TRADITIONAL CATHOLIC DICTIONARY ONLINE—I

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I

Iconoclast, n,; Gr., L. Literally, "breaker of images"; a follower of the heresy of iconoclasm which in the eighth or ninth centuries protested against statues and pictures in the Church. The heresy rejected both the use and veneration of images as unlawful. The second Council of Nice declared the true teaching on veneration and refuted the heresy.

Iconography (I-kon-og-raf-fee), n.; Gr., L. The art of representing God or the saints by pictures, symbols, or statues; images depicting God or the saints.

Iconology, n.; Gr., L. The science treating of the description, history, and interpretation of symbols used in Church art. (Cf. Symbols.)

Iconostasis (I-con-o-sta-sis), n.; Gr., L. The partition separating the apse or choir from the nave in Byzantine churches; sometimes found in Greek and Russian churches. It is so called because it is richly ornamented with sacred icons or images,

Idioms (Communication of), n. pi.; Gr., L. Speaking or appropriating divine attributes to Christ as man and human qualities to Christ as God because the one divine Person is both God and man; human terms of language applied to the God Man.

Idolatry (i-doll-a-tree), n.; Gr., L. Worship of idols; the giving to a person or thing the divine worship which is due to God alone.

Ignorance, n.; L. The want of knowledge in one capable of acquiring it; in this sense ignorance may lead to sin because one is obliged to know what is necessary to perform a right action.

IHS, abbrev. The monogram of the Holy Name of Jesus; the symbol of letters for the Holy Name of Jesus, from a Latinized form of the Greek letters.

Image (of God), n.; L. Man is made like to God (Gen. 1:2(1); this likeness is not of bodily shape but is evident in the soul, intellect, and free will of man which distinguish man from the animal, and it is also evident in the body because man was made to rule over all lower creatures.

Image n.; L. Replica of Christ, asaint or a holy object which is placed before the faithful to stimulate veneration by calling to their minds the person or object portrayed.

Imbomon (im-bo'mon), n.; Heb.,Gr. A round chapel built on the summit of the Mount of Olives to commemorate the Ascension of Christ.

Imitation (of Christ), n.; L. The title of a book, the greater part of which was most probably written by Thomas a Kempis of Windesheim, Netherlands, and which contains exhortations and admonitions for living a good or spiritual life- It was first published in 1418, and dien under the autograph of Thomas a Kempis in 1441. Also known as "The Following of Christ," and its latin title De Imitatione Christi.

Immaculate Conception, n.; L. The privilege under which the Blessed Virgin was conceived free from the stain of original sin; the gift of God whereby the soul of the Blessed Virgin, because she was to be the Mother of God, was preserved at the time of her conception from the stain of original sin. The feast is celebrated in the Church calendar on the eighth of December. Under the tide of the Immaculate Conception the Blessed Virgin is the patroness of the United States of America.

Immensity, n.; L., Fr. That attribute of God by which God is everywhere in the universe and would be everywhere in any universe. (Cf. Omnipresence.)

Immunity, n.; L. In the Church it means the freedom of sacred places or persons from the burden of secular duties or obligations.

Immutable,adj.; L. Unchangeable; a characteristic of the divine perfection.

Impanation, n.; L. The heretical doctrine which states that the substance of bread and wine remain unchanged, that Christ in the Holy Eucharist is God without a change of the substance of bread and wine.

Impeccability, n.; L. The impossibility of sinning; said of Christ, since His human will, being that of a divine Person, could not sin.

Impediment (of marriage), n.: L. A particular condition which either under the natural law or the revealed law of God renders a marriage contract unlaw-ful or invalid; a condition rendering a marriage impossible or illicit. Those conditions which make a marriage impossible or nullify it are called diriment impediments; those that make it illicit are called hindering impediments. For grave reasons the Church may dispense from impediments, except those of the natural law. (a) The diriment impediments treated in canon law are: (1) Age; females must be fourteen years old and males sixteen. (2) Impotency. (3) Previous and existing marriage. (4) Disparity of worship. (5) Holy Orders, either subdiaconate, diaconate, or priesthood. (6) Solemn vows. (7) Abduction. (8) Crime. (9) Consanguinity. (10) Affinity. (11) Public decency or propriety. (12) Spiritual relationship between baptized person and minister or baptized person and sponsor. (13) Legal relationship, as adoption, (b) The hindering impediments are: (1) simple vow of perfect chastity; (2 mixed religion; (3) special prohibitions.

Impenitence, n.; L. The absence of repentance in a sinner; when deliberate and absolute it is one of the sins against the Holy Ghost.

Impetration, (im-pet-ray-shun), n.; L (1) Placing a petition; prayer asking God in His goodness to grant a spiritual or temporal good. One of the four ends of the Mass. (2) A grace following upon good works, especially the Mass.

Imposition (of hands) , n.; L. The act of placing hands upon a person, especially in the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders; it symbolizes the giving of grace and power.

Imprimatur (im-pri-mar-ta), n.; L.Literally, "it may be printed." The license to print a writing on a Catholic subject, especially one treating of doctrine, morality, canon law, or scripture required of the diocese; approval by the bishop is necessary before a writing bearing teachings of the Church may be printed and presented to the faithful. It may also be required for images.

Improperia,n.pl.;L. The reproaches spoken by Christ to the Jews, contained in the Traditional Divine Office of Good Friday, sung on that feast by the choir and recited by the celebrant and other ministers during the veneration of the crucifix.

Incardination, n.; L. The formal admission of a cleric into a diocese; a term of transference into a new jurisdiction; the opposite of excardination.

Incarnation, n.; L. The fact and doctrine that the Son, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, became man; God taking human nature, body and soul, for our salvation. This truth is commemorated by the feast of Christmas.

Incense, n.; L. Resin substances which upon being burnt give off aromatic, sweet or spicy smelling smoke. It symbolizes the zeal of the Christian, the odor of Christian virtue, and the rising of prayer to God; used in the liturgy of the Church. V.t., the act of incensing; the motion performed with the thurible, consisting of a rising action and an impelling action; the thurible is raised to the height of the breast and thrust outward toward the object or person to be incensed.

Incipit, n.; L. In music, the first few words of a liturgical text sung by a cantor, or in the Mass by the celebrant.

Inclusi (in-kloo-see), n.pl.; L. Feminine : Inclusae. Monks or nuns who voluntarily, with permission of their superiors, enclose themselves alone in a single cell or room.

Indefectibility, n.; L. The fact that the Church in its faith and morals and its infallible interpretation will remain unchangeable until the end of time.
That attribute of the Church by which it will remain until the end of time essentially the same as it was established by Christ.

Index (of prohibited books), n.; L. A listing of books by title and author which are judged by the authority of the Church to be harmful to the faith and morals of the faithful. The reading of such books is forbidden under penalty of excommunication.

Indulgence, n.; L. The remission in full or in part of the temporal punishment due to sin which already has been forgiven.

Indult (apostolic), n.; L., Fr. A temporary or personal favour granted by the Holy See to a group or to an individual; a dispensation from a law for a particular case.

Indwelling, n.; A.S. The inhabitation of a soul by God because of union with Christ through sanctifying grace.

Infallibility, n.; L. The prerogative of the Church as a teacher by which, being guided by the Holy Ghost, when she actively teacher revealed truths, she is protected from error or the possibility of error; infallibility also extends to those matters which are very closely connected with revealed truths and which the Church also as an authoritative teacher may pronounce upon. It is also a prerogative of the Pope when he speaks as head of the Church on a matter of faith or morals. (Cf.Cathedra, 3.)

Infamy, n.; L., Fr. In canon law a mark against the character of a person, arising from some crime or from a penalty.

Infidel, n.; L., Fr. One not among the faithful of Christ; one who has not been baptized; one who is ignorant of the true God.
Popularly, one who rejects Christianity; or one who has had an opportunity to know revealed religion and yet refuses to accept it.

Infidelity, n.; L.(1) The absence of faith or belief in the revealed truths of God. The condition of one who has not been baptized, or of one who has rejected Christianity.(2) Failure to fulfill the conditions of a bond, such as that of marriage or of a vow.

Infula, n,; pl.infulae. L. A pendant descending from the back rim of a mitre. (Cf. Vitta, Lappet.)

Infused (virtue) (In-fuzd'), n.; L., Fr. A virtue not acquired by repeated acts but gained by being poured into the soul directly by God.

In Petto (in-pet-to), prep. n.; It., L. Literally, "in the breast." A reservation by the Holy Father by which he does not express or declare to the public the names of newly made cardinals; thus he reserves the information "in his breast."

In plano, prep. n.; L. Literally, "on the level." On the floor of the sanctuary, that is, not on the step of the altar.

Inquisition, n.; L., O.Fr. (i) Historically, the establishment of civil powers within ecclesiastical courts that they might protect the message of the Church and repress under civil authority heretics against whom the Church placed censures. Great offenders were referred to the civil courts. It arose in the thirteenth century and was usually administered by the Dominicans. The Spanish— a branch of the Holy Office founded at Seville in 1481 by Ferdinand and Isabella which had for its purpose the punishing with ecclesiastical censure the fraudulent conversions claimed by the Spanish Jews and Moors. It was bitterly attacked by the nobility and the rich of Spain. It was abolished by the Spanish Revolution of 1820. (2) The present-day Congregation of the Holy Office. (Cf. Holy Office.) (3) In Canon Law, that inquiry which must be made in regard to any accusation brought against a clerk before bringing action against him.

I.N.R.I., abbrev. The inscription placed over the head of Christ on the cross. It is composed of the first letters of the Latin words meaning "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews."

Inspiration (of Scripture), n.; L. The supernatural direction or guidance through which a writer of Scripture received matters to be written as God wished; the grace of making record of truths predetermined in the mind of God; that positive divine influence upon the intellect, will, and faculties of the writer of Sacred Scripture whereby he wrote only and all of those things God willed, without fear of substantial error; that impulse and guiding of the writer by the Holy Ghost, said of all Sacred Scripture.

Installation, n.; L. The act whereby an ecclesiastical dignity or benefice is visibly and publicly conferred under the guidance and jurisdiction of a member of the clergy; the enthroning of a bishop; a conferring of spiritual and temporal rights on a priest.

Institution, n.; L. The formal ecclesiastical act whereby one having a right to a benefice is actually given possession of it.

Intention, n.; L., Fr. (1) In the administration of a sacrament, the purpose or will of the one administering to do what the Church desires and convey to the recipient the grace of the sacrament; the purpose or will of the one administering a sacrament; the habitual or virtual willing to do a thing as it is meant to be done. (2) The purpose or end for which a religious act is performed, e.g., the intention of the celebrant at Mass.

Intercession, n.; L., Fr. The prayer of one person on behalf of another; the oirering of our prayers to God through saints and thereby gaining a new efficacy for the prayers from the aid of the saints.

Interdict, n.; L., Fr. An ecclesiastical censure which bars people of a place or a person from the use of the sacraments, from all divine offices, and from Christian burial. It may be applied to a place, in which case it is local, and forbids the celebration of the divine offices in that place; it may be attached to a person in which sense it is personal; or it may be mixed, meaning that it is applied to both a place and the persons in that place.

Interim, n.; L. A temporary arrangement made with persons outside the Church concerning some religious subject; a concession for a time to promote the greater welfare of the parties concerned.

Internal forum, adj.; L. The tribunal for the administering of the Sacrament of Penance. (Cf. Forum.)

Internuncio (inta-nun-she-o), n.; L., It. A legate of the Roman Pontiff of lower rank than a nuncio, but whose dudes are the same as those of a nuncio. (Cf. Nuncio.)

Interpellations, n.pl.; L. The questions or questionnaire which provides evidence and demanded by the bishop or his delegate of the non-Catholic in con-sidering the possible issuance of the Pauline privilege.

Interstices, n.pl.; L. Intervals of time required by canon law to have elapsed between the receptions of degrees of Holy Orders.

Intinction, n.; L. An early method of receiving Holy Communion by which the bread was dipped into the wine before it was received. (Obs.)

Intoxication, n.; L. The state of being overcome by indulgence in alcoholic drink, accompanied by impairment or loss of the use of reason.

Introduction (biblical), n.; L. The science of the principles underlying the study or interpretation of Sacred Scripture. (Cf. Hermeneutics.)

Introit, n.; L. That prayer of the Mass said when the priest ascends the altar after the prayers at the beginning of Mass; it usually is composed of the words of an antiphon, a psalm verse, the Gloria Patri, and the antiphon repeated.

Investiture (Lay), n.; L. The act and ceremonies by which princes granted to bishops and abbots, besides their spiritual powers, the temporal possessions which constituted their benefices and the political rights which they had to exercise.

Invitatorium, n-; L. Psalm 94 which is said in the traditional office of the Church in the beginning of Matins on all days except Epiphany and the last three days of Holy Week. The invitatory psalm.

Irregularity, n.; L., Fr. A canonical impediment forbidding a person from becoming a cleric or from attaining a higher office in clerical rank or from ex- ercising his office. Irregularities may be from defect of the individual: (1) Illegitimates; (2) persons bodily deformed; (3) epileptics or insane persons; (4) persons who have been married twice; (5)persons under infamy of law; (6) a judge who has imposed a death sentence or one who has been an executioner. Irregularities may also be from crime: (1) Apostates, heretics, and schismatics; (2) those who voluntarily accepted non-Catholic baptism; (3) persons entering a civil marriage while the first marriage still binds or while they are in Holy Orders or under a religious vow; (4) those who have committed voluntary homicide or procured abortion; (5) those who attempt suicide or have mutilated themselves; (6) clerics practicing medicine or surgery when forbidden, should death follow from their practice; (7) persons performing acts reserved to clerics in Holy Orders while not being in that order themselves.

Irremovability (of pastors), n.; L. The prerogative of certain parish priests whom the bishop can remove from office only for certain grave causes. specified in canon law.

Isaiah, n.; Heb. The name of the prophet Isaias as used in Protestant versions of the Bible.

Isaias (i-zay-yas), n.; Heb.; Bib, Prophet and author of a book of old Testament who lived about 85 BC.

Israel, n.; Heb., Gr; Bib. Original name of the patriarch Jacob;the land inhabited by the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob.

Itala Vetus, n.; L. The Bible of the Church down to the time of Jerome (d. 420 A.D.), (Cf. Vulgate.)

Itineraria, n.pL; L. Writings telling of the travels of pilgrims to and from the Holy Land.

Itinarium, (ee-tin-ar-ee-um) n.; L. A prayer said by clerics before setting out on a journey; it is found at the end of the traditional Breviarium Romanum.

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