Advocate An ecclesiastical advocate is someone approved by Church authority to safeguard the rights of a party in a canonical process by arguments regarding the law and the facts of the case. [CF. c. 1481 and CLSA Comm., p. 967]

Apostolate Apostolate is a mission of Christ and participation in it. Its object is to bring Christ to others, its goal is the greater glory of God, its scope is universal. The work is carried out by every human agency by which the life of grace may be given or increased in the soul. A mandate from the Church is essential to the Catholic Apostolate.

Bishop A bishop, by divine institution, carries on the work of the apostles. By reason of episcopal consecration, he shares in the triple apostolic function of teacher of doctrine, priest of sacred worship, and minister of church government. Bishops are responsible for the pastoral care of their dioceses. In addition, bishops have a responsibility to act in council to guide the Church. The term exarch is used in Eastern-rite churches.

The bishop to whom a particular or local church is entrusted is called a diocesan bishop or a residential bishop. All other bishops receive Titular Sees over which they exercise no pastoral authority.

Brother A man who is a member of religious order, but is not ordained or studying for the priesthood.

Canon Law Referring to the codified body of general laws governing the Catholic Church.

Censor Librorum A theologian empowered by a bishop to judge a book's soundness in regard to Church teaching before publication.

Chancellor The office of the chancellor (or the chancery) evolved from the practice in the early Church of appointing an official to sign and preserve the letters of the bishop. The first function of the chancellor in the present day is gathering, arranging, and safeguarding the acts of the diocesan curia. Dispensations and other official documents also originate from the chancery. In many dioceses, the chancellor continues to exercise ordinary jurisdiction as delegated by the diocesan bishop. He or she may be assisted by a separate official, the vice-chancellor.

College of Cardinals The College of Cardinals is made up of the cardinals of the Church, who advise the Pope, assist in the central administration of the Church, head the various curial offices and congregations, administer the Holy See during a vacancy, and elect a new Pope. There are three ranks in the College of Cardinals, corresponding to the historical origins of cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church. All cardinals are bishops, but their rank within the College of Cardinals is characterized by one of the hierarchical ranks of bishop, priest, or deacon. Cardinals are given honorary title to churches in the city of Rome. [Cf. c 350; CLSA Comm., pp. 288-289]

Cursillo The cursillo de cristianidad, or "little course in Christianity," is a three-day program for achieving spiritual renewal or spiritual awakening. It seeks to convey a new sense of individual and organized apostolic action. The program, conducted by priests and laypeople, consists of a three-day weekend focused on prayer, study, and Christian action, and a follow-up program known as the post-cursillo.

Deacons The diaconate is the first order or grade in ordained ministry. Its origins are in early apostolic times, when deacons preached and baptized under the direction of the presbyters or bishops. Any man who is to be ordained to the priesthood must first be ordained as a transitional deacon. Deacons serve in the ministry of liturgy, of the word, and of charity.

In 1967, Pope Paul VI reinstituted the Permanent Diaconate for men who do not plan to become ordained priests. Although men ordained as permanent deacons are sometimes referred to as "married deacons," the permanent diaconate is open to both married and unmarried men, with the understanding that after ordination, they may not marry even after the death of a spouse. Under the authority of the diocesan bishop, they perform the same functions as the transitional deacons while, at the same time, retaining their roles in society as family and business men.

Dean/Vicar Forane The title of a priest appointed by the bishop to aid him in administering the parishes in a certain vicinity, called a "deanery," or "vicariates forane." The function of a dean, or vicar forane, involves promotion, coordination, and supervision of the common pastoral activity within the deanery or vicariate.

Defender of the Bond A member of a diocesan tribunal, either a cleric or a lay person, holding a graduate degree in canon law, who is appointed by the diocesan bishop for cases concerning the nullity of sacred ordination or the nullity or dissolution of the marriage bond. The defender of the bond is responsible for a review of the evidence, scrutiny of the briefs, examination of witnesses, and maintenance of proper procedures during the trial. The defender also deals with some situations concerning the content of the litigation rather than the legal procedures.

Diocesan Consultors An advisory council of diocesan priests, as appointed by a diocesan bishop, that assists in the administrative affairs of the diocese.

Diocesan Curia The personnel and offices assisting the diocesan bishop in directing the pastoral activity, administration, and the exercise of judicial power of his diocese. The curia includes among its officers laity and religious as well as clergy. Principal officers of a diocesan curia are the vicar general of the diocese, the chancellor, officials of the diocesan tribunal, examiners, consultors, auditors, the promoter of justice and the defender of the bond.

Diocese The standard term for the territorial division of the Church, entrusted to a bishop who rules in his own name as local ordinary, and not as a delegate of another. The chief diocese of a province is an archdiocese. It is headed by an archbishop. A diocese is usually limited to a definite territory so that it comprises all the faithful who inhabit that territory. [Cf. cc. 369 and 372, #1] In Eastern-rite churches, the term eparchy is used.

Eastern-rite [Oriental] Church The term used to describe the Catholic churches which developed in Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa. The Eastern-rite churches have their own distinctive liturgical and organizational systems. Each is considered equal to the Latin rite within the Church.

Encyclicals The highest form of papal teaching document, generally addressed to bishops and/or to all the faithful. Their purpose is to inform the faithful of Church positions and issues relative to Catholic doctrine.

Extern Priests Priests who have not been incardinated into the diocese in which they are currently working and residing.

Florida Catholic Conference (FCC) An agency of the Catholic Church which was established by the Bishops of Florida on February 1, 1969. The FCC represents the Catholic Church in dealing with the secular community, including State and Federal governments. www.flacathconf.org

Hierarchy In general, the term refers to the ordered body of clergy, divided into bishops, priests, and deacons. In Catholic practice, the term refers to the bishops of the world or of a particular region.

Holy See The term refers to the Diocese of Rome. Used in reference to the governance of the Church, it refers to the Pontiff, the Roman Curia, and the Sacred College.

Incardination The canonical act whereby a cleric is formally attached to a diocese or religious community and subject to its superiors.

Mission A mission, or quasi-parish, is a parish which has not been established because it lacks one or more of the following qualifications: a resident pastor; necessary financial resources; territorial boundaries; or a natural grouping by way of rite, nationality, or language. Usually missions are attached to parishes under the care of their pastors.

Moderator of the Curia A bishop or priest, appointed by the diocesan bishop, who is concerned primarily with administrative matters and with supervising those working in the curia.

National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) The episcopal conference of U.S. bishops. The membership is comprised of diocesan bishops and their associate bishops. The conference decides matters of ecclesiastical law and issues policy statements on political and social issues. NCCB/USCC, 3211 Fourth Street NE, Washington, DC 20017. 202-541-3000. www.nccbuscc.org

Notary An elected or appointed ecclesiastical official who acts as a secretary in formal church proceedings. The notary records the minutes, testimony, etc., of the proceedings.

Papal Audience Request for attendance at papal audiences and similar functions may be addressed to: "Bishops' Office for United States Visitors to the Vatican," Via dell ‘Umilta 30, 00187 Roma, Italy. Tel.: 011-39-06-690-011; Fax: 011-39-06-679-1448; e-mail: BOU.S.W.@agorastm.it

Parish A specific community of the Christian faithful within a diocese, which has its own church building, under the authority of a pastor who is responsible for providing them with ministerial service. Most parishes are formed on a geographic basis, but they may be formed along national or ethnic lines.

Parochial Vicar A priest appointed by the bishop to assist a pastor in the exercise of his parochial duties. Formerly and often still known as assistant or associate pastor (Can. 545).

Pastor A priest in charge of a parish or congregation. He is responsible for administering the sacraments, instructing the congregation in the doctrine of the Church, and other services to the people of the parish.

Pastoral Associate A member of the laity who is part of a parish ministry team.

Pastoral Council A consultative body which the pastor or bishop consults concerning the pastoral activity within the diocese. Its members include laity, religious, and clergy. The pastoral council's purpose is to study practical situations, difficulties and problems, and make concrete recommendations and proposals to the diocesan bishop. The pastoral council is always subject to the final authority of the pastor or bishop.

Presbyteral Council Also known as the priests' council, the presbyteral council is the principal consultative body mandated by the Code of Canon Law to advise the diocesan bishop in matters of pastoral governance. It consists of bishops and priests serving the diocese.

Promoter of Justice A cleric or lay person, holding a graduate degree in canon law, who is appointed by the diocesan bishop to serve in the role of a "prosecuting attorney" in trials of crimes against church law and of other judicial litigations in the diocese. A promoter of justice may be appointed for a specific case by the bishop.

Province A defined geographic area containing an archdiocese, or Metropolitan See, and at least one diocese, or Suffragen See. The archbishop of the archdiocese has no direct powers over the Suffragen Sees, but does have limited advisory and appellate authority and obligations. The term also refers to a territorial grouping of particular churches or communities, or a territory of a religious order.

Religious Priest/Diocesan Priest Religious, or regular, priests are those who are professed members of a religious order or institute. Religious clergy live according to the rule of their respective orders. In pastoral ministry, they are under the jurisdiction of their local bishop, as well as the superiors of their order. Diocesan, or secular, priests are under the direction of their local bishop. They commit to serving their congregations and other institutions.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) The process, instituted by Pope Paul VI on Jan. 6, 1972, by which adults are received into full communion with the Catholic Church.

Roman Curia The official collective name for the administrative agencies and courts, and their officials, who assist the Pope in governing the Church. Members are appointed and granted authority by the Pope.

Sacraments The seven unique signs instituted by Christ that give the grace they signify: the Eucharist, baptism, confirmation, penance (now often called the sacrament of reconciliation), matrimony, holy orders, and the sacrament of anointing the sick (formerly extreme unction).

See The word is taken from the Latin word "sedes" ("seat"), and is used to denote a diocese or ecclesiastical district. The term Holy See is reserved to the diocese of Rome whose bishop is the Pope.

Seminary An education institution for men preparing for Holy Orders. The term originates from the time of St. Augustine, when those preparing for the priesthood were educated in the "cathedral school." During the Middle Ages, the clergy were educated in a university setting where faculties of philosophy, theology, and canon law existed. Eventually individual dioceses or provinces came to establish their own schools for educating their clerical students.

Serra Club Local units of Serra International, an organization which promotes vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and offers instruction to lay leaders.

Sister Any woman religious, in popular speech; strictly, the title applies only to women belonging to institutes whose members never professed solemn vows. Most of the institutes whose members are properly called Sisters were established during and since the 19th century. Women who take solemn vows, or belong to institutes whose members formerly professed solemn vows, are properly called nuns.

Tribunal A tribunal (court) is the name given to the person or persons who exercise the Church's judicial powers. By its very nature, this procedure involves the determination of a legal controversy. A major concern of tribunals is conducting the process leading to the dissolution or annulment of marriages. In ecclesiastical matters, definite procedural norms for conducting a trial are found in the Code of Canon Law to settle disputes. There are various grades of tribunals, including diocesan tribunals, the first court of trial for most cases; regional and metropolitan tribunals, located in an archdiocese, the appellate court for all cases tried within the province; and the tribunals of the Holy See, which act as the Church's central appellate court, try cases reserved to the Holy See, deals with questions of procedure and jurisdiction of the other courts, and act as the Church's supreme court. United States Catholic Conference (USCC) The civil corporation and executive agency of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. The USCC acts as the national public policy organization of the NCCB. Its purpose is to organize and promote Catholic activity in the U.S. and abroad, and to carry out the religious and social action of the Catholic Church in the U.S. The major departments are education, communication, and social development and world peace. NCCB/USCC, 3211 Fourth Street NE, Washington, DC 20017. (See NCCB) See website www.nccbuscc.org

Vicars
        Judicial Vicar - Second only to the diocesan bishop, the judicial vicar is the chief judge and judicial officer of a diocese. He has the ordinary jurisdiction to judge any ecclesiastical matter, except those cases which have been reserved or which the bishop calls to himself (Canon 1420). Judicial Vicars differ significantly from and should not be confused with vicars general or episcopal vicars. The primary task of the judicial vicar is to see to the efficient administration of the diocesan tribunal, for example, by assigning judges to particular cases (Canon 1425). He is sometimes referred to as the chief judge or "officialis." He may be given another priest as an assistant with the title of adjutant judicial vicar.
         Vicar General - A priest or bishop appointed by the bishop of a diocese to serve as his deputy, with ordinary executive power, in the administration of the diocese. The appointment of a vicar general is mandatory for every diocese and is designed to facilitate and unify diocesan administration.
        Episcopal Vicar - A priest or bishop appointed by the bishop of a diocese when he needs a deputy for governing a specific territory within the diocese, a group of persons or a specific rite, or a type of apostolic work within the diocese.
        Vicar for Religious - A person appointed by a bishop to act as his representative in dealing with the religious communities in his diocese.

Information for this glossary was taken from the Catholic News Service's Stylebook on Religion, the Modern Catholic Dictionary, published by Doubleday and Company, Inc., the Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, published by Oxford University Press, and the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Religion, published by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Philadelphia.