Show:
What To Know About Catholics
Big and Scary Words
What To Know In Church
Faith and Sin
Followers
100
Literally the study of Christ; the systematic statement of Christian beliefs about Jesus Christ, including his identity, mission, and saving work on earth.
What is Christology
100
In the Scriptures the event in which the early followers of Jesus received the Holy Spirit. Today the Church celebrates this event on Pentecost Sunday, which occurs seven weeks after Easter Sunday.
What is Pentecost
100
This word is translated into “God with us.”
What is Emmanuel
100
The sin by which the first humans disobeyed God and thereby lost their original holiness and became subject to death. Original Sin is transmitted to every person born into the world, except Mary and Jesus.
What is Original Sin
100
A follower who seeks to imitate Jesus’ words and actions. As disciples we try to make his values, attitudes, and priorities our own. We recognize and accept Jesus as the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Eternal Son of God, who took on human flesh, died to liberate us from sin, and opened a path to new life for us through his Resurrection.
What is Disciples
200
Teachers and writers in the early Church, many of whom were bishops, whose teachings are a witness to the Apostolic Tradition.
What are Church Fathers
200
The biblical event in which the Angel Gabriel visits the Virgin Mary and announces that she is to be the Mother of the Savior.
What is Annunciation
200
Feast days in the liturgical year on which, in addition to Sundays, Catholics are obliged to participate in the Eucharist.
What is Holy Day of Obligation
200
Any deliberate offense, in thought, word, or deed, against the will of God.
What is Personal Sin
200
The proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through word and witness.
What is Evangelization
300
This word means "Universal"
What is Catholic
300
When God brought Mary’s whole being—body and soul—into Heaven. Eastern Catholics and Orthodox Christians instead call it Mary’s Dormition (or “falling asleep”). Both groups celebrate this special end to Mary’s earthly life on August 15.
What is Assumption
300
The Immaculate Conception celebrates the day on which Mary was conceived in the womb of her mother, Saint Ann, without Original Sin.
What is Immaculate Conception
300
This word (of Germanic origin, meaning “what is dear or esteemed”) refers to a mental act or state of mind placing trust or confidence in a person or doctrine. Belief may also be used in a collective sense to indicate the body of doctrines held by a specific group; for example, “Catholic belief” indicates the doctrines held by Catholics.
What is Belief
300
To share our faith in Jesus Christ and the Good News of his life, death, and Resurrection.
What is Evangelize
400
The belief in and worship of only one God.
What is Monotheism
400
Comes from the Latin word meaning “to sleep.” As relating to the Virgin Mary, it refers to the notion that Mary fell asleep when assumed into Heaven as opposed to having entered death. The Church teaching refers to her being taken up to Heaven in body and soul but does not touch on whether she passed or slept in the Lord.
What is Dormition
400
Prayers consisting of a series of invocations and responses.
What is Litanies
400
“A body of doctrine, which is articulated as the Church interprets events in the course of history, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, in the light of the whole of what has been revealed by Jesus Christ”
What is Catholic Social Teaching
400
A prayer, petition, or ritual of grief that honors the death of a loved one. Many of the psalms are examples of lament recorded in the Bible.
What is Lament
500
A personal, solemn promise of faithful love that involves mutual commitments and creates a sacred relationship.
What is Covenant
500
This word (from the Latin, meaning “to hand on”) refers to the process of passing on the Gospel message. Tradition, which began with the oral communication of the Gospel by the Apostles, was written down in the Scriptures, is handed down and lived out in the life of the Church, and is interpreted by the Magisterium under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
What is Tradition
500
Used to describe devotions or teachings related to the Virgin Mary.
What is Mairan
500
Our response to God’s Revelation. Faith is the internal surrender of our whole selves—minds, hearts, and spirits—to God.
What is Faith
500
Those people who devote themselves to spreading the Gospel—in word and service—to those who have not heard it or to those who have rejected it; missionaries often serve in foreign countries.
What is Missionaries