Catechism of the Catholic Church Vocabulary – Flashcards
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Paschal Mystery
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The central truth of Christianity; the mystery of the life, death, and resurrection and ascension of Jesus.
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Peter
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The leader of the apostles; the first pope whose successors are today's bishops
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Font
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A basin for holding baptismal water in the church
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Nun
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A name to describe Catholic religious women dedicated to God with vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience
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Jesus New Commandment
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"Love one another as I love you" (Jn 15:12)
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Rectory
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The house in which the parish priest lives
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Initiation
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The process by which an individual becomes a member of the church; includes three sacraments of initiation: baptism, confirmation, and eucharist
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Apostles Creed
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A faithful summary of the faith of the apostles; "The oldest Roman catechism"
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Sanctuary
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The main area in the church building where the altar is placed
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Emmanuel
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One of the names given to Jesus in the Bible; it means "God is with us"
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Sacristy
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A room in the church where the sacred vessels and vestments are kept
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Calvary
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The name of the hill on which Jesus died
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Nicene Creed
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A detailed statement of the Christian faith which came from the first two ecumenical councils: Nicea (325) and Constantinople (381)
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Decalogue
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Another name for the Ten Commandments; the name literally means "ten words"
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Francis of Assisi
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An Italian saint who embraced poverty and is known for his love of animals
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Pentecost
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The feast-fifty days after Easter-that celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit on the church
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Assumption
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The feast day (August 15) that celebrates Mary's being taken body and soul into heaven
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Beatitudes
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Jesus' "recipe" for happiness given at the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:3-12)
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Ascension
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The feast that celebrates Jesus' going up to heaven body and soul
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Altar
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The holy table on which the sacrifice of the mass is offered
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INRI
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Letters that stand for "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews" in Aramaic, Greek, and Latin
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Annunciation
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The feast day (March 25) that celebrates Mary's acceptance of the angel's request that she be Mother of God
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Psalm
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An Old Testament hymn attributed to king David
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Angels
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Creatures with intelligence and free will who act as messengers for God in the Bible
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Easter
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The central Christian feast that celebrates Jesus' resurrection
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Temptation
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An enticement to do or say somethig we know to be evil
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Charity
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The greatest of the theological virtues: another name for love
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Rosary
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A devotion to Mary, the mother of God, consisting primarily of Hail Mary's and Our Fathers and meditation on the joyful, luminous sorrowful, and glorious mysteries
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Mother Teresa
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A holy nun who cared for dying persons with no place to go and founded the Missionaries of Charity
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Apostles
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The twelve men chosen by Jesus to be his special followers
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Stations of the Cross
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The Catholic devotion that walks the journey to Calvary with Jesus
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Transubstantiation
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The theological term that names the change of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ
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Eucharist
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Communion, breaking of the bread, Lord's Supper, Sacrifice of the Mass, Holy Liturgy, Memorial feast
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Abraham
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The spiritual father of the Jewish people
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Seven Capital Sins
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Pride, Lust, Greed, Gluttony, Envy, Sloth, Wrath
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Chrism
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Perfumed oil consecrated by the bishop and signifying the gift of the spirit to the one anointed
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Immaculate Conception
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Doctrine that states that Mary was preserved from original sin
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Advent
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The church season that prepares for the coming of Christ
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Canonization
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The official process that certifies sainthood
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Sin
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A word, deed, or desire contrary to the will of God; an offense against God
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Idolatry
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Divinizing what is not God; honoring a creature in place of God
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Chalice
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A cup for the consecrated wine at Eucharist
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Triduum
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A sacred three-day period in the church that begins with the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday and concludes on the evening of Easter Sunday
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Atheist
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A person who believes that there is no God
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Holy Days of Obligation
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Days other than Sundays on which the faithful are obliged to attend and participate at mass
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Anointing of the Sick
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One of the seven sacraments; usually for people who are in danger of death or are experiencing an extended or serious illness
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Stole
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A long scarf worn over the shoulders of priests and bishops while officiating
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Catholic
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A word that means "universal"; it is also the name of a major Christian religion
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All Saints Day
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The church feast on November 1 that honors all saints who have not been canonized
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Adoration
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The highest form of praise, due only to God
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Golden Rule
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"Do to others whatever you would have them do unto you"
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John the Baptist
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The cousin of Jesus and son of Elizabeth
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Creed
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A formal profession that summarizes the faith of Christians
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Gospels
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The four books of the Bible that give a record of the life of Jesus; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
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Vatican
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The city which is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church
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Satan
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A fallen angel; the prince of devils
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Ash Wednesday
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The first day of Lent
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Absolution
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The prayer of forgiveness spoken by the priest in the sacrament of reconciliation
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Sabbath
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The weekly day of rest and worship in the Hebrew tradition; replaced by Sunday for Christians
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Liturgy
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The participation of the people of God in "the work of God" the divine worship
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Hell
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Separation from God for all eternity by our own free choice; definitive self-exclusion from communion with God
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Miter
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The pointed hat worn by the bishop
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Pope John Paul II
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Was the first non-Italian pope in over four hundred years: the pope who shephered the church into the third millennium
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Adultery
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Sexual relations between two persons, at least one of whom is married to another
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Almsgiving
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Giving food, money, and clothing to relieve the poor; th giving must be free and done for the love of God
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Communion of Saints
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Union of the believers on earth, the souls in purgatory, and blessed in heaven, altogether forming one church
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Conscientious Objector
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One who refuses to serve in the armed forces on grounds of conscience
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Gifts of the Holy Spirit
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Wisdom, courage, right judgment, understanding, knowledge, reverence, wonder and awe in god's presence
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Agnostic
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A person who claims it is not possible to know if there is a God
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Exorcism
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A special prayer in which the church, in the name of Jesus, asks that a person be withdrawn from the dominion of the devil
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Ruah
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A word that means both Spirit and breath; a name for the third person of the trinity
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Marks of the Church
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One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic
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Protestant Reformation
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The split in Christianity that began in the sixteenth century in Europe
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Ecumenism
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The effort to bring about unity among Christian churches
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Testament
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A word that means covenant or "sacred agreement between God and human persons"
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Fornication
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Sexual intercourse between an unmarried man and an unmarried woman
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Aramaic
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A common language spoken in Palestine during the time of Jesus
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Parousia
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A word that means "arrival" or "presence"; it refers to the second coming of Jesus
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Chrismation
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Term used in eastern rite churches for the sacrament of confirmation
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Actual grace
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God's special gift given as we need it to live the Christian life
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Ecumenical Council
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A gathering of all bishops of the world in order to make solemn decisions for the universal church
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Yhwh
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The Hebrew letters for the unnameable God
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Martin Luther
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The German priest who broke from the Catholic church and started a Christian sect named for him
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Augustine
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One of the Church's great theologians; a church doctor; a saint; son of St. Monica
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Catechesis
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Passing on the truths of Christianity; the education in the faith
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Natural Law
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The original moral sense which enables a person to know what is good and what is evil
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Faith
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The human person's response to God, who reveals himself and gives himself to us; the personal adherence of the individual to God
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Chastity
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The abstinence from sexual intercourse outside of marriage; moral purity in thought and conduct
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Monsignor
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An honorary title given to a priest to recognize his outstanding service
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Ministry
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Any form of active Christian service
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Charisms
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Special graces given an individual which directly or indirectly benefit the church
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Synoptic Gospels
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Matthew, Mark, and Luke; commonly believed to be derived from the same source; the word means "seeing with the same eye"
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Diocese
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The geographical region under the leadership of a local bishop called an ordinary
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Seal of Confession
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The absolute confidentiality required of a priest regarding sins revealed in confession
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Conversion
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A change of heart; the response of the heart, touched by grace to God's mercy
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Logos
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Greek word for "word"; one of the names given to the second person of the trinity
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Sanctifying Grace
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A gift from God that perfects the soul and enables us to live with God and to act according to his call
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Envy
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One of the capital sins; the desire to obtain another's goods unjustly
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Excommunication
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Most severe penalty in the church which excludes the person from receiving communion
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Consecration
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Time in mass when the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ
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Hinduism
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The major religion of India; characterized by the belief in reincarnation and a supreme being of many forms and natures
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Mohammed
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The founder of the Islamic religion
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Encyclical
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A letter from the pope to the entire church
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Cardinal Virtues
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Prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance
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Permanent deacon
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A rank of ordination for service in the church which is open to married men
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Pentateuch
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Greek name given to the first five books of the old testament
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Ecclesiology
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The study of the church
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Pope
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The supreme leader of the church; title given to the Caholic bishop of Rome
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Apostolic succession
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The unbroken chain of authority that extends from the apostles to the bishops of today
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Sacramentals
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Christian objects, prayers, or blessings that are identified as sacred; for example: the sign of the cross, a crucifix, blessed oils, statues of Saints
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Litany
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Greek word meaning "to pray"; a Christian form of prayer that includes invocations and responses
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Celibacy
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A promise to God not to marry or engage in sexual activity
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Grace
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The human person's participation in the life of God
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Paschal Candle
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The symbol of the risen Christ that stands in the sanctuary from Easter to Ascension
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Passover
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A seven-day Jewish festival that recalls how the angel of death "passed over" the Hebrew people and allowed them to escape Egypt
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Magisterium
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The teaching authority of the church
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Pope John XXIII
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The pope who called Vatican Council II in 1962 to update the Church.
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Infallibility
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Special help the Holy Spirit provides to protect the church from error in matters of faith and morals
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Exodus
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Old Testament book that tells the story of the escape of the chosen people from Egypt
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Poverty, Chastity, Obedience
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Vows taken by consecrated religious men and women
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blasphemy
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Words of hatred, reproach, or defiance spoken against God
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Calumny or Slander
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Remarks contrary to the truth which harm the reputation of another
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College of Bishops
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Refers to all the bishops of the world together in union with their head, the bishop of Rome
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Catechumen
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A person who is being initiated into Christianity
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Inspiration
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The power of the Holy Spirit, working through human authors, to compose the sacred books of scripture
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Dorothy Day
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Twentieth-century social activist and founder of newspaper The Catholic Worker
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Epistle
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A Greek word meaning "letter" or "message"; for example: the letters of St. Paul contained in the New Testament
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Viaticum
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Holy Communion received by dying persons to help them pass over to God in the afterlife
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Schism
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A separation or division in the church
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Incarnation
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Theological term that names the mystery that Jesus is both fully God and Fully human
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Hope
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Theological virtue that allows us to trust and believe firmly in God
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Rubrics
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forms, directions, and rituals that guide christian service
