Quick Reference
Catholic Glossary
Catholic vocabulary can feel like a second language, especially for anyone new to the faith. Here are plain, accurate definitions for the words you'll meet most often across this site — and at your own parish.
A
Absolution — The words by which a priest forgives sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, acting in the person of Christ (CCC 1424, 1449).
Advent — The four-week season of preparation and expectant waiting before Christmas. See The Liturgical Year.
Agnus Dei — Latin for "Lamb of God"; the prayer sung or said just before Communion at Mass.
Alb — The long white garment a priest or deacon wears at Mass. See Vestments & Sacred Vessels.
Angelus — A traditional prayer recalling the Annunciation, prayed at 6 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m.
Apologetics — The reasoned defense and explanation of the Catholic faith. See the Apologetics page.
Apostolic Succession — The unbroken transmission of teaching authority and sacramental power from the apostles to today's bishops (CCC 77, 861–862). See The Papacy & the Magisterium.
B
Baptism — The first sacrament of initiation, washing away original and personal sin and making one a child of God and member of the Church (CCC 1213, 1263–1267).
Beatific Vision — The direct, unmediated sight of God enjoyed by the blessed in heaven (CCC 1023, 1028). See The Four Last Things.
Beatification — The step before canonization, in which the Church declares a deceased person may be honored (though not yet publicly venerated by the whole Church) as "Blessed."
C
Canon Law — The Catholic Church's own body of internal law governing her life and practice.
Canonization — The Church's formal declaration that a person is a saint in heaven and may be publicly venerated by the whole Church; widely held by theologians to be an infallible act, though (unlike a dogma) this has not itself been dogmatically defined (CCC 828).
Catechesis — Systematic instruction in the Catholic faith (CCC 4–5).
Catechumen — An unbaptized adult preparing to receive the sacraments of initiation through OCIA (CCC 1247–1249).
Chalice — The cup used at Mass to hold the wine that becomes the Precious Blood.
Chasuble — The outer vestment a priest wears over everything else at Mass. See Vestments & Sacred Vessels.
Ciborium — A covered vessel holding consecrated hosts for Communion or reservation in the tabernacle.
Communion of Saints — The spiritual union of all the faithful — on earth, in Purgatory, and in heaven — as one body in Christ (CCC 954, 962).
Confirmation — The sacrament that seals and strengthens the grace of Baptism with the gifts of the Holy Spirit (CCC 1285, 1303).
Consecration — The moment at Mass when bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ; also, more broadly, any solemn dedication of a person or object to God.
Contrition — Sorrow for sin, joined to a resolve not to sin again — the necessary first step of a good Confession (CCC 1451–1453).
D
Deacon — A man ordained to the first degree of Holy Orders, called to serve the Church through the ministry of the Word, the altar, and charity (CCC 1569–1571).
Deposit of Faith — The full body of revealed truth handed down from the apostles in Scripture and Sacred Tradition (CCC 84).
Deuterocanonical — The seven Old Testament books (and portions of two others) recognized by the Catholic Church but not the Protestant canon. See How We Got the Bible.
Diocese — A local territorial division of the Church governed by a bishop (CCC 833).
Discipline — A Church rule or practice (e.g. priestly celibacy in the Latin Church, Friday abstinence, the Communion fast) that the Church herself has established and can, in principle, change — unlike dogma or doctrine, which the Church did not invent and cannot alter.
Doctrine — A teaching of the Church on faith or morals, authoritatively taught by the Magisterium. Every dogma is a doctrine, but not every doctrine has been formally defined as dogma; doctrines can be more or less definitively taught, and the Church's understanding of a doctrine can develop in clarity over time, even when a dogma cannot.
Dogma — A truth revealed by God that the Church's Magisterium has definitively proposed for belief by all the faithful (CCC 88–89).
Doxology — A short hymn of praise to God, such as "Glory be to the Father..."
E
Ecumenism — Efforts toward the restoration of unity among all Christians (CCC 820–822).
Encyclical — A formal papal letter, usually addressed to the whole Church, on a matter of doctrine or morals.
Epiphany — The feast celebrating the Magi's visit and Christ's manifestation to the Gentile world.
Eucharist — The sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, truly, really, and substantially present under the appearances of bread and wine; also called Holy Communion or the Mass (CCC 1324, 1374).
Evangelization — Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and life so that others might come to faith (CCC 905).
Ex Cathedra — Literally "from the chair"; describes the rare, solemn exercise of papal infallibility (CCC 891). See The Papacy & the Magisterium.
Excommunication — A severe canonical penalty that excludes a Catholic from receiving the sacraments, intended to be medicinal, calling the person back to full communion (CCC 1463).
G
Genuflect — To bend the right knee to the ground, a gesture of reverence made especially toward the Blessed Sacrament (CCC 1378).
Grace — God's free and undeserved gift of His own life and help, given to bring us into communion with Him (CCC 1996–1997).
H
Hierarchy — The sacred order of bishops, priests, and deacons who govern and serve the Church (CCC 874–876).
Homily — The reflection on the Scripture readings given by a priest or deacon during Mass.
Host — The bread used at Mass, which, once consecrated, becomes the Body of Christ.
I
Icon — A sacred image, especially in the Byzantine tradition, understood as a window into the reality it depicts rather than mere decoration (CCC 1159–1162).
Immaculate Conception — The dogma that Mary was preserved free from original sin from the first moment of her existence (CCC 490–492). See Mary, Mother of God.
Incarnation — The truth that the eternal Son of God took on human nature and was born of the Virgin Mary (CCC 461–463).
Indulgence — The remission before God of the temporal punishment due for sins already forgiven, granted through the Church's ministry (CCC 1471).
L
Laity — The baptized faithful who are not ordained clergy or vowed religious, called to sanctify the world from within (CCC 897–900).
Liturgy — The Church's official public worship, above all the Mass and the other sacraments (CCC 1069–1070).
M
Magisterium — The Church's living teaching office, exercised by the Pope and bishops in communion with him (CCC 85–87). See The Papacy & the Magisterium.
Martyr — One who dies rather than deny the Catholic faith, giving the ultimate witness (Greek martys, "witness") (CCC 2473).
Mass — The Catholic Church's central act of worship, re-presenting Christ's one sacrifice on the Cross and culminating in the Eucharist (CCC 1366–1367).
Matrimony — The sacrament of marriage between one man and one woman (CCC 1601). See Vocations.
Missal — The liturgical book containing the prayers and instructions for celebrating Mass.
Monstrance — The ornate vessel used to display a consecrated host for adoration. See Vestments & Sacred Vessels.
Mortal Sin — A grave sin committed with full knowledge and full consent, which severs a soul's relationship with sanctifying grace (CCC 1855, 1857).
N
Novena — A nine-day period of private or public prayer for a special intention.
Nuncio — The Pope's diplomatic representative to a nation's government.
O
OCIA — The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, the process by which adults enter the Catholic Church, formerly called RCIA. See the OCIA page.
Orthodoxy — Right belief, in accord with the Church's authentic teaching; also, capitalized, the family of Eastern Christian Churches not in communion with Rome.
P
Parish — A stable local community of the faithful within a diocese, normally centered on a particular church building (CCC 2179).
Paschal — Relating to Easter or, in the Old Testament, to the Passover it fulfills.
Paten — The small plate holding the host at Mass. See Vestments & Sacred Vessels.
Patron Saint — A saint regarded as a special heavenly intercessor for a person, place, or cause, often chosen at Confirmation.
Penance — Both the Sacrament of Reconciliation and, more broadly, acts of prayer, fasting, or sacrifice undertaken to atone for sin (CCC 1422–1424, 1434).
Pentecost — The feast, fifty days after Easter, commemorating the Holy Spirit's descent on the apostles and the Church's birth (CCC 731–732).
Purgatory — The final purification, after death, of those who die in God's friendship but are not yet perfectly holy (CCC 1030–1031). See The Four Last Things.
R
Real Presence — The Catholic belief that Christ is truly, really, and substantially present in the consecrated Eucharist (CCC 1374).
Relic — A physical remnant of a saint's body or belongings, venerated as a reminder of that person's holiness.
Rosary — A Scripture-based prayer combining the Our Father, Hail Mary, and meditation on the mysteries of Christ's life (CCC 971, 2678).
S
Sacrament — An efficacious sign of grace, instituted by Christ, that truly gives the grace it signifies; the Church recognizes seven (CCC 1131).
Sacramental — A sacred sign — such as holy water, blessed medals, or the Sign of the Cross — that disposes the soul to receive grace, distinct from the seven sacraments themselves (CCC 1667, 1670).
Sanctifying Grace — The habitual, supernatural gift of God's own life dwelling in the soul, first given in Baptism (CCC 1999–2000).
Schism — The refusal of submission to the Pope or of communion with the Church, without a denial of doctrine (which would instead be heresy) (CCC 2089).
See (Holy See) — The jurisdiction and authority of the Bishop of Rome; "the Holy See" refers to the Pope's central government of the universal Church.
Stole — The narrow band worn by a deacon, priest, or bishop as the specific sign of ordination. See Vestments & Sacred Vessels.
T
Tabernacle — The locked receptacle in a church where the consecrated Eucharist is reserved (CCC 1379).
Theotokos — Greek for "God-bearer"; the title "Mother of God" defined for Mary at the Council of Ephesus (CCC 466, 495). See Mary, Mother of God.
Transubstantiation — The Church's term for how bread and wine become, in substance, the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass, while retaining the outward appearances of bread and wine (CCC 1376).
Trinity — One God in three divine Persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (CCC 253–255). See The Holy Trinity.
V
Veneration — The honor given to Mary and the saints, distinct from the worship (latria) owed to God alone (CCC 971, 2132).
Venial Sin — A less serious sin that weakens, but does not sever, a soul's friendship with God (CCC 1855, 1862–1863).
Vespers — Evening prayer, part of the Church's Liturgy of the Hours (CCC 1174–1178).
Vestment — Sacred garments worn by clergy at liturgical celebrations. See Vestments & Sacred Vessels.
Vulgate — St. Jerome's fourth-century Latin translation of the Bible, the Church's standard biblical text for over a thousand years.
A word of Scripture
"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." Colossians 4:6