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H-2 | Glossary
Eparchial Bishop.
A bishop to whom is entrusted
an eparchy for him to shepherd and for which he
exercises “proper, ordinary, and immediate” power
(CCEO, c. 178).
Eparchy.
In the Eastern Catholic Churches
sui iuris
,
a portion of the People of God entrusted to the pas-
toral care of an eparchial bishop (see CCEO c. 177).
It is equivalent to a diocese in the Latin Church.
Ethnic Ministry.
The term used to describe various
specialized ministries to particular populations, clas-
sified along national or ethnic origin lines.
Excardination/Ascription.
The canonical process
by which clerics permanently transfer to another
diocese, institute of consecrated life, or society of
apostolic life. Excardination takes effect only at the
moment of incardination into the new entity (CIC
cc. 267 and 268; CCEO
cc. 359, 360 §2, and 364).
Faculty.
A grant of authority under canon law,
which empowers a cleric to act in a manner in which
he would not otherwise be empowered to act by vir-
tue of the Sacrament of Holy Orders alone.
Immigrant Seminarians/Clergy/Religious.
Those
who were born outside of the United States and are
discerning their vocation after having immigrated to
or resettled in the United States.
Immigration and Nationality Act.
The primary
federal statute, as amended, that regulates immigra-
tion into the United States (8 USC Section 101 et.
seq.). The acronym used for the Immigration and
Nationality Act is “INA.” Various federal depart-
ments implement the INAincluding: theDepartment
of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security,
the Department of State, and the Department of
Health and Human Services.
Incardination/Ascription.
The canonical process
by which clerics are juridically bound to a particu-
lar Church or to another canonical entity capable of
incardination/ascription such as a clerical religious
institute or society of apostolic life for the exercise
of their ministerial service (CIC cc. 265-266; CCEO
cc. 357-358, 428).
Intercultural.
Multiple levels of communication
and understanding between cultures and the engage-
ment of cultural differences.
Intercultural competence.
The capacity to commu-
nicate, relate, and work across cultural boundaries. It
involves developing capacity in three areas: knowl-
edge, skills, and attitudes.
International Pastoral Minister.
A person from a
country outside the United States who is a member
of the clergy, a seminarian, or a non-ordained man
or woman in consecrated life for the Latin Church
or the Eastern Catholic Churches
sui iuris
.
Local Ordinary.
In the Latin Church, a local ordi-
nary includes the diocesan bishop or other person
who is placed over a particular Church, even if tem-
porarily, as well as those who possess general execu-
tive power within the particular Church, such as a
vicar general or an episcopal vicar (CIC
c. 134 §2).
Major Superior.
A religious who governs an entire
religious institute, one of its provinces or equivalent
parts, or an autonomous house (e.g., an abbey or pri-
ory) or his or her vicar (CIC c. 620; CCEO c. 418).
Member.
In this document, a member is one belong-
ing to a religious institute or a society of apostolic life
(CIC cc. 607, 731; CCEO
cc. 410, 572).
Minister/Minister of the Gospel.
In the context of
the Church, a bishop, priest, or deacon.
Mission Country.
A country in which the Church
has not taken root. Ordinarily, more established
areas of the Church send priests and other religious
workers to such countries to evangelize or preach
the Gospel to the people of the missionary countries
(CIC c. 786; CCEO c. 590). Missionary countries are
under the jurisdiction of the Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples (formerly Congregation
for the Propagation of the Faith), a curial office of
the Holy See. Dioceses and eparchies of more estab-
lished countries fall under the jurisdiction of the
Congregation for Bishops and other congregations
(
Pastor Bonus
, §§75-76, 85-92).
Nonimmigrant Religious Worker.
A foreign-born
person who is sponsored by a religious denomination
or religious organization under the R visa pursuant
to section 101(a)(15)(R) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act.