AMCAT FINAL

Saints

Catholics often pray for help from holy (dead) people.

baptismal font

The fountain people get baptised in

Baptistery

part of the church used for baptism

Clerestory

upper part of the nave, choir, and transepts

Nave

where the pews are

Diocese

within the Roman Church, a bishop is in charge of this.

The Nicene Creed speaks of a church, which is one, holy, catholic and _____.

Apostolic (descended from the apostles)

Old Testament

Hebrew Scriptures; part of the bible used by both Jews and Christians; includes stories about God's creation of the world, covenant with the chosen people, laws according to which the chosen people are to live, psalms or song-prayers, and other theological and spiritual texts

Most Roman Catholics are not ordained (priests or deacons); everyone else is called:

Lay people

cloister

a covered walk in a convent, monastery, college, or cathedral, typically with a wall on one side and a colonnade open to a quadrangle on the other.

ecumenical council

a gathering of bishops -- "ecumenical" in this case means "from the whole world" -- these have more authority than a "synod" does

synod

a gathering or council of bishops

Basilica

a large oblong hall or building with double colonnades and a semicircular apse. Type of building and christianised site.

Magisterium (ordinary)

a magister is a teacher; "the magisterium" is often used interchangeably with "hierarchy" to refer to the pope and bishops in their capacity as "teachers" of the whole church; the adjective is "magisterial" as in "magisterial authority"

abbey/priory/convent/monastery

a place where monks or nuns live; 'convent' is exclusively used for women, monastery typically but not always is used for men, abbey and priory are used for either

ecclesiology

answers the question "what is the church?"

Ambulatory

around the apse

Encyclical

circular letter written by the pope -- so often called "papal encyclicals"

Nicene Creed

creed comes from credo, "I believe" -- it is a statement of the Catholic Church's belief, which was written at the council of Nicaea (a city in Turkey) in 325 CE. -one holy, catholic, and apostolic church

Doctrine

important and officially proclaimed, but is subject to various levels of debate. It includes propositions (for example, that Mary was immaculately conceived) but also moral statements (like the prohibition against divorce.)

Intercession

intervention -- in prayer, saints are asked to intercede for us with God

Two terms often used collectively to refer to the bishops (including the pope) are

magisterium and hierarchy.

Milagro

miracle

Largely honorary titles within the Catholic Church include

monsignor and cardinal

Narthex

most Catholic churches have a vestibule serving as a transitional space between outside and inside; this space is.

Purgatory

most roman catholics believe in an intermediate post-death state, neither heaven or hell

Apse

near sanctuary

New Testament

part of the bible used by Christians; includes the gospels, or accounts of Jesus's life, death, and resurrection; the Acts of the Apostles, an account of the early church; a number of letters commenting on theology and practice; and the Book of Revelation, a visionary account of the Last Judgment and the recreation of the world

Icons

pictorial representation

Marian devotions

prayers and practices asking for Mary's help, ie the rosary

liturgy of the hours/Divine Office

prayers said at 7 times of the day/night, or "hours," mostly made up of psalms and typically used by monks/nuns though also by others

Pulpit

preacher delivers sermon

ordination

process of making someone a priest; priests get "ordained"

Magisterium (extraordinary)

refers to the pope when he speaks ex cathedra

Discipline

relates to church practice and is subject to change more or less at the discretion of the hierarchy

Grotto

small cave ( Lourdes water - the grottos)

Beatification

stage on the way to canonization; someone who's reached this phase is called "blessed," as in "Blessed Oscar Romero"

Dogma

the level of Church teaching is considered the highest/most central/least arguable. (unchangeable)

Vatican

the place where the Pope lives and where the Church's central bureaucracy is also located.

Altar

the table in a Christian church at which the bread and wine are consecrated in communion services.

Members of a religious order are subject to authority of a bishop when

they are in his territory.