Catechism of the Catholic Church

Glossary 869 -C- CALUMNY: A false statement which harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them (2477). CANON LAW: The rules (canons or laws) which provide the norms for good order in the visible society of the Church. Those canon laws that apply universally are contained in the Codes of Canon Law. The most recent Code of Canon Law was promulgated in 1983 for the Latin (Western) Church and in 1991 for the Eastern Church ( The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches ). CANON OF THE MASS: The central part of the Mass, also known as the Eucharistic Prayer or “anaphora,” which contains the prayer of thanksgiving and consecration (1352). CANON OF SCRIPTURE: The Church’s complete list of sacred books of the Bible (120). CANONIZATION: The solemn declaration by the Pope that a deceased member of the faithful may be proposed as a model and intercessor to the Christian faithful and venerated as a saint on the basis of the fact that the person lived a life of heroic virtue or remained faithful to God through martyrdom (828; cf. 957). CAPITAL SINS: Sins which engender other sins and vices. They are traditionally numbered as seven: pride, covetousness, envy, anger, gluttony, lust, and sloth (1866). CARDINAL VIRTUES: Four pivotal human virtues (from the Latin cardo, “pivot”): prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. The human virtues are stable dispositions of the intellect and will that govern our acts, order our passions, and guide our conduct in accordance with reason and faith (1805, 1834). CATECHESIS: An education of children, young people, and adults in the faith of the Church through the teaching of Christian doctrine in an organic and systematic way to make them disciples of Jesus Christ. Those who perform the ministry of catechesis in the Church are called “catechists” (5, 426-427). CATECHISM: A popular summary or compendium of Catholic doctrine about faith and morals and designed for use in catechists (11). CATECHUMEN: A person who is preparing for Baptism. The catechumenate is the formation of these catechumens in preparation for their Christian Initiation, and aims at bringing their conversion and their faith to maturity within the ecclesial community (1248). The candidates are anointed with oil of catechumens by which they are strengthened in their conversion from sin and renunciation of Satan (1237). CATHEDRAL: The official church of the bishop of a diocese. The Greek word cathedra means chair or throne; the bishop’s “chair” symbolizes his teaching and governing authority, and is located in the principal church or “cathedral” of the local diocese of which he is the chief pastor (cf. 1572).