A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Main Page

F Fabric, n.; L., Fr. The endowment or provision set up for the erection and maintenance of a church binding. Faculty, n.; L., Fr. (1) The group of professors, lecturers, and teachers educating students. (2) The grant of authority from an ecclesiastical superior to perform legally some act of jurisdiction or ceremony. The Jurisdiction granted to a duly ordained priest by the bishop of the diocese validly to hear confessions. Faith, n.; L., 0.Fr. The act of spiritual and intellectual assent to a revenled truth of God with the assistance of divine grace. The theological virtue of faith. The assent is of the intellect and is based upon the authority of God, and has for its object every truth revealed by Him. Faithful, n.pl.; L., O.Fr. Those persons who profess their faith; all those who are members of the Church by baptism and profession of faith. Falda, n.; L., It. A white silk garment having a train, worn by the Pope over his cassock at solemn occasions. Faldstool, n.; A.S., O.E. A seat or small bench or portable folding chair with armrests but no back, used by bishops or lesser prelates in the sanctuary when they do not use the throre; a seat constructed so that it may also be used as a prie-dieu or kneeling bench for liturgical functons. Also called genuflexorium. False Decretals, n. pl.; L. A collection of documents anonymously compiled under the name of Isidorus Mercator, containing Apostolic canons and letters of the popes and pronouncements of the councils, and which was published in the ninth century. The collection is in great part a forgery. Familiar, n.; L. (1) A person serving in the household of a pope or bishop, not as a menial but rather in a domestic or clerical manner. (2) In pontifical functions, the assistants of a bishop who are vested in the ferriola. Fan, n.; L., A.S. A liturgical instrument used in the early church to drive insects away from sacred vessels. A large flat spread of peacock feathers mounted on a poll and carried in processions of the Pope by an attendant; a puncah, a machine for fanning a room. (Cf. Flabellum.) Fanon, n.; O.Fr. The red and gold striped capelike vestment worn only by the Pope when celebrating Pontifical High Mass. It is made of white silk with narrow red and gold stripes and is worn over the alb on the shoulders. In the plural (fanons), the two small flaps which hang down from the back of a mitre; the infulae. Fast, n.; A.S. (1) The natural fast is the total abstaining from food and drink; e.g., the fast before one communicates. (2) The ecclesiastical fast is that which limits the quantity and kind of food, the fast practiced during Lent, on Ember days, and on certain vigils. Fasting, n.; A.S. Limiting oneself in accordance with the precept of the Church to but one full meal a day, taking but a small portion of food at the other two meals in accordance with the local law or custom, and abstaining from eating between meals. Those subject to the law of fasting are all the faithful, unless dispensed or excused, from their completed twenty-first year to their completed fifty-ninth year of age. (Cf. Abstinence.) Father, n.; L., A.S. (1) A title universally given to all priests. (2) The title reverently applied to the first person of the Blessed Trinity, God the Father. Fathers, n.pl.; L., A.S. The name by which Christian writers of the first seven centuries are designated. It is commonly agreed that only they can be called "Fathers of the Church" who have the three marks of (a) antiquity, (b) holiness, (c) learning as displayed in teaching or writing in defense of the Church and its doctrines with the approvalof the Church. St. John Damascene(died 749) is usually called the last of the Fathers. Fear(of God), n.; A.S. (1) Servile fear of God is a dread of the punishment which God inflicts on sinners. (2) Filial fear is the dread of offending God based on love for Him. (3) One of the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Feasts (of the Church), n. pl.; L., O.Fr. The days of the Church calendar which are set aside to commemorate a particular mystery of the faith, or days selected for giving glory to particular saints. These feasts may be holydays with the obligation of hearing Mass imposed on the faithful. Feasts are also divided, in accordance with their rank, into doubles, Semimidoubles, or simples. The double feasts may be again divided into doubles of the first class (the most solemn) or second class (some of the feast days of the saints) or greater or ordinary doubles. (Cf. Double, Simple.) Febronianism, n.; O.Fr. The idea propounded by Febronius in the eighteenth ceniury which places the Church and its constitution as subject to the state or to the national mind of the people; a false system of making the Church subservient to the state. Fee, n.; 0 Fr. A contribution or tax exacted for services rendered or in support of ecclesiastical undertakings; fees are taken for necessary expenditures. Sometimes inaccurately applied to the voluntary offering for a Mass, called a stipend. Feretory, n.; L., It. (1) A large portable reliquary. (2)That part of a church set aside for the shrine of a saint. Feria, n.; L. The days of the week, excepting Sunday and Saturday, are so named in the ecclesiastical calendar; the liturgical name for a weekday. Ferial, adj.; L. Pertaining to weekdays. Ferriola, n.; It. A short cape, usually attached to any cassock and extending halfway to the elbow. Also ferraiola. Ferriolone, n.; It. A black cloak, or cape worn over the cassock and extending full length; a long narrow cloak, royal purple in color, worn over the cassock by bishops and other prelates on formal nonliturgical occasions. The ferriolone of a cardinal is scarlet; a priest may use a black one. Ferula, n.; L. ,(i) A wand or stick used by priests penitentiaries to strike penitents lightly. (2) A short staff, T-shaped. Final perseverance, adj.; L. The gift of God whereby man is taken by death when he is in the state of grace; it can be obtained by sincere, humble, and constant prayer. Fire (blessing of), n.; A.S. The first ceremony of Holy Saturday which is the blessing of fire struck by a spark from steel and flint, from which fire the paschal candle and sanctuary lights are lighted. Fire (of hell), n.; A.S. The punishment of hell which will cause intense suffering but will not consume. Firkin, n.; D. A liquid measure containing about nine gallons; there were two or three firkins in each water jar containing the water which Jesus changed into wine at Cana. (Obs.) First fruits, n.pl.; L, A.S. In the law of Moses that first part of the harvest which was owed as an offering to the Lord; the first fruits of man, of animals, and of the fruits of the harvest. Sometimes applied to an offering to be given in support of the Church. Fisherman's Ring, n.; A.S. A gold ring used by the Pope to seal papal briefs. Fistula, n.; L. A tube usually of gold, through which the faithful drank the consecrated wine from the chalice during the Mass. Now only used in papal Masses when the Pope so receives the con secrated wine. Flabellum, n.; L. (Pl. flabella.) A fan of ostrich feathers carried on either side of the papal chair when the Pope is borne in procession, (Cf. Fan.) Flag (Papal), n.; L. The official cloth emblem of Vatican State. It is formed of two pieces of cloth sewn together, one yellow which is next to the flagstaff, and the other white on which is a design formed of the pontifical tiara and two crossed golden keys. Flagellants , n.pl.; L Certain fanatical groups who made a practice of scourging themselves in common; the group of those practicing the lashing of their bodies in penance. They became heretical and as such last appeared about the fifteenth century. Today some groups still persist in this practice of doing penance publicly and in common, but against the wish and will of the Church. Flagellation, n.; L. The scourging of Christ inflicted as a part of His passion; the punishment given to Christ by the Roman soldiers. This is not to be confused with the acts of mortification of self-inflicted scourging known as the "discipline," yet sometimes this practice is so named. Font, n.; L., A.S. (1) A vessel in which the baptismal water is kept; a vaselike container supported on a pedestal over which the child is held when the baptismal waters are poured on his head. (2) A holy water stoup or basin. Footpace, n.; A.S. The platform on which the altar stands; the predella. Forbidden (societies), adj.; A.S. All secret societies. (Cf. Secret societies.) Expressly forbidden under pain of excommunication is Free Masonry. Some others forbidden are: The Eastern Star, Odd Fellows, Sons of Temperance, Knights of Pythias. Form, n.; L., O.Fr. (1) In philosophy, that intrinsic principle which makes a body to be of this or that kind. (2) A term applied to that part of a sacrament constituted by the words said in applying the matter of the sacrament during admimstration. (Cf. Matter.) Fortitude, n.; L., Fr. (1) The cardinal virtue which prompts us to be brave in the face of obstacles to the performance of duty.(2) One of the gifts of the Holy Ghost, giving us strength in difficulties. Forty Hours (Devotion), n.pl.; Gr., L. A devotion to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament which continues with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for forty hours duration. Also referred to as "Forty Hours Prayer" or "Forty Hours Adoration." Forum, n.; L. A place of public assembly, or any public meeting; a tribunal. In canon law, forum refers to the exercise of jurisdiction over the faithful. The internal forum or the forum of conscience refers to the private good of the faithful and governs their private actions as individuals in their relation to God, while the external forum refers to the common or public good of the faithful, and governs their social actions, in as much as they are members of the Church. Fossor, n.; L. A representation in relief of a gravedigger found in the crypts of the catacombs. Foundation, n.; L. A fund established for the support of a church or a religious institution. (Cf. Endowment.) Fraction, n.; L., O.Fr. The breaking of the host during the Mass at the close of the prayer, Libera. Fragment, n.; L. A piece of host detached from the large host used at Mass or from one of the smaller hosts distributed at communion. (Cf. Altarbreads.) Franciscans, n.pl.; It., Fr. The religious order following the rule of St. Francis of Assissi, established by him in the thirteenth century; friars minors; sometimes referred to as the Seraphic Order. The followers were divided into two groups, conventuals and observantines; at a later date the Capuchins, the recollects, and Alcantarines were also formed as branches. Among the sisters, the Order of Poor Clares follow the rule which was given to St. Clare by St. Francis as the Second Order. A third order of Franciscans whose membership is composed of the laity or diocesan clergy who wish to dedicate their lives to observances of penance and religious practice was formed; these are known as tertiaries. Frankincense, n.; O.Fr. A resin used in making incense; an incense of fine quality. Incense is used for burning and gives off a sweet-smelling smoke. (Cf. Incense.) Fraternal Correction, adj.; L. The admonition, counsel, or advice which, under certain circumstances, one is obliged out of charity to give his neighbor to correct his faul ts, to withhold him from sin or to remedy his having fallen into sin. Fraticelli, n.pl.; It. An heretical sect which branched from the Franciscan order in the thirteenth century; the name means little friars. Freedom (of the will), n; A.S. The power or faculty of the soul by which the mind of man is able to make a choice in view of the end; the power to act or not to act, to do this or that, in view of the end. Friar, n.; L., O.Fr. A member of the so-called mendicant religious orders. The chief mendicant orders are: the Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and Augustinians. Friary, n.; L., O.Fr. A name given to a residence for friars. Frontal, n.; L., O.Fr. A colored and embroidered cloth which completely covers the front of the altar. It is suspended from the table (mensa) and hangs down to the floor; the color varies according to the liturgical color of the feast or season of the Church calendar; an antependium. Fruits (of the Holy Ghost), n.pl.; L. Qualities found in the just and bestowed by the Holy Ghost. They are: charity, faith, joy; peace, goodness, patience, benignity, longanimity, mildness, modesty, continence, and chastity. Frustulum n.; L. The small breakfast of solid food allowed on days of fast, the quantity and quality of which are determined by local custom. (Cf. Fast,Fasting.) Funeral adj. &n.; L., O.Fr. The last rites as prescribed in the Rituale Romanum for the soul of a departed person and the internment of the body.