Kerygma: The proclamation of the resurrection as the message of salvation.
Keys: Power of the Spiritual authority and jurisdiction in the Church, symbolized by the ñkeysî to the kingdom of heaven. Christ promised the keys to St. Peter and future heads of the Church.
Knights of Columbus: Fraternal organization for Catholic men. Knights of Columbus engage in religious and charitable projects in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the Philippines.
Kyrie Eleison:Greek words meaning; "Lord have mercy". Sometimes said or sung in Greek during the penitential rite of the Mass.

Laicization: The process by which a priest is returned to the status of a layperson.
Laity:Members of the Church who do not belong to the Clergy or Religious Orders.
Layman, Woman, Person: Any Church member who is neither ordained nor a member of a religious order. When the Second Vatican Council spoke of the laity, it used the term in this more common meaning.
Last Judgment:The judgment of every person by Jesus Christ at the end of time.
Last Rites: Properly called Viaticum. The Sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Anointing given to a dying person; the term itself is no longer officially used by the Church. Most people mistake Last Rites for the Anointing of the Sick. See Anointing of the Sick.
Last Supper:The supper Jesus had with his disciples on the night before he died, during which he instituted the Eucharist.
Latin Rite: Western or Roman Rite of the Catholic Church; Catholic Churches with the Roman liturgy. The Latin Rite is one of 23 Catholic Rites that recognize the Pope as the head of the Church.
Lay Ministries / Lay Apostolate:These are ministries within the Church that are carried out by laypersons. Included are altar servers, Eucharistic ministers and lectors.
Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR): Organization of major superiors, who represent more than 90 percent of the active women religious in the United States.
Lectern:The stand from which the Scriptures are read in church. Often called an ambo.
Lectionary: The ritual book which contains the Scripture selections to be read at Mass, both weekday and Sunday celebrations, arranged in accordance with the liturgical seasons*. The Lectionary, as revised by the Second Vatican Council, offers three readings for Sundays along with a psalm text. The first reading is usually from the Old Testament, the second reading is taken from a non-gospel New Testament text, and the third reading is taken from one of the gospel accounts. A three-year cycle apportions out each of the synoptic Gospels over the course of the Sundays of that year. John's Gospel is read at Easter, on special feasts and fills in on the year given over to Mark.
Lectionary Cycle:The Scripture readings used in Mass are set in a 3-year Sunday cycle and 2-year weekday cycle
Lector: The person who proclaims the first two Scripture readings at the Sunday Mass or the first reading at a weekday Mass
Lent:A period of six weeks leading up to Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday and is a time of self-denial in preparation for Easter. Catholics usually choose some form of self-denial which they observe during Lent.
Limbo: Never an official teaching of the Church, A term used in the Middle Ages and later in an attempt to explain the eternal destiny of unbaptized children who died; a state of natural and eternal happiness.
Litany:A form of prayer in which the Priest recites a series of petitions to God, or calls on the help of Saints. These petitions are followed by a set response said or sung by the congregation.
Liturgical Colors: Colors used in vestments and altar coverings to denote special times in the Church year. Green is used in ordinary time, red denotes solemn feast days, purple denotes penitential times and white is used for joyful occasions including Christmas, Easter and some saintsÍ feast days. See also Colors.
Liturgical Season: Refers to the various periods of time in the Church calendar which are annually celebrated. There are five such seasons: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time. Through the unfolding of this annual cycle of seasons, the Church celebrates the Paschal Mystery* of Jesus Christ. Thus, the very passage of time itself becomes a holy observance.
Liturgy: From Greek, leitourgia, "public works," this term denotes the communal, public and official worship of the Church contained in texts and rites celebrated by the people of God when they gather. As the original Greek suggests, this activity is the work of the whole Church and does not lie with any one person or group. The entire household of the faithful does the liturgy and in so doing directs itself to the praise and glory of God.
Liturgy of the Eucharist: The section of the celebration when the gifts of bread and wine are prepared and the Eucharistic Prayer is proclaimed by the celebrant, and the Blessed Sacrament is distributed to the assembly.
Liturgy of the Hours: This is the preferred term in the Latin rite for the official liturgical prayers sanctifying the parts of each day.
Liturgy of the Word: That section of the celebration where readings from the Scriptures are proclaimed and reflected upon. On Sundays and major feasts, there are three readings: Old Testament selection, New Testament selection (from the Epistles),  The Gospel reading
Liturgical Year:The worship of the Church over the period of a year during which central mysteries of faith are unfolded. The chief festivals are Christmas, Easter and Pentecost.
Lord's Prayer:The prayer Jesus taught his followers to say. The prayer of petition for both daily food (which for Christians means also the Eucharistic bread) and the forgiveness of sins. The Our Father. Click Here to read the Lord's Prayer
Lourdes: Shrine in France, a place of miracles dating back to the latter part of the nineteenth century; related to an apparition of Mary.
Love: Charity and concern for self, others, and God. Not an emotion but an act of the intellect and of free will.

Maccabean Era: A period of time in the second century B.C. When the last Old Testament books were first written.
Maccabees: Two Old Testament books not part of the Protestant versions, two of the Apocrypha. See Deuterocanonical Books.
Magisterium:The teaching authority of the Church.
Marian Theology: Church teachings and traditions regarding Mary, the Mother of God.
Marriage Encounter: A weekend religious experience for married couples which aims to make good marriages better
Martin Luther: (d. 1546) Augustinian monk (Catholic Priest) who was eventually responsible for starting the Protestant Reformation; founder of the Lutheran Church.
Martyr:A Christian who bears witness to the truth of the Gospel to the point of death.
Matrimony: One of the seven Sacraments, this is a marriage covenant / contract between baptized persons. The love shared between the couple reflects the love of Christ for his people.
Maryknoll: Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America, a religious order founded in 1911.
Mary: The central point of the theology of Mary is that Mary always points to Christ. She is the Mother of God. In traditions since apostolic times, the Church and the faithful have accorded to Mary the highest forms of veneration. She is not worshiped. She is celebrated in feasts throughout the year, and in devotions such as the rosary and litany and is hailed the patroness of many countries, including the United States. Catholics do not pray to Mary. They ask Mary to pray with them and for them.
Mass: The common name for the Eucharistic liturgy of the Catholic Church. Also referred to as Eucharist, Celebration of the Liturgy, Eucharistic celebration, Sacrifice of the Mass or Lord’s Supper. NOTE: Do not use: “Saying Mass” or “Performing Mass.” Instead use: “Celebrating Mass,” “Concelebrating Mass,” “Celebrating the Liturgy,” or “Celebrating the Eucharist”
Master of Ceremonies: One who assists in the preparation of the liturgy and is present to facilitate the movement of the entire celebration
Maundy Thursday:See "Holy Thursday".
May Devotions:Special services held during the month of May to honor Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Meditation: Reflecting on God or the things of God in one's own heart. Meditation is a particular form of prayer whereby one purposely focuses attention. This focus may be achieved by concentrating on a singular image or object. Suitable objects for Christian meditation include texts of Sacred Scripture, religious artwork, events in the life of Christ, images of Mary and the saints and events of everyday life which heighten one's awareness of God.
Mendicants: Religious orders without property rights whose members work or begged for their support
Metropolitan: The archbishop of an archdiocese in a province. He has limited supervisory powers and influence over the other dioceses and bishops in the province.
Michelangelo: Italian sculptor, painter, and architect (14751564), responsible for some of the greatest religious art.
Military Ordinariate: (Archdiocese for the Military Services, U.S.A.) Nonterritorial diocese for U.S. Catholics and their dependents who are in the military or affiliated with the armed forces.
Minister: From the Latin word for ñservant,î in the ecclesiastical sense a minister is (1) an ordained cleric or (2) one who has the authority to minister to others
Ministry: Service in or to the Church done with the love of Christ.
Miracle/ Apparitions: Generally ñmiracleî is used to refer to physical phenomena that defy natural explanation, such as medically unexplainable cures. An apparition is a supernatural manifestation of God, an angel or a saint to an individual or a group of individuals.
Miracle Play: Medieval religious dramas meant as teaching aids; preceded morality plays.
Missal:A book containing the prayers of Mass.
Miter: A hat with peaks in front and back, worn by a bishop at liturgical services.
Mixed Missionaries:Christians who proclaim the Gospel to non-Christians in a foreign country.
Monastery: An autonomous community house of a religious order, which may or may not be a monastic order. The term is used more specifically to refer to a community house of men or women religious in which they lead a contemplative life separate from the world.
Mohammed: The founder of the religion of Islam in 622.
Monasticism: Derived from the Greek, monos, or "one, alone," describing the institutional pursuit of religious life where individuals take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, separating themselves from the world either alone (as hermits) or in community. Monasticism attempts under the guidance of a rule (for example, the Rule of St. Benedict) to establish a life of prayer and work for the glory of God, for the personal holiness of the individual, and for the good of the Church and the world. Different monastic orders sometimes take their name from the founder of their rule, such as the Benedictines (St. Benedict), Franciscans (St. Francis of Assisi), and Dominicans (St. Dominic).
Monk / Friar: A man who belongs to one of the monastic orders in the Church, such as Basilians, Benedictines, Cistercians and Carthusians. Monsignor An honorary ecclesiastical title granted by the Pope to some diocesan priests. In the United States, the title is given to the vicar general of a diocese. In Europe, the title also is given to bishops.
Monsignor: An honorary title given to a priest who distinguishes himself by outstanding service.
Monstrance:An ornate receptacle in which a consecrated host is placed so that the Risen Christ in the form of bread, can be seen and venerated by the people, used for the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Mortal Sin:A serious sin by which a Christian cuts himself off from God's grace. Catholics who are conscious of having committed a mortal sin are bound to confess to a Priest.
Mother of God:A title given to Mary because she is the mother of Jesus the Christ who is both God and man.
Mystery:A truth which cannot be completely grasped by human reason.
Mysticism: Communion with God the divine source of all life.

National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB): Episcopal conference of U.S. bishops. The membership is comprised of diocesan bishops and their auxiliary bishops. The conference decides matters of ecclesiastical law and issues policy statements on political and social issues.
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception: Important United States shrine in Washington, D.C.
Natural Law: The laws which govern the nature of things; the natural moral law refers to proper human action by people.
Neophyte: From Greek, neophutos, or "new plant, new growth," this term refers to those newly initiated who have celebrated Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Neophytes, the newly initiated, are grafted onto Christ as vines to the branch and are so designated up until the first anniversary of their initiation.
Nave: Main body of a church building.
New Testament: The Christian Scriptures of the Bible.
Newman Apostolate: An apostolate to the Catholic college and university community, now commonly known as ñcampus ministry.î
Nicene Creed: The formula of chief doctrines of the Catholic Church formulated by councils of the Church and recited by Catholics at each Sunday Mass. See Creed.
Novena:Nine days of prayer. It has its origins in the nine days the disciples spent in prayer awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit between the Ascension and the Pentecost.
Novice:A person who has been accepted into a religious order and who is undergoing a period of training and formation before taking vows.
Novitiate:The period a novice spends in training.
Nun: Nun 1) Strictly, a member of a religious order of women with solemn vows; 2) in general, all women religious, even those in simple vows who are more properly called sisters.
Nuptial Mass:A Mass which includes the Wedding Service. Not all Weddings in the Catholic Church are accompanied by Mass. There is no rule regarding this, it is up to the Bride and Groom.

Old Testament: Hebrew Scriptures --that part of the Bible written before the time of Christ.
Opus Dei: Literal translation: the work of the Lord. A personal prelature dedicated to spreading through society an awareness of the call to Christian virtue, awareness, and witness in oneÍs life and work. Members are not of a religious order, do not take vows, but sometimes live in community.
Order, Congregation, Society: A religious order is the title loosely applied to all religious groups of men and women. A society is a body of clerics, regular or secular, organized for the purpose of performing an apostolic work. A congregation is any group bound together by common rules.
Ordinary: Diocesan bishops, religious superiors, and certain other diocesan authorities with jurisdiction over the clergy in a specific geographical area, or the members of a religious order.
Ordinary Time: Time during the Church year not related to specific feasts: the day after the Sunday after January 6 to the day before Ash Wednesday and the day after Pentecost to the day before Advent.
Ordination:The conferring of Holy Orders on a man, by which he becomes a Bishop, Priest or Deacon.
Ordo: Book of directions for the Mass and Divine Office on a daily basis.
Original Sin: The result of the sin of our first parents which affects all people in its consequences.
Our Lady:The title Catholics use most frequently when referring to Mary, the mother of Jesus.

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Page last modified Thursday, February 14, 2008