Key Concepts in Catholic Sacraments and Theology

Apostolate

The particular way God calls and equips each one of us to be an apostle.

Baptism of Desire

Receiving the grace of Baptism upon death, because Baptism was desired and not completed through no fault of the would-be baptizand.

Baptism of Blood

Receiving the grace of Baptism upon death, because the would-be baptizand was martyred for the faith before ordinary Baptism could be completed.

Baptizand

Person who is baptized.

Baptizein

Greek word meaning "to plunge or immerse."

Catechumen/Catechumenate

Person studying to be baptized and enter into the mysteries of the Christian faith/process of studying for this.

Chrism

Oil blessed on Tuesday of Holy Week at Chrism Mass (in DoD) otherwise on Holy Thursday Chrism Mass for use in sacraments.

Concupiscence

The tendency to sin that remains even after Baptism.

Conditional Baptism

When a person is believed to have been baptized correctly, but we are unsure, we baptize again with the understanding that if the first was valid, this one is unnecessary.

Confirmand

The person being confirmed.

Indelible

Permanent, can't be removed even after death.

Laying on of Hands

Ancient ritual of conferring authority from one person to another; used in Confirmation and Holy Orders.

Mortal Sin

A sin of grave matter, undertaken with full knowledge and complete consent. A conscious turning from God. Mortal sin is a radical possibility of human freedom, as is love itself. It results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. If it is not redeemed by repentance and God's forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ's kingdom and the eternal death of hell, for our freedom has the power to make choices for ever, with no turning back. However, although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.CCC 1861.

Pentecost

Recorded in Acts 2, the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and Mary as promised by Christ; the birthday of the Church (since without the Holy Spirit, we cannot be the Body of Christ); occurred on the Jewish Feast of Pentecost.

Sin of Commission

A sin that is a concrete act (such as stealing), as opposed to a sin of omission.

Sin of Omission

A sin that is NOT doing something we know we should do (for example, not going to Mass).

Solidarity

Unity or agreement of feeling or action.

Trinitarian Formula

The words, "N., I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

Type/Typology

Study and interpretation of types and symbols in the Bible, between the Old Testament and the New.

Venial Sin

A sin that is either not grave matter or not undertaken with full knowledge or full consent; since it is NOT a conscious turning from God, it harms our relationship with God but does not cut ourselves off from him completely.