NCEA IFG ACRE VOCABULARY National Catholic Educational Association Information For Growth Assessment of Children/Youth Religious Education VOCABULARY

Martyrs Saints and other holy people who die for their faith. Martyr means “witness”. By being faithful even when faced with death, martyrs give witness to what they believe.

Parish Community Church membership gives us an opportunity to worship God in community and to serve others

Resurrection Jesus rose from the dead. This resurrection confirmed all he taught about himself and the Kingdom of God.

Communion of Saints The union of believers, living and dead, who form one body of Christ.

Ecumenism Movement toward unity in the church. Efforts to bring all Christians together in cooperation, looking forward in hope to the unity of the Christian Church. The word ecumenism comes from a Greek scriptural phrase that means “the whole household of God.”

covenant God’s promise to Moses God would never again devastate the Earth by water

Conscience A person’s ability to judge right from wrong. The gift from God that helps us know the difference between right and wrong and choose what is right. Conscience is free will and reason working together.

Greatest Commandment Love the Lord your God with your whole heart, love your neighbor as yourself.

Tradition Belief and practices passed down from one generation to the next generation. The entirety of the word of God entrusted to the apostles by Christ and the Holy Spirit and passed on through the successors of the apostles, the bishops.

Sin Choosing to do something that offends God. The choice to disobey God. Sin can be serious (mortal ) or less serious (venial). Sin is a deliberate choice, not a mistake or accident.

Incarnation Mystery by which the Son of God became man.

Prodigal Son Luke 15:11-32 The Lost Son, a parable of forgiveness

Transubstantiation Real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

Catechumenate A person seeking initiation into the church.

Sacramental Objects, actions, and blessings that help us grow in holiness.

Catholic Universal The Church is catholic because its mission is to the whole world.

Bible A collection of many books written under God’s inspiration.

Pentecost Sunday Celebration of the Holy Spirit coming to the disciples and Mary.

discipleship To follow Jesus faithfully and share his mission.

Trinity Each person is really and fully God. Three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in one true God. This is the Central Mystery of the Catholic Church.

Assumption Mary was taken into Heaven when her earthly life ended.

Magisterium Church’s office that teaches matters of faith and morals. This office is held by the bishops who are guided by the Holy Spirit to direct the teachings of the successors of the apostles. It is a Latin word which means “body of teachers”.

pope Highest teaching authority in the Catholic church Pope Peter was the first pope. He was told by Jesus, ‘You are the rock on which I will build my church.” The present Pope is Pope Francis. Pope Francis became pope when Pope Benedict retired.

missionary Share the good news with others One who is sent to bring the good news of God’s kingdom to people in other places or distant lands.

Holy Thursday Commemorates the Lord’s Last Supper Passover is the Jewish holy day that celebrates how God led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. The Passover meal, our Holy Thursday, is referred to as the Seder Meal.

Paschal Mystery Jesus’ suffering, death, resurrection and ascension.

Ascension Celebration of Jesus going to heaven.

Vatican II The most recently held Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church. It was held in the 1960s.

covenant Promise God made with Moses and his people.

Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist Sacraments of initiation, necessary for FULL initiation into the Church.

Mary Mother of God

Theological virtue of faith Gift by which we believe in God and all God has revealed.

Theological virtue of love We love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves for love of God. Charity, the form of all love. 

Theological virtue of hope We desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Theological Virtues Faith Hope Love (charity)

Covenant 8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: 9 “And as for Me,mbehold, I establish nMy covenant with you and with your 1descendants after you, 10 oand with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. 11 Thus pI establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said: q“This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I set rMy rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; 15 and sI will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember tthe everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

dignity Human beings have dignity for they are made in God’s image

Beatitudes Eight characteristics of discipleship These were part of the Sermon on the Mount Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

sacrifice Primary focus of the Mass

Evangelize/ Evangelization Make disciples of all nations Share your faith

Adoration Adoration of the blessed sacrament is a time to be present in a prayer of contemplation before the blessed sacrament/the blessed host Devotion to Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist

vocation A call from God to serve him and others To embrace a particular life of holiness

Deacon Deacons proclaim the Gospel and assist at Mass

Prayer of petition Ask for God’s mercy, forgiveness, and assistance

Confirmation gesture Anoint forehead with chrism

Three expressions of prayer Vocal Meditation Contemplative

Christian morality Ten Commandments Beatitudes Great Commandment

Magnificat Mary’s song of praise