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	Word	Definition as found in Blest Are We
	age of reason	The age of reason is the age at which children are able to distinguish between right and wrong, approximately age seven.
	All Souls’ Day	All Souls’ Day is the feast day on which we pray for the souls undergoing purification in purgatory. We celebrate All Souls’ Day on November 2.
	alms	Alms are donations of time, money, or goods to the poor.
	Apocalypse	The Apocalypse, or Book of Revelation, is the last book of the Bible. It describes the end of the world in symbolic language.
	apostolic	The Catholic Church is apostolic because it is founded on and faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the apostles.
	beatific vision	The beatific vision is the sight of God, which brings everlasting happiness and peace.
	beatitude	Beatitude is another word for blessedness or happiness. A beatitude is also any one of the eight guidelines about how to live and find real happiness in God’s kingdom that Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount.
	blasphemy	Blasphemy is the act of showing contempt for God or sacred things through one’s words or actions.
	canon law	Canon law is the collection of the laws of the Catholic Church.
	catechesis	Catechesis is a process of faith formation that includes education and participation in the life of the Catholic community.
	catholic	The word catholic means "universal." With a capital C, it describes the Church founded by Christ’s apostles. Because it welcomes all people who believe in Jesus Christ, the Catholic Church is universal.
	Christendom	Christendom is the name given to a part of the world in which Christianity dominates. Europe, in which the Church and the state formed one society for about 1,000 years, was once known as Christendom.
	Church	The Church is the living Body of Christ, the People of God. The Catholic Church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. The word Church means "convocation," or gathering together.
	Church Fathers	The early Christian leaders whose teachings helped develop Christian doctrine are known as Church Fathers.
	conversion	From a Latin word meaning "to turn around," conversion means "a turning away from sin."
	Counter- Reformation	The Counter-Reformation was the sixteenth-century movement of reform instituted by the Catholic Church to reverse the effects of earlier reforms and to counter the increasing strength of Protestantism.
	covet	To covet means to have an excessive desire for what rightfully belongs to someone else.
	Crusades	The Crusades were military attempts by Christians to free the Holy Land from Muslim control.
	denomination	A denomination is an individual, organized religious body that is a form of a particular faith. Reformed Christian churches, such as the Lutheran Church, are Protestant denominations.
	devotion	A devotion is a special way of praying to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, or of expressing love for Mary and the saints.
	Doctor of the Church	"Doctor of the Church" is a title that the Church gives to saints whose writings have greatly helped others understand matters of faith or doctrine.
	doctrine	Doctrine refers to an official teaching or a body of official teachings of the Church.
	ecumenical council	An ecumenical council is a worldwide gathering of the pope and all the bishops. Ecumenical councils help clarify church teachings.
	ecumenism	Ecumenism is the movement to establish unity among Christian churches.
	encyclical	An encyclical is a letter from the pope to all the members of the Church throughout the world in which the pope clarifies or reinforces Catholic teachings.
	episcopal	The word episcopal is used to describe bishops or the objects, actions, and events in their ministry.
	Eucharist	In the sacrament of the Eucharist, bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The Eucharist is the central sacrament of the Church. It is the heart of Catholic worship.
	ex nihilo	Ex nihilo is a Latin phrase meaning "from nothing." It is used to describe how God created the universe.
	faith	Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (based on Hebrews 11:1). It means believing and trusting in God.
	fiat	Fiat is a Latin word meaning "Let it happen" or "Let it be done."
	free will	Free will is the freedom to choose to do what is right or what is wrong.
	grace	Grace, a gift that God freely gives us, is God’s life within us, which fills us with love and enables us to do God’s will.
	hallow	To hallow is to venerate, honor, or treat as holy.
	heaven	Heaven is everlasting happiness with God, and with all people who love God and others, after death.
	hell	Hell is everlasting suffering and separation from God, and from all people who love God and others, after death.
	heresy	A heresy is a denial of a church doctrine.
	icon	An icon is a holy image of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, or the saints, often made out of gold leaf and other special materials. Icons are an important part of spirituality for Christians in Eastern churches.
	indulgence	An indulgence is the removal of all or some of the punishments that we must suffer in purgatory for the effects of our sins on earth.
	Latin	Latin was the common language spoken in the Roman Empire. It is the basis for many European languages.
	liturgy	The liturgy is the official, public worship of the Church. It includes the celebration of Mass and the sacraments.
	Liturgy of the Hours	The Liturgy of the Hours is the Church’s official prayer for certain times of the day and night. It is also called the Divine Office. It consists of psalms, readings, hymns, and prayers.
	Magisterium	The pope, in communion with the bishops, is the teaching authority, or Magisterium, of the Church.
	marks of the Church	The marks of the Church are the four qualities of the Catholic Church that distinguish it as the true Church established by Christ to bring salvation to humankind: one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. The Church is one because it is united in faith, worship, and authority; holy because it is in communion with God; catholic because it is universal; and apostolic because it is founded on and faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the apostles.
	Mass	Mass is another name for the celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist. It is taken from the Latin word missa, meaning "sent," which was once used at the end of the celebration.
	mendicant order	A mendicant order is a religious community of men or women who consider themselves totally dependent on God. Members of these orders support themselves by begging and asking for charity.
	monastery	A monastery is a lifelong residence for monks or nuns. The word monastery may also refer to the community of monks or nuns at such a residence.
	Mosaic Law	The Mosaic Law, or Law of Moses, sets forth rules and practices that the Jewish people have followed since the time of Moses, for whom the Law is named. The Ten Commandments, the basis of Mosaic Law, are found in the Bible, in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5:6—21. The Book of Leviticus contains further details of the Law.
	natural law	The natural law, which is part of human nature and lasts forever, allows people to know the difference between good and evil.
	novena	A novena is a Catholic devotion in which specific prayers are said on nine consecutive days.
	papal infallibility	Papal infallibility is the doctrine that when the pope speaks officially for the Church on a matter of faith or morals, he is guided by the Holy Spirit and what he says is free from error.
	Paschal mystery	The Paschal mystery is God’s plan for our salvation through the Passion, death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus.
	pastoral	Pastor is the Latin word for "shepherd." Pastoral describes the work of priests or bishops in "shepherding," or guiding, people in the church community.
	pastoral letter	A pastoral letter is a message from a bishop or bishops giving guidance to the members of the Church or society.
	Pentateuch	The Pentateuch is the first book of the Old Testament.
	perjury	Perjury is the act of lying after having made an oath to tell the truth, with God as one’s witness.
	piety	Piety is an attitude of dedication to and reverence for God and holy things.
	pilgrimage	A pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place or sacred site for spiritual or devotional reasons.
	plagiarism	Plagiarism is the use of someone’s ideas or works as if they were one’s own.
	predestination	Predestination is the doctrine that God determines whether our souls are saved or damned before we are born.
	presbyters	Presbyters were the appointed religious leaders, or elders, of the early Christian communities. In the Church today, the term presbyter means "priest."
	presider	A presider is a priest who leads a sacramental or liturgical celebration as well as consecrates the bread and wine during Mass.
	Protestant Reformation	The Protestant Reformation was the early sixteenth-century religious movement begun in Europe by Martin Luther that set out to reform some of the doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church. The efforts of Luther and other reformers resulted in the development of Protestantism.
	purgatory	Purgatory is a final purification from sin after death.
	Reconciliation	Reconciliation is a sacrament of healing in which Catholics ask forgiveness for sin and reunite with God and with the church community.
	reformation	Reformation is the act of removing faults or abuses.
	ritual	A ritual is a formal ceremony that has a set of rules. The eucharistic celebration is a ritual of the Catholic Church.
	sacrament	A sacrament is a sacred sign and cause of grace instituted by Christ in the Church to continue the saving action of God through the Holy Spirit.
	sacramental life	The sacramental life of the Church is the way in which the Church celebrates the liturgy and the seven sacraments. Through the Church’s sacramental life, we are united with Christ.
	sacrificial meal	The term sacrificial meal describes the Mass, which is both a holy sacrifice and a sacred meal.
	sanctifying grace	Sanctifying grace is grace that heals us of sin and makes us Christlike. We receive sanctifying grace first at Baptism. It works within us throughout our lives to make us holy.
	social justice	Social justice is respect for human dignity demonstrated through actions that promote human rights.
	solidarity	Solidarity is the unity we share with all our brothers and sisters, who are made in the image of God.
	stewardship	Stewardship is responsibility for caring for and protecting the well-being of another person, group, or entity.
	Theotokos	Theotokos is a Greek word meaning "God-bearer." The early Church used this word to express the belief that Mary is truly the Mother of God.
	transubstantiation	Transubstantiation is the sacred mystery in which bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ.
	trespass	Trespass means "to commit a sin."
	Trinitarian	Trinitarian means "reflecting the unity of the Blessed Trinity." The Church is Trinitarian because it reflects the unity of the Trinity by being the People of God, the Body of Christ, and the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
	unity	Unity means "acting as one." The members of the Body of Christ, the Church, are unified. We pray for Christian unity.
	vernacular	The vernacular is the language that is native to a region or country.
	virtue	A virtue is an ability to make morally good decisions that lead to the habit of doing good. Christian virtues are considered gifts from God that we can develop into habits of Christian living.
	Yahweh	Yahweh is a Hebrew word meaning "I am who I am." In the Old Testament, Yahweh is God’s sacred name, which God revealed to Moses.