Son of Man, Son of David, Son of God. However they differ in purpose and theology. In their mission to spread the gospel they each evangelized a different group of people and taught in ways each group would understand. Matthew wrote for a largely Jewish-Christian community to show that Jesus fulfilled the promises made to Israel. Mark wrote for Gentile Christians who were being persecuted and presented Jesus as their suffering Messiah. Luke wrote for Gentiles that were not under duress and doing fairly well in their lives. He presented Jesus as a good example, prophetic, and a Son faithful to God. 

Roman Curia - The Roman Curia is the Church's civil service, organized as administrative agencies which are authorized by the pope. In modern times the Curia has undergone reforms under Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II. As a result of these reforms the Roman Curia today consists primarily of the Secretariat of State; nine congregations (governing agencies); three tribunals (juridical agencies); and eleven councils (specialized agencies to foster various apostolic activities of the Church). 

Te Deum - The opening words of an ancient Latin hymn of praise and thanksgiving, Te Deum Laudemus (We praise thee, O God). Some scholars attribute it to St. Niceta who died 414 A.D. while others posit that it comes from ancient liturgy. It has been used in the Divine Office as prescribed in the Rule of St. Benedict. This hymn is sung at the end of the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours on Sundays, solemnities, and other feasts. 

Imprimatur - Prior to 1975, the diocesan censor granted a license known as the imprimatur, to books that did not contravene Catholic teaching on faith and morals. The revised norms for the granting of the imprimatur now mandate that it should only be granted to books in conformity to official Church teaching. However only the following books require an imprimatur: official biblical and liturgical texts and their translations; catechisms and prayer books; scholastic textbooks dealing with doctrine and morals; and literature sold or given away in churches. 

Viaticum - From Latin, "provision for a journey", Viaticum is the Holy Communion given to those facing life-threatening circumstances in order that they may be imbued with God's grace on their journey into eternal life. 

Veni Creator Spiritus - (From the Latin, "Come creating Spirit") A hymn to the Holy Spirit traditionally sung during the conferral of Holy Orders, at Confirmation, at councils and synods, and at church dedications. 

Tabernacle - The receptacle in a Catholic church in which the Body of Christ in the form of consecrated Hosts are reserved. Tabernacles are constructed of wood, stone, or metal and are round or rectangular in shape. A tabernacle usually contains a ciborium for the consecrated Hosts and a luna which holds a large consecrated Host for use in exposition and Benediction. These vessels rest on a corporal, which is a linen cloth placed on the bottom of the tabernacle. A sanctuary candle is lit nearby to call attention to the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle. The tabernacle has its origins in the portable shrine built by the Israelites to house the Ark of the Covenant which they considered the manifestation of God's presence during their years in the desert after fleeing from bondage in Egypt. 

Genuflecting - Before entering the pew, leaving church, or crossing in front of the tabernacle, genuflecting is the act of pausing and bending the right knee all the way to the floor and then rising up again. As we genuflect we point our body toward the tabernacle since the reason we genuflect is to acknowledge the Real Presence of Jesus there and give reverence to Him. If one is physically unable to genuflect, then a bow is substituted as an act of reverence. 

Paten - One of the Sacred Vessels used in liturgical celebrations like the Mass. It is a saucer-like dish which holds the bread to be consecrated at Mass. It must be large enough to cover the chalice. Because it comes in direct contact with the Blessed Sacrament it is blessed by the bishop or his delegate.

One Body

Believers who respond to God’s word and become members of Christ’s Body, become intimately united with him: “In that body the life of Christ is communicated to those who believe, and who, through the sacraments, are united in a hidden and real way to Christ in his Passion and glorification.”
This is especially true of Baptism, which unites us to Christ’s death and Resurrection, and the Eucharist, by which “really sharing in the body of the Lord,...we are taken up into communion with him and with one another.” (CCC 790)

                             Reception of Holy Communion

In this YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST it is important to remember that Jesus gave us the gift of Himself in the Holy Eucharist. Let’s renew our fervor in the reception of the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the sum and substance of our faith; “Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking.” (St. Irenaeus)

How should we prepare ourselves to receive this sacred gift?

• Before leaving home we should have clean hands to receive this special gift.
• Push clothing away from your hands.
• Reverently approach the minister, bow your head slightly in reverence and extend your hands.
• Hands should be cupped with the hand that will be used to consume the host below the hand that will receive the host.
• Respond to the minister with “Amen.”
• Take a slight side step to reverently consume the host.
• Reverently return to the pew and speak with your Lord and Savior.
  

The prayer of the Church, nourished by the Word of God and the celebration of the liturgy, teaches us to pray to the Lord Jesus. Even though her prayer is addressed above all to the Father it includes in all the liturgical traditions forms of prayer addressed to Christ. Certain psalms, given their use in the Prayer of the Church, and the New Testament place on our lips and engrave in our hearts prayer to Christ in the form of invocations: Son of God, Word of God, Lord, Savior, Lamb of God, King, Beloved Son, Son of the Virgin, Good Shepherd, our Life, our Light, our Hope, our Resurrection, Friend of mankind….

But the one name that contains everything is the one that may not be spoken by human lips, but by assuming our humanity The Word of God hands it over to us and we can invoke it: “Jesus,” “YHWH saves.”                   

                                   Q&A About Marriage and Same-Sex Unions

                                                        What is marriage?

The truths about marriage are present in the order of nature and can be perceived by the light of human reason. They have been confirmed by divine Revelation in Sacred Scripture.

                                      What does our faith tell us about marriage?

Marriage comes from the loving hand of God, who fashioned both male and female in the divine image (see GN1:27). A man “leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body” (Gn 2:24).
The man recognizes the woman as “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Gn 2:23). God
blesses the man and woman and commands them to “be fertile and multiply” (Gn 1:28).
Jesus reiterates these teachings from Genesis, saying “But from the beginning of creation,
‘God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
(and be joined to his wife), and the two shall become one flesh’” (Mk 10:6-8).

                      
Marriage, as instituted by God, is a faithful, exclusive, lifelong union of a man and a woman joined in an intimate community of life and love. They commit themselves completely to each other and to the wonderful responsibility of bringing children into the world and caring for them. The call to marriage is woven deeply into the human spirit.

Biblical passages help us to appreciate God’s plan for marriage. It is an intimate union in which the spouses give themselves, as equal persons, completely and lovingly to one another. By their mutual gift of self, they cooperate with God in bringing children to life and in caring for them.

                           Why can marriage exist only between a man and a woman?

The natural structure of human sexuality makes man and woman complementary partners for the
transmission of human life. Only a union of male and female can express the sexual complementarity willed by God for marriage.

The permanent and exclusive commitment of marriage is the necessary contest for the expression of sexual love intended by God both to serve the transmission of human life and to build up the bond between husband and wife (see CCC, nos. 1639-1640).

Conscience

The interior voice of a human being, within whose heart the inner law of God is inscribed. Moral
conscience is a judgement of practical reason about the moral quality of a human action. It moves a
person at the appropriate moment to do good an avoid evil (CCC 1777-8) An examination of
conscience is recommended asa preparation for the reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (CCC 1454)

The characteristics of Sacramentals

Sacramentals are instituted for the sanctification of
certain ministries of the Church, certain states of life, a
great variety of circumstances in Christian life, and the
use of many things helpful to man. In accordance with
bishops' pastoral decisions, they can also respond to
the needs, culture, and special history of the Christian
people of a particular region or time. They always
include a prayer, often accompanied by a specific
sign, such as the laying on of hands, the sign of
the cross, or the sprinkling of holy water (which
recalls Baptism). CCC 1667

                                              Moral Life and Christian Witness

“The witness of a Christian life and good works done in a supernatural spirit have great power to
draw men to the faith and to God.” (CCC2044)

Because they are members of the Body whose Head is Christ, Christians contribute to building up the church by the constancy of their convictions and their moral lives. The Church increases, grows, and develops through the holiness of her faithful, until “we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” (CCC2045)
By living with the mind of Christ, Christians hasten the coming of the reign of God, a “kingdom of justice, love, and peace.” They do not, for all that, abandon their earthly tasks; faithful to their master, the fulfill them with uprightness, patience, and love ( CCC2046).

                                                        Catechesis of Children

The catechesis of children, young people, and adults aims at teaching them to meditate on the Word of God in personal prayer, practicing it in liturgical prayer, and internalizing it at all times in order to bear fruit in a new life. Catechesis is also a time for the discernment and education of popular piety. The memorization of basic prayers offers an essential support to the life of prayer, but it is important to help learners savor their meaning (CCC2688).

                                                  Freedom and Responsibility

Freedom is exercised in relationships between human beings. Every human person, created in the image of God, has the natural right to be recognized as a free and responsible being. All owe to each other this duty of respect. The right to the exercise of freedom, especially in moral and religious matters, is an inalienable requirement of the dignity of the human person. This right must be recognized and protected by civil authority within the limits of the common good and public order (CCC1738)

                                                   The Theological Virtues

One enters into prayer as one enters into liturgy: by the narrow gate of faith. Through the signs of his presence, it is the Face of the Lord that we seek and desire; it is his Word that we want to hear and keep. The Holy Spirit, who instructs us to celebrate the liturgy in expectation of Christ's return, teaches us to pray in hope. Conversely, the prayer of the Church and personal prayer nourish hope in us. The Psalms especially, with their concrete and varied language, teach us to fix our hope in God:" I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry."As St. Paul prayed:" May the God of fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

"Hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Prayer, formed by the liturgical life, draws everything into the love by which we are loved in Christ and which enables us to respond to him by loving as he has loved us. Love is the source of prayer; whoever draws from it reaches the summit of prayer.

                                                      The Signs of Bread and Wine

At the heart of the Eucharistic celebration are the bread and wine that, by the words of Christ and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, become Christ's Body and Blood. Faithful to the Lord's command the Church continues to do, in His memory and until His glorious return, what He did on the eve of His Passion: "He took bread..." He took the cup filled with wine..." The signs of bread and wine become, in a way surpassing understanding, the Body ands Blood of Christ; they continue also to signify the goodness of creation. Thus in the Offertory we give thanks to the Creator for bread and wine, fruit of the "work of human hands," but above all as "fruits of the earth" and "of the vine"-gifts of the Creator. The Church sees in the gesture of the king-priest Melchizedek, who "brought out bread and wine," a prefiguring of her own suffering.

                                                   The Works of Mercy

The works of Mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his bodily and spiritual necessities. Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy , as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead. Among these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God.

He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food must do likewise. But give for alms those things that are within; and behold, everything is clean for you. If a brother or sister is ill clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? Jas 2:15-16

                                                        Jesus teaches us how to pray

When Jesus prays he is already teaching us how to pray. His prayer to his Father is the theological path( the path of faith, hope, and charity) of our prayer to God. But the Gospel also gives us Jesus' explicit teaching on prayer.
Like a wise teacher he takes hold of us where we are and leads us progressively toward the Father. Addressing the crowds following him, Jesus builds on what they already know of prayer from the Old Covenant and opens to them the newness of the coming kingdom. The he reveals this newness to them in parables. Finally, he will speak openly of the Father and the Holy Spirit to his disciples who will be the teachers of prayer in his church.(CCC2607)

                                             The Sacrament of the Eucharist

The holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord’s own sacrifice by means of the Eucharist (CCC1322).

                                                            Moral Conscience

The dignity of the human person implies and requires uprightness of moral conscience. Conscience includes the perception of the principles of morality; their application in the given circumstances by practical discernment of reasons and goods; and finally judgement about concrete acts yet to be performed or already performed. The truth about the moral good, stated in the law of reason, is recognized practically and concretely by the prudent judgement of conscience. We call that man prudent who chooses in conformity with his judgement. (CCC1780)

                                             The Functions and Office of God's People

In the celebration of the Mass the faithful constitute the sacred assembly, a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart that they may give thanks to God and offer the immaculate Victim, not only through the hands of the priest but also with him, learning also to offer themselves. They should endeavor to express all this by sincere piety and loving regard for their brethren who are taking part in the same celebration...it follows that they should appear as one body, whether they are listening to God's word or taking part in prayers or singing, and especially when together they offer the sacrifice and share in the Lord's table. This unity is most fittingly manifested when the people make gestures or take up common postures all together. (Vatican Council II; Cenam Paschalem II, 62)

                                                The Assumption of Mary

The Church has never issued a definitive declaration about the end of Mary's earthly life. Eastern Christianity celebrate's Mary's Dormition (falling asleep), while theologians in the West posit that Mary died in imitation of the bodily death of Jesus. Pope Pius XII solemnly proclaimed in 1950 however that Mary was taken body and soul into heaven, confirming a belief that had been held and observed for more than a millennium. God accorded Mary this privilege in honor of her Divine Maternity, her complete sinlessness, her spotless chastity, and for her share in her son's redemptive work in the world. Mary's bodily assumption also anticipates the glorified body and place in heaven to be awarded to the faithful at the end of time.("A summary of Catechesis on the Blessed Virgin Mary," Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception web site: http://,www.nationalshrine.com)