How to Cover the Catholic Church

How to Cover the Catholic Church

sacraments.

Catholics, like Orthodox Christians, believe that there are seven

sacraments:

baptism

confirmation

Eucharist

penance

matrimony

holy

orders

and the

anointing of the sick

. The first three are also called the

sacra-

ments of Christian initiation

, and in the Eastern Catholic and Orthodox tra-

ditions they are administered together in infancy. In the Latin rite Church

baptism is administered to infants, but the first reception of the Eucharist

(first Communion) and confirmation are typically delayed until the child

has reached the use of reason, generally regarded as about the age of seven.

Eastern Catholics and Orthodox usually refer to confirmation as

chrismation

Penance is also called the sacrament of

reconciliation

. The anointing of the

sick used to be called

extreme unction

when it was only given to those gravely

ill or in danger of death. Now it can be administered to anyone who is seri-

ously or chronically ill.

see.

Another name for a diocese or archdiocese. It appears in such phrases as

Holy See

titular see

metropolitan see

suffragan see

see city

. The

see city

that city after which the diocese or archdiocese is named. See

Holy See

met-

ropolitan

province

and

titular see

seminary.

An educational institution for men preparing for the priesthood.

sister.

In popular speech, any woman religious. Strictly, the title applies to

women religious of those institutes, mostly formed during or since the 19th

century, whose members do not profess solemn vows. See

nun

superior.

The head of a religious order or congregation. He or she may be the

head of a province or of an individual house.

suspension.

Church penalty under which a priest, while retaining his clerical

status, is no longer permitted to perform priestly functions such as celebrating

Mass, preaching or administering the sacraments.

titular see.

If a bishop does not have his own diocese, he is given a

titular see

that is, a place that once was the seat of a diocese but no longer is. Auxiliary

bishops and bishops in Vatican service are examples of those given titular sees.

Many titular sees are ancient cities of the Middle East or Northern Africa. But

there are some titular sees in the United States as well, such as Bardstown, Ky.

(original seat of what is now the Archdiocese of Louisville), or Jamestown,

N.D. (now in the Diocese of Fargo). The

Annuario Pontificio

devotes more