1Apostolic succession:
the power of the apostles passed on to the next generations of bishops
2Basilica:
a large church that is not a cathedral
3Bishops:
high-ranking clergymen who have the power to confirm and ordain
4The Body of Christ:
(1) The consecrated host (bread) in the Eucharist (2) the community of believers, the Church
5Councils:
a gathering of bishops to make decisions about important issues for the Church
6Conciliar:
when the authority of the Magisterium is expressed through the Pope in a council
7Dramatised prayer:
a form of prayer that includes actions and movement
8Disciple:
a follower of Jesus
9Evangelism:
preaching the good news about Jesus to other people
10Hierarchy:
a ranking system that gives structure to the Church
11Immaculate conception:
a title given to Mary that refers to the belief that Mary was conceived without original sin.
12Justice:
bringing about what is right and fair – ie. not just punishing people
13Kingdom of God:
the rule of God in the hearts and minds of his people, as preached by Jesus Christ. a place where people all live as God intends
14Lent
the 40 days before Easter, during which Christians reflect on the sufferings of Jesus
15Magisterium:
the teaching authority of the Catholic Church, excessed by the Pope and the Bishops
16Magnificat:
the name of the prayer that Mary said when Elizabeth greeted her during her visit
17Mission:
‘sending out’ people with a job or function or purpose
18Ordination:
the sacrament which makes a man a bishop or priest
19Peace:
a state of total trust and unity between all people
20Pontifical:
when teachings of the Church are presented by the Pope
21Pilgrim:
a person on a religious journey, which reflects the journey through life to heaven.
22Pilgrimage:
a journey by a believer to a holy site for religious reasons; an act of worship and devotion
23Pope:
the Head of the Catholic Church, the successor to St Peter
24Reconciliation:
(1) the restoration of harmony after relationships have broken down (2) a sacrament in the Catholic Church
25Second Vatican Council:
a series of important gatherings of all Catholics between 1962 and 1965
26Stations of the Cross:
a series of 14 images that remind Catholics of Jesus’ final journey to the cross
27The Lord’s Prayer:
another name for the Our Father
28Vocation:
a call from God to fulfil a particular role in life, linked often to serving others