Incarnation - from the Latin meaning to become flesh, the mystery of the union of both the divine and human natures in the person of Jesus Christ.

Indulgence - the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to the sin whose guilt has already been forgiven.

Infallibility - the gift given by the Holy Spirit to keep the Church free from error in the matter of faith and morals.

Kingdom of God - the spiritual kingdom that begins here on earth and is perfected at the end of time; it is a kingdom of love, peace, and justice.

Laity - the faithful who have been made a part of the People of God through Baptism; anyone who is not a priest or religious.

Last Supper - the meal during which Jesus instituted the Eucharist; the last meal Jesus shared with his apostles in the upper room before his death.

Liturgical colors - colors that represent certain seasons in the Church year.  Colors include green (Ordinary Time), white or gold (Christmas and Easter), red (feast days of martyrs and Holy Week), and violet/purple (Advent and Lent).

Liturgy - comes from the Greek word meaning a public work.  It refers to the official public prayer of the Church.

Magisterium - the highest official teaching authority of the Church, which is entrusted to the pope and bishops together.

Manna - wafer-like bread that tasted like honey that came down from heaven to the Hebrews on their journey through the desert.

Martyr - comes from the Greek meaning witness; someone who suffers or dies for the sake of Christ.

Mass - the Catholic Church’s most important act of worship established by Christ at the Last Supper.

Nicene Creed - the statement of beliefs that was developed at the Council of Nicaea (325 AD) and clarified at the Council of Constantinople (381 AD).

Novena - a devotional prayer to a particular saint or group of saints, usually done over nine days, seeking their intercession for a particular need.

Original Sin - the sin of Adam and Eve that separated mankind from God; it was the loss of the grace of original justice and holiness.

Paschal Mystery - the work of redemption accomplished through Jesus’ Passion, death, resurrection, and ascension.

Penance - another name for the Sacrament of God’s forgiveness of sins that reconciles us to Himself.

Pentecost - the birthday of the Church, when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in the upper room after Jesus’ Ascension into heaven.

Pope - the successor of St. Peter, the Bishop of Rome, the Vicar of Christ; the supreme authority and shepherd of the entire Catholic Church worldwide.

Prayer  - a conversation with God.