Western or Latin Catholic Church

The Western Church is now a tightly organized vast portion of the Catholic Church.  In its origins, it included the foundation of many, diverse local Churches­–Ambrosian, Irish, French (Gallican), Spanish,...

Valid Mass

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is also the Sacrament of the Mass. The Church has a right to prescribe the ceremonies of the Mass, the sacred vessels to be used, the vesture...

Species

The “species” are the appearances, especially those of bread and wine, after the Eucharistic Consecration. “The term ‘species’ is used by the Council of Trent to identify the accidents, i.e.,...

Sacraments of Initiation

The Sacraments of Initiation are Baptism, Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist. Each one is a stage in the sacramental progress of Catholics. Baptism initiates the one baptized into the Catholic Church founded...

Sacraments of Character

The Sacraments of Character are Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders. Each of these Sacraments confers a special indelible mark on the soul. Because this mark, called the sacramental character, is permanent...

Reordination

Reordination is the repetition of an ordination ceremony for a Bishop, priest, or deacon because there are serious grounds for doubting the validity of a previous ordination. The term is...

Properties or Accidents

The “properties” or “accidents” of bread and wine are their size, shape, texture, color and taste. After Consecration, the accidents of the bread and wine (and therefore, of gluten and...

Private Revelations and the Mission of the Marian Catechist Apostolate

Laudetur Iesus Christus! I offer a counsel for Marian Catechists regarding the promotion of private revelations. Private revelations are those “supernatural manifestations by God of hidden truths made to private...

Pontifical Mandate

The ordination of a Bishop requires a pontifical mandate, that is, the official approval of the Pope. This requirement is a way of securing the unity of the Bishops with and...

Physical Properties

See Modern Catholic Dictionary: Accidents. See Supplemental Vocabulary: Accidents, material and spiritual physical properties; Properties; Species.

Person

In Catholic theology we define a person as an individual intelligent being. We further identify three kinds of persons in existence: God, angels, and men. In all creation, they alone possess intellectand will. Angelic...

Necessity of Holy Communion

2020 For Basic Course lesson 12; for Advanced Course lesson 20. Is the Sacrament of Holy Communion, the Eucharist, necessary for salvation? Is that what Jesus meant when He said,...