| acolyte |
a person who assists a clergyman in religious services, esp. Roman Catholic. [1/2 definitions] |
| Agnus Dei |
a prayer in the Roman Catholic or Anglican church beginning with these words, or the accompanying music. [1/2 definitions] |
| anointing of the sick |
a Catholic sacrament in which a priest anoints a person who is in danger of imminent death, while praying for recovery and remission of sins; last rites. |
| anti-Catholic |
combined form of Catholic. |
| apocrypha |
(cap.) a group of fourteen books of the Old Testament that are rejected by Judaism, and considered by Protestants as uncanonical, eleven of which are accepted by the Roman Catholic Church. [1/2 definitions] |
| apostolate |
the office, duties, mission, or term of activity of an apostle, or, esp., of the pope as head of the Apostolic See in the Roman Catholic Church. |
| archdeacon |
a title of honor given in the Roman Catholic Church to a member of a cathedral chapter. [1/2 definitions] |
| assumption |
(cap.) in the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and certain other Christian churches, the feast day that commemorates the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Assumption is celebrated on August 15. [1/5 definitions] |
| Ave Maria |
this prayer itself, used in the Roman Catholic church. [1/2 definitions] |
| basilica |
a Roman Catholic church bestowed by the Pope with certain ceremonial rights. [1/2 definitions] |
| beatification |
in the Roman Catholic Church, the process of determining whether a deceased person should be declared to be in heaven and therefore deserving of special honor, or the final decision and declaration that this is so. [1/2 definitions] |
| beatify |
in the Roman Catholic Church, to proclaim (a deceased person) blessed in heaven and deserving of a ceremony of honor. [1/3 definitions] |
| Beguine |
a member of a lay Roman Catholic sisterhood of the Netherlands, first established in the twelfth century, that allowed women to keep their private property and revoke their vows whenever they wished. |
| Benedictine |
a member of a Roman Catholic order of monks or nuns following the rule of St. Benedict. [1/2 definitions] |
| benediction |
(usu. cap.) a service of the Roman Catholic Church, made up of prayers, hymnsinging, and a blessing. [1/2 definitions] |
| biretta |
in the Roman Catholic and some Anglican churches, a stiff, square cap with three or four raised ridges, worn by clergymen and varying in color according to their rank. |
| breviary |
in the Roman Catholic Church, a book containing the hymns and prayers necessary for the daily devotions of the clergy. |
| canon2 |
a member of one of certain Roman Catholic orders. [1/2 definitions] |
| canonize |
in the Roman Catholic Church, to declare (someone) a saint. [1/3 definitions] |
| capuchin |
(cap.) a Roman Catholic monk belonging to a branch of the Franciscan order whose members observe strict vows of poverty and austerity. [1/3 definitions] |
| cardinal |
in the Roman Catholic Church, an official appointed by the pope and second in rank to him. [1/4 definitions] |