Glossary
These are how I define the terms that I use in my blog posts. Any of the underlined words you see in my posts will be defined here. They are not the dictionary definitions, but I hope they make the terms that I use easier to understand.
Adoration: See Eucharistic Adoration
Advent: The season within the Catholic Church that leads to Christmas. Advent is four weeks long in which we anticipate the coming of Christ--His coming as a child into the world, His coming into our daily life, and His coming at the end of time. This is also the very beginning of what is known as the liturgical year.
Agape: The handy dandy Catholic Dictionary explains that agape is:
The most distinctively Christian form of love. Used by Christ to describe the love among the persons of the Trinity, it is also the love he commanded his followers to have for one another (John 13:34-35). It is totally selfless love, which seeks not one' own advantage but only to benefit or share with another. As a proper noun, Agape is the so-called love feast celebrated in the early Church (I Corinthians 11:20-22, 33-34). See the Catholic Dictionary.
All Saints Day: Every November 1st! It is a celebration of all of the saints! It is also how Halloween came to be as Hallow's Eve means "holy" eve, for the eve before All Saints Day.
Angel: a spiritual being that doesn't have a body. Angels minister to God and carry out His deeds like sending messages and giving protection. See the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Angelus: A brief prayer remembering the Annunciation of the angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Apostle: Comes from the word, "to send." Apostles are missionaries. Jesus appointed twelve apostles as His successors to go to the ends of the earth and make disciples (followers) of Jesus from all nations.
Apparitions: The appearance of a heavenly being, such as the Blessed Virgin Mary to a person on earth. There are some apparitions that are approved by the Church as valid and many others that are not.
Archbishop: The "shepherd" (or bishop) of an archdiocese! See Archdiocese below.
Archdiocese: A diocese is a geographical region in the Catholic Church led by a bishop. An archdiocese is a big diocese, covering a large geographical region. For example, there is an Archdiocese of Detroit that covers most of southeast Michigan, and it is led by an archbishop.
Ascension: After His resurrection and 40 days with His disciples, Jesus went up (ascended) into Heaven. That's why we don't usually see the physical Jesus eating and talking to us in our current day. But, when Jesus went to heaven, He sent us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is as God as Jesus is God. The Holy Spirit is unseen, but is the very love that God has for us. So, we actually do see Jesus eating and talking to us in our current day through the love of God in friends, family, acquaintances, and strangers. Look to the Eucharist--Jesus' body, blood, soul, and divinity is in the form of bread and wine. Thousands of people receive Jesus as the Eucharist at a Catholic Mass. Jesus must really be walking around everywhere if so many people have received Him in this way!
Baptism: Initiation into Christianity. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are freed from sin and promised as Christ's. See www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c1a1.htm
Basilica: A giant Catholic Church that has a special connection with the pope. See the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul.
Beatification: A Mass in which a deceased person is proclaimed, "Blessed." This is the step before becoming a saint.
Benediction: This is the action of a priest or deacon taking the exposed Eucharist and blessing the congregation. In reality, Jesus is the one blessing those present, as well as the whole world, through the priest or deacon.
Bible: A collection of writings/books that include the Old Testament and New Testament. Known as Sacred Scripture, the Bible is the Word of the Lord and is incorporated in all aspects of Christian life.
Bilocation: A God-given gift to be in more than one place at once; that is, two totally different places at the exact same time
Bishop: A priest who is in charge of a diocese (district).
Bride of Christ: A name for the Catholic Church. We the people, are wedded to Christ Himself! Nuns and consecrated virgins are referred to as brides of Christ because they represent everyone's destined marriage to Christ.
Blasphemy: Something offensive to God. Jesus was actually accused of blasphemy.
Blessed: A title the Catholic Church gives to a (dead) person who lived a holy life. A person who is "blessed" is one step away from being proclaimed a saint.
Blessed Charles de Foucauld: Born in France, Bl. Charles based his spirituality off of the Holy Family in Nazareth, Israel.
Blessed Mother: See Mary
Blessed Solanus Casey: a man recently proclaimed "Blessed." He was a Capuchin Franciscan priest who was known for his humility and childlike faith. He encouraged others to "thank God ahead of time."
Body of Christ: The Church! The communion of Christians! The most tangible way to be in communion with the Body of Christ is through Mass. There, we receive the Body and Blood of Christ Himself.
Called & Gifted: A workshop and program put on by the Catherine of Siena Institute. It is a training and resource for discerning your personal charisms--personal gifts given to you by God.
Canon: The collection of books within the Old and New Testament in the Bible. There are a total of 73 books in the Catholic canon of scripture.
Canonized Saint: This is a person who is known to be "for sure" in Heaven and is formally declared so by the Catholic Church.
Catechism of the Catholic Church: A book that gives both a summary and explanation of what the Catholic Church teaches.
Catechists: Teachers of the faith
Cathedral: A ginormous, beautiful church that is the main church of a diocese.
Catholic: See Roman Catholic
Catholic Church: Known as the Body of Christ, or Bride of Christ (often referred to as "her"), the Church is led by the pope--the Vicar of Christ. The Vicar of Christ means that the pope holds the primacy that was given to St. Peter and his successors by Jesus Himself. The Church is what helps guide Catholics in their practice of the faith. Members of the church can definitely be bad (for example, bad priests...), but the Church herself, and her teachings are good!
Central Michigan University: A public college in the middle of Michigan's lower peninsula. This is where I go to school!
Charism: A charism is a building block of the Church. They are gifts of the Holy Spirit that we are meant to use for others sake and the whole of the Church. I believe I have the charisms of Writing and Intercessory Prayer.
Choir: Not a singing choir! This is basically a chapel, or a part of the monastery where the nuns pray.
Christmas: The season in which we celebrate the birth of Christ! The best way to celebrate it is with Mass. Hence, Christ + Mass = Christmas
Church: See Roman Catholic Church
Cloister: A building in which nuns live. The nuns have limited contact with the outside world and are thus "enclosed." They do this so they may focus on their work of prayer. This is a part of a convent/monastery that the public is not allowed to enter. Some nuns may be partially cloistered, spending part of their day enclosed, and the rest doing active ministry. Other nuns are strictly cloistered and seldom leave, except for perhaps, a doctor's appointment.
Code of Canon Law: A series of books of the laws, teachings, and rules of order within the Catholic Church.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Usually done with a client and a therapist, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is altering the way one looks at their thoughts and responding to those thoughts with healthy behaviors. (See https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Treatment/Psychotherapy)
Communion: Not just a term for being in community with others. Holy Communion is the act of receiving Jesus in the Eucharist. As all people around the world receive the same Jesus, we are all in communion with each other and with God.
Compulsions: Ritualistic behaviors such as repeating prayers, repeatedly checking that a door is locked, weighing oneself several times in a row, to name a few. Those with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder perform compulsions to relieve anxiety from obsessions, but the anxiety never fully goes away. The anxiety may lessen for a short time due to the compulsions, but will ultimately return.
Confession: Also known as the Sacrament of Reconciliation within the Catholic Church. It's hard for me to explain, so I'll just give you the link to what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says about it: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm
Consecrated Life: A general term for virgins or religious men and women who are consecrated to God alone. They may live out his/her consecrated life in community (see religious life) or even independently (see consecrated virginity).
Consecrated Virginity: A woman who is consecrated to God by her bishop. She lives independently and in the world as a perpetual virgin. Her spouse is Christ!
Consecration: 1. The moment during Mass, in which the bread and wine become the actual Body and Blood of Christ! 2. Something dedicated to something sacred (like a nun is dedicated to God)
Consolation: A period of lightness and rest in prayer. Consolation usually brings peace, joy, and a feeling of closeness to God.
Convent: A general term for a house/building in which a religious community lives.
Deacon: a deacon is a servant. Deacons serve the priests and proclaim the word of God. The role of a deacon was created in the early church because priests had there hands full! Deacons can't consecrate the bread and wine into the Eucharist as priests do, but they can say the rest of the Mass.
Desolation: Dryness in the spiritual life. This is when prayer is hard, sad, or boring. It makes you feel pretty down. We need to remember that desolation is when the evil spirit is at work and not God!
Dignity: Merriam Webster Dictionary says it is "the quality or state of being worthy, honored, or esteemed. " All people have dignity and it is something that God gives us.
Diocese: Specific geographical region in the Catholic Church that is led by a bishop.
Discernment: There are many different levels of discernment (I'd suggest reading the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola or What Does God Want? A Practical Guide to Making Decisions by Michael Scanlan, T.O.R. to learn more). Discernment is consulting God on the decisions you are making. You could discern something small, like if you should have ice cream or not tonight, or you could discern something big, like becoming a priest or getting married.
Disciple: A follower of a teacher. Usually when I talk about a disciple, it's about a follower of Jesus, the greatest teacher.
Divine Mercy Chaplet: A prayer that Jesus gave to St. Faustina, imploring mercy on the whole world for the sake of Jesus' sorrowful passion. It can be prayed with a rosary.
Divine Office: See Liturgy of the Hours
Doctor of the Church: A saint whose writings are proclaimed as particularly helpful at explaining the teachings of the Catholic Church. There are currently 36 Doctors of the Church. See crossroadsinitiative.com for a list of all 36!
Easter: A period of celebration of the resurrection of Jesus! Yeah! Jesus is not dead! He is alive! Celebrate it! We also get to celebrate this at every Mass!
Encyclical Letter: A letter that addresses Catholic doctrine. Often, the pope writes encyclical letters to bishops, priests, and lay people.
Eros: is often thought of as a bad type of love because as it is sexual love fueled by desire and self-love. However, Pope Benedict XVI says in his encyclical letter, Deus Caritas Est that eros is actually good. Passion, romance, and sex is a gift from God. He makes clear, though, that we need agape (selfless) love as well. Both eros and agape are essential to Godly love.
Eucharist: The body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ! Guys, this is absolutely amazing. This is Jesus in the flesh! He said Himself that He is the Bread of Life, and unless we eat of Him, we will not have eternal life. I know, it can sound kind of bizarre...we "eat" our God...but can you think of a more intimate way to be united with our Creator? And through this we are thus united with each other! This can be a tough one for anyone to believe, because a piece of bread and cup of wine don't look like Jesus, but faith tells us that this in fact is Jesus! It's so cool!
Eucharistic Adoration: The practice of adoring God in the Eucharist. Jesus is often "exposed" in a Catholic church and is presented on a sort of golden mount called a monstrance. Even if He isn't "exposed", where you can see the actual bread, you can visit Him and be in His presence when He is hidden inside a little box (I know, this also sounds bizarre...) called the tabernacle.
Eucharistic Procession: Similar to Eucharistic Adoration, Jesus is "exposed." In a procession, Jesus is "exposed" on the streets. People process (walk in a group), usually in a line around a block or down a street, prayerfully following the priest who raises up the monstrance--which is a sort of golden mount that holds Jesus, our Lord, for us to see Him in the form of Bread.
Evangelization: Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with others. The Catholic faith is so awesome that we can't keep it to ourselves--we are propelled to show and tell!
Examination of Consciousness: This is not the same as an examination of conscience. Rather, examination of consciousness is a review of one's day, in which one pays special attention to the movements of God in one's life.
Exposition of the Holy Eucharist: The consecrated host, the very Body of Jesus, is exposed to us on the altar. He is contained in a sort of gold casing or throne, that is known as a monstrance.
Exposures: Used with Exposure and Response Prevention. An activity that exposes one to their fears, so that they will no longer be afraid of it. For example, buying groceries at the store used can be super scary for me, but the more I do it (the more I expose myself to the fear), the more confident and less anxious I am!
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP): This is a therapy usually used to treat Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.(OCD) With a therapist, a person with OCD purposefully faces their worst fears without responding to it with compulsions. Eventually, the OCD sufferer becomes less afraid of their fears, and no longer need to do rituals to prevent the fears from coming true. Say you are afraid of spiders. ERP is exposing oneself to pictures of spiders, saying the word "spider" or even looking at a spider in real life, until it is no longer a fear at all. This is scary but effective treatment. Know that if you ever do this type of therapy, you don't get thrown into the room with a spider right away! You just start with something little, like saying the word "spider" until your anxiety goes down.
Excommunication: Suspending, limiting, or excluding one's participation in the Church. You have to do something really grave for this to happen.
Father: God the Father is one person in the Holy Trinity. He is revealed to us by His Son, Jesus, as our creator and great, merciful lover.
Feast Days: When I use this word, I'm mostly talking about a holy day declared by the Catholic Church. For example, March 19th is the feast of St. Joseph.
Franciscan Friars of the Renewal: A religious order of priests and monks.
Fruits of the Holy Spirit: Attributes that come from living in sync with the Holy Spirit. They include: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity.
Gentile: Anyone who was not Jewish
Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Well, they are gifts. We don't produce them. God does. Obviously, anything good is a gift from God, but there are seven in particular that we receive when initiated into the Church. They are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
Good Friday: A part of the Easter Triduum. This is the day that we commemorate Jesus' passion and death on the cross.
Gospel: The Good News of Jesus Christ! That He conquered sin on the cross and rose from the dead! The Gospel can be used as a general term for the Good News, but there are four specific "gospels." They are books in the Bible that tell the narrative of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.
Guardian Angel: Every person has a guardian angel. This is an angel assigned to us by God to help us through life and to carry our prayers to God. Guardian angels protect us spiritually and physically by the power of God.
Habit: The garment that a religious sister wears distinguishing her as a member of a particular religious community
Heretic: A believer who speaks contrary to the teachings of the Church.
Holy Communion: See Communion, it's pretty cool
Holy Day of Obligation: A day that Catholics are "obliged" to go to Mass. Every Sunday is a Holy Day of Obligation. Then, there are really sapecial days like Christmas and Easter that are Holy Days of Obligation. Why do we have to go? Because if we want to have a giant party with the kingdom of heaven, our future home, Mass is where it's at!
Holy of Holies: The place in the Temple in Jerusalem where God was fully present. During the First Temple Period (around 900 BC), the Ark of the Covenant (which held the Ten Commandments) was within it. During the Second Temple Period (starting after 500 BC), the Ark of the Covenant was lost, but God still dwelt within the Holy of Holies.
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (aka...Mass; Holy Mass): The awesome ceremony in which all are welcome to commune with God and the saints! We get to stand in the "courtyard" of heaven and unite with the whole Body of Christ--the Church. This includes scripture readings, and most importantly the celebration of the Eucharist!
Holy Saturday: The day before Easter! This is a day that we relive the time that Jesus was in the tomb and we anticipate His resurrection.
Holy Spirit: There is only one God, but He manifests Himself as three different persons, known as the Trinity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the love that transcends between the Father and the Son. The presence of the Holy Spirit can be symbolized as a tongue of fire or a dove.
Holy Thursday: This is the Thursday of Holy Week. We celebrate the Lord's Supper--the time when Jesus instituted the Eucharist. It is also the beginning of the Easter Triduum on Holy Thursday evening, in which we celebrate the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It was on this night that Jesus had His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and was arrested.
Holy Week: The holiest week of the year! Beginning with Palm Sunday (the traditional day when Jesus entered Jerusalem, beginning His passion) and continuing through Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. This is the week leading up to Easter!
Intercessors: People who pray on behalf of others
Intercessory Prayer: It is a gift in which one prays (intercedes) on behalf of others, and our generous God responds. This is a way for God's deliverance to be brought out through us little humans!
Jerusalem: A very old and holy city in Israel. It is super important to Jews, Christians, and Muslims and is considered the center of Israel. Jesus died and rose from the dead just outside of this city! Not to mention bible story after bible story took place here!
Layperson: A person who is married or living the single life in the Catholic Church. Laypersons serve God through family life, careers, and ministries.
Lent: 40 days of fasting, prayer, and alms-giving to prepare us for Easter.
Liturgical Year: The Church year. The liturgical year is made up of seasons and gives guidelines on when to celebrate different feasts in the Church. This includes: Advent, Christmas, Lent, The Triduum, Easter, and Ordinary Time. See USCCB.
Liturgy of the Hours: Also known as the Divine Office, it is a prayer consisting of psalms, readings, and intercessions that is prayed by Catholics all around the world. Morning and Evening prayer are the most common types, but some (cloistered nuns often do) pray all seven hours consisting of midnight, morning, mid-morning, mid-day, mid-afternoon, evening, and night.
Major Depressive Disorder: A mental disorder that is just as it sounds--it's major depression. It requires treatment just like any physical illness. Symptoms include prolonged sadness, low sense of self-worth, lack of interest in activities, voluntary isolation, and suicidal thoughts.
Mary (or Blessed Virgin Mary, or Mary, Mother of God...etc): The Mother of Jesus! She is God's chosen vessel! Through her lowly, earthly motherhood, salvation was brought to the whole world
Marian Devotion: This is not worshiping Mary or treating her like God. Rather, it is going to her, the chosen one of God and asking her assistance in better knowing her Son Jesus.
Martyr: A person who dies for the faith. For example, many of the first Christians were killed in an arena for being Christians--they were martyrs and martyrs are so awesome that they are immediately considered saints by the Church.
Mass: See "Holy Sacrifice of the Mass"
Merit: The worth or reward for doing good, such as the value of a good action.
Miraculous Medal: Long story short, a miraculous medal is known as a sacramental. It is an object that God uses as a sacred sign for our salvation. Mary appeared to a nun in France, introducing the miraculous medal, which reads: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." Mary said that there are graces upon graces waiting to be given to people--all we have to do is ask for them!
Missionaries of Charity: The religious order founded by St. Mother Teresa!
Monk: A male version of a nun. Monks are typically cloistered.
Monastery: I tend to use the term "convent" and "monastery" interchangeably. Technically, I spent six months at a monastery--a building for a community of nuns. Typically, monasteries are for cloistered nuns, while convents may be for a more active-in-the-world, community of nuns.
Mother Abbess: the "head" nun in a community. She is usual voted into her position and acts as mother to all of the sisters.
New Testament: The Bible is divided into two sections. The Old and New Testament. The Old Testament is a series of books about the creation of the world, and the history of Israel, leading up to the time of Jesus. The New Testament begins with the life of Christ and the early Christian Church. In its most basic terms: the Old Testament is before Christ and the New Testament is right when Christ was born and afterwards.
Novice: The "nuns-in-training." Novices are a part of a religious community who are still going through formation and discernment. They have not yet made vows.
Novice Mistress: The nun who trains the "nuns-in training". I thought of my novice mistress as an angel, as she told me where I had to be, what to do, how to properly say the prayers, how to speak, and she is the woman I went to with all of my joys and sorrows.
Nun: A nun is a woman part of a religious order, who takes three vows: poverty, chastity, and obedience. "Nun" is typically used for a cloistered sister.
Obsessions: A persistent, anxious thought about a subject, such as contamination, symmetry, sin, sexuality, morality, weight, etc. This is a symptom of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): An anxiety disorder that requires medical attention. A person with this illness suffers from obsessive thoughts that could be about contamination, symmetry, sin, sexuality, or some other subject of personal concern. These obsessions lead one to perform compulsions--ritualistic behaviors. See obsessions and compulsions.
OCD Cross: This is just a term that I personally use. I think having Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a cross--a burden to carry that brings life and redemption as Jesus carried His cross, giving us all life.
Old Testament: The Bible is divided into two sections. The Old and New Testament. The Old Testament is a series of books about the creation of the world, and the history of Israel, leading up to the time of Jesus. The New Testament begins with the life of Christ and the early Christian Church. In its most basic terms: the Old Testament is before Christ and the New Testament is right when Christ was born and afterwards.
Ordinary Time: "divided into two sections (one span of 4-8 weeks after Christmas Time and another lasting about six months after Easter Time), wherein the faithful consider the fullness of Jesus' teachings and works among his people." United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Liturgical Year.
Our Lady of Fatima: The Blessed Virgin Mary, who appeared to three children in Fatima, Portugal in 1917. She stressed the importance of praying the rosary and consoling the wounded heart of her Son.
Parable: A story that is used as a type of analogy. Jesus often speaks in parables to relate big topics to everyday life. For example, to explain what heaven is like, Jesus compares it to something we all understand like a wedding feast or a treasure hidden in a field.
Parish: A church, typically led by a priest, known as the pastor, to serve a certain location/small district/town.
Penance: An act of self denial/discipline to show repentance for one's sins--that's what I'm referring to when I say "penance". Yet, the word "penance" is used in many ways. I'd suggest looking at www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm
Pentecost: The birthday of the Church. This is the event when the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus, came upon the disciples in Jerusalem with wind and tongues of fire! The Holy Spirit led the disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, as evangelization is the purpose of Christians.
Perpetual Adoration: The Eucharistic Jesus is exposed on the altar in the monstrance, 24/7!!!
Pilgrimage: A faith-filled journey to a destination (usually to a religious place)
Poor Clares: A religious order of nuns founded by St. Clare of Assisi. I spent six months at a Poor Clare convent. They focus on poverty (hence, the name...) and spend their life enclosed in the convent so they can concentrate on prayer for the world, before their beloved Jesus.
Pope: The head of the Roman Catholic Church! St. Peter was the first pope, appointed by Jesus Christ Himself. The pope acts in the person of Jesus Christ--don't get me wrong--the pope is not Jesus, but he is God's chosen vessel to shepherd his Church. Pope Francis is our current pope.
Pope Benedict the XVI: was the previous pope before Pope Francis. He is still alive and is super smart. He has written a lot of books and encyclical letters. I call him, "Papa Benny" for short. Oh, and XVI means 16th!
Pope Francis: Our current pope! He is a smiling, humble man! Many of us young people enjoy calling him, "Papa Frankie" or "Pope Francisco!"
Postulant: A woman who is just entering religious life. She has many years till taking her vows, and is just beginning to live and learn about the life of a religious sister.
Prayer: Conversation with God. Nuff said.
Priest: A priests primary duty is to perform the liturgy of the Mass. That includes the consecration of the Eucharist. See www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php?id=9622
Psychiatrist: A doctor for mental health
Recreation: Well, you probably know that recreation is any sort of fun activity be it sports, reading, swimming, board games, etc. Nuns enjoy recreational activities as well. In fact, they usually have an hour or so set aside every day just for recreation! They typically do it as a community, so they can recreate together.
Relativism: The thought/belief that there can be more than one truth. That a truth can be formed in accord to culture, society, or personal belief.
Religious: A title for a man or woman who lives religious life! See below!
Religious life: It is a form of consecrated life for men and women, recognized by the Church. Religious typically take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. They are often referred to as "brothers" or "sisters". Unlike a consecrated virgin, religious live in community as a part of a particular religious order.
Religious order: The rule by which religious men/women live by. They live typically in community and have distinct practices or charisms. For example, Franciscans follow the teachings of St. Francis and center their lives around poverty and the poor. They are known for loving the outdoors and animals.
Religious sister: A nun.
Religious vows: What a woman or man professes before God and His Church. The three main vows are poverty, chastity, and obedience. After taking these vows, the man/woman is recognized by the Church as a nun or monk.
Retreat: Withdrawing from the routine of regular life to pray and reflect. Retreats are often organized and take place in designated times and places.
Roman Catholic: Roman Catholics are Christians who have allegiance to the pope (currently Pope Francis!), known as the Vicar of Christ. The Vicar of Christ means that the pope holds the primacy that was given to St. Peter and his successors by Jesus. Some distinct things about Roman Catholics (at least practicing Catholics), is that they love Jesus in the Eucharist, ask for Jesus' mama, Mary to pray with/for them, and are united through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Roman Catholic Church: Known as the Body of Christ, or Bride of Christ(often referred to as "her"), the Church is led by the pope--the Vicar of Christ. The Vicar of Christ means that the pope holds the primacy that was given to St. Peter and his successors by Jesus Himself. The Church is what helps guide Catholics in their practice of the faith. Members of the church can definitely be bad (for example, bad priests...), but the Church herself, and her teachings are good!
Rosary: A Catholic prayer that includes verbal prayers like the "Hail Mary" and "Our Father" and meditation on the lives of Jesus and Mary.
Saint: A person who is in Heaven. See "canonized saint" above for more information.
St. Augustine: An amazing Doctor of the Church who was the son of St. Monica. He is known for his dramatic conversion, intellect, and contribution to the Early Church.
St. Bernadette: Born in Lourdes, France, Bernadette was a poor girl visited by Mary, the Mother of God (Our Lady of Lourdes)
St. Clare of Assisi: My favorite saint. Founder of the Poor Clares during the 1200's, she was one of the first followers of St. Francis (he is the guy known for his love for animals). She ran away from home when she was eighteen and renounced all of her possessions (including her own hair!) so that she could live a simple life of prayer and dwell in the house of God.
St. Faustina: A nun saint who received visions that focused on the Divine Mercy of God. Her whole diary is a published book!
St. Francis of Assisi: best known for being a lover of animals and nature, St. Francis renounced all that he had to follow Christ, so he became super poor but super happy. He was pretty good friends with St. Clare and he founded a large religious order known as the Franciscans.
St. Francis Xavier: One of the patron saints of missionaries, St. Francis was also one of the founders of the Jesuits, a religious order known as the Society of Jesus. St. Francis Xavier was also the first missionary to go to Japan.
St. John the Apostle: The author of the Gospel according to John. John is also known as the "beloved disciple" or "the disciple whom Jesus loved." He was a son of a man named Zebedee and was a brother of James. Both James and John were named as apostles, by Jesus, or "the Twelve."
St. John Paul the II (or Pope St. John Paul the Great): The pope before Pope Benedict who is wonderfully famous for his Theology of the Body, pastoral care, acts of radical mercy, and love for youth, the family, and joy.
St. Joseph: The husband of Mary and the earthly father of Jesus of Nazareth.
St. Juan Diego: A Mexican saint who was visited by Mary, the Mother of God, and she is known as Our Lady of Guadalupe.
St. Louis de Montfort: is an extraordinary guy who greatly encouraged devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He wrote the book, True Devotion to Mary.
St. Monica: Mother of St. Augustine, who was known for her ceaseless prayer for the conversion of her son.
St. Mother Teresa: a pretty famous woman who worked in Calcutta, India. She founded the religious order known as the Missionaries of Charity. They serve the poorest of the poor.
St. Padre Pio: A Capuchin/Franciscan Italian priest saint who is known for his gift of the stigmata, bilocation, miracles, intense love for the Eucharist, being a wonderful confessor, among other awesome things.
St. Paul: An awesome guy who wrote several books in the New Testament. He was a convert to Christianity in the 1st Century and became an amazing servant of God, travelling the world to tell people about Jesus. He also was a fantastic Church leader.
St. Peter: The first pope! Appointed by Jesus Christ Himself. He was one of Jesus' first disciples and is known for making a lot of mistakes--haha! I love him.
St. Therese of Lisieux: a super cool saint (nun) who is super famous among Catholics for having childlike simplicity.
Sacrament: "The liturgical life of the Catholic Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Matrimony, and Holy Orders. The purpose of the sacraments is to make people holy, to build up the body of Christ, and finally, to give worship to God; but being signs, they also have a teaching function." Sacraments of the Catholic Church; CatholicOnline. See CatholicOnline.
Sacred Heart of Jesus: Jesus' love is so great and wonderful, that His very heart is an object of our devotion. You may recognize the symbol of His heart: on fire, with a cross, surrounded with a crown of thorns, and a pierced side.
Satan: The devil--also known as Lucifer. Satan is a fallen angel who was given wonderful knowledge of God (because angels are cool like that), but chose to turn against him. Because of this, he was sent to hell. Satan is real, whether we believe it or not. His goal is to take as many souls to hell with him. It sounds freaky and like a horror movie--I know--thing is, this is real life stuff. Evil is real.
Saturday Devotee: Saturdays are special days for the Blessed Virgin Mary. When I say "Saturday devotee," I mean a person who practices special devotion to Mary on Saturdays.
Scrupulosity: A person with scrupulosity worries that they have committed a sin when they haven't committed one at all. Scrupulosity can be both a spiritual trial and/or a mental trial. Anyone who is religious may have thoughts that they didn't say a prayer perfectly. However, a person with scrupulosity worries excessively that they didn't perform a perfect prayer and have thus sinned. Scrupulosity becomes a type of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder when obsessions and compulsions are involved. For example, a person with scrupulosity OCD may repeat a prayer over and over again, until he/she thinks they have said it "well enough."
Sin: Choosing to act against God
Sister: I could just say any female child of God, but I'll be talking a lot about religious sisters. This is a term for a woman who dedicates her life to God through religious vows. Synonyms: nun, virgin, religious, etc. Nuns are titled as sisters. For example, Sister Josephine.
Sisters of Life: A religious order of nuns that started in New York City, focusing on the value of human life. They carry this out through prayer and action.
Stall: An assigned seat! Within a monastery, nuns have assigned individual seats in their choir (or, chapel) for them to pray at and store their religious objects/books.
Solemnity: A very special, high-ranking, feast day in the Catholic Church.
Son: Jesus. The person of the Holy Trinity Who was sent to renew our relationship with the Father.
Synagogue: A place for a Jewish congregation to gather and worship.
Synod: An assembly in the Catholic Church of priests to lay people that can be for the Pope or for the local church.
Tabernacle: This is what contains Jesus in the flesh. It is typically a box-like container that holds the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Called the Blessed Sacrament, Jesus in a tabernacle can be found in Catholic churches.
Theology: The study of God
Theology of the Body: The study of God through discovering his work and meaning in our human bodies. Look up Pope St. John Paul II on the Theology of the Body. He has a lot of great stuff.
Thirty Days Devotion to St. Joseph: A very long prayer that is said every day for thirty consecutive days. This prayer asks for St. Joseph to pray for your special intentions.
Triduum: Also known as the Sacred Paschal Triduum. For three days we celebrate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. From Holy Thursday evening until Easter Sunday evening.
Trinity: God is three distinct Persons, but one God: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I know, it's hard to wrap the head around the fact that The Father's love for the Son and vice versa is the Holy Spirit. It's super cool. God Himself is constantly in a communion of love, and we are called to join in that communion of love.
Triune God: just a way of describing God Who is the Trinity!
Unleash the Gospel: This is a movement in the Archdiocese of Detroit in which God is making our Church mission-driven instead of maintenance-driven. Our Archbishop, Allen H. Vigneron wrote a pastoral letter explaining the need, purpose, and plan to unleash the Gospel in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Just as the Holy Spirit came to the first disciples at Pentecost the Holy Spirit continues to come to us modern-day disciples!
Vatican City: In Rome, where the Pope resides. The Vatican is actually its own little country, serving as the "central station" of the Church.
Vice: A sinful habit. For example, gluttony or drunkenness--it is often a habit. Gossip is another example of a vice.
Vocation: This is the way of life God calls each individual to live. It is a distinct path that leads to our holiness, either through marriage, the priesthood, or a form of consecrated life.
World Youth Day: A world wide event for young Catholics. Started by St. Pope John Paul II, youth come from all over the earth to gather with the Pope, united in the Catholic faith.
Writing: Well, I'm sure you know what writing is, but I'm talking about the spiritual charism of writing. This is more than just a talent, it is a gift to the Church that I believe the Holy Spirit has given me (hence I'm starting a blog). Those with this charism feel very close to God when writing and it is a way of prayer for them. Their writing is meant to be gifted/shared with others.