Glossary of Roman Catholic Terms And Their Abbreviations

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Collective update (thanks all !)

Credo in Deum = I believe in God

JPII = Pope John Paul II

B16 = Pope Benedict XVI

CDF = Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

USCCB = United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

F.Ss.R (Filii Sanctissimi Redemptoris) - Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer

GIRM = General Instruction for the Roman Missal

CCC = Catechism of the Catholic Church

CIC = Code of Canon Law (Codex Iuris Canonici)

FSSP = Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Sancti Petri)

ICK = Institute of Christ the King Soverign Priest
ICRSS = more official acronym for same priests.

SSPX = Society of St. Pius X (not in good standing)
FSSPX = more official acronym for same priests.

SSPV = Society of St. Pius V (sedevacantist/schismatic)

EMHC = Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (often called Eucharistic Ministers or “EM’s”, but this usage is potentially misleading and has been discouraged by the Vatican as only deacons, priests, and bishops are ordinary ministers of Holy Communion).

OF = Forma ordinaria, or, Ordinary Form of the Mass. This is the most widely used form of the Mass today. The Roman Missal is used for this form of the Mass.

EF = Forma extraordinaria, or Extraordinary form of the Mass. The 1962 Roman Catholic Missal is used for this Mass.

SP = the Apostolic Letter “Summorum Pontificum”, a Motu Proprio issued by Benedict XVI concerning the EF ewtn.com/library/papaldoc…Pontificum.htm

Deus vult = Latin for “God Wills It !”

TO = Third Order

OP = Ordo Praedicatorum (Latin for Order of Preachers, more popularly known as the Dominican Order)

COTT = Communion on the tongue

CITH = Communion in the hand

UE = Universae Ecclesiae, The Instruction on Summorum Pontificum

CRSJC or just SJC = Canons Regular of St John Cantius

LOTH = Liturgy of the Hours

DO= Divine Office

RB= Roman Breviary

OHCAC = One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church

HMC = Holy Mother Church

Vetus ordo = old order of the Mass ( VO )

JMJ = Jesus Mary and Joseph (sometimes as J+M+J )
 
F.Ss.R (Filii Sanctissimi Redemptoris) - Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer
 
I’m about out of time to edit the last list update, but keep them coming. And anyone can copy/paste/post updated list anytime …feel free 🙂
 
archangel04 said:
We usually use OP = Origianl post/er do we not? Someone correct me if I am wrong?
Click to expand...
True. But I think context matters. If we said -

“I think it was Father Vincent Serpa, O.P. who said…”

Then it’s pretty clear what we mean 😃
 
NewsTheMan said:
True. But I think context matters. If we said -

“I think it was Father Vincent Serpa, O.P. who said…”

Then it’s pretty clear what we mean 😃
Click to expand...
That’s true. But I am sure eventually someone “not so smart” God bless them, will say " I didn’t know Father Vincent is the OP’s name" lol.
 
At Trent,

Would you like me to alphabetize them as we go along? Also, I can separate them from terms (such as “Credo in unum Deum”) from the abbreviations. That way they aren’t jumbled together. I’ll be more than happy to help.

Also, can we include Eastern Catholic terms? I think that’d be nice and more comprehensive.

Peace.
 
The_Scott said:
At Trent,

Would you like me to alphabetize them as we go along? Also, I can separate them from terms (such as “Credo in unum Deum”) from the abbreviations. That way they aren’t jumbled together. I’ll be more than happy to help.

Also, can we include Eastern Catholic terms? I think that’d be nice and more comprehensive.

Peace.
Click to expand...
Everything you suggest sounds good, have at it and thanks 🙂

We could put Eastern terms in a separate list or ask the Mr Casey to change the thread title, dropping the word Roman. Whatever is easier.
 
Wait were going to add the Eastern ones? Wouldn’t that be Easternization? Sorry I just had to ask since I always hear Latinization in the Eastern Forums lol. Sorry if the joke was in bad taste.

God Bless!
m
 
Credo_in_Deum said:
Wait were going to add the Eastern ones? Wouldn’t that be Easternization? Sorry I just had to ask since I always hear Latinization in the Eastern Forums lol. Sorry if the joke was in bad taste.
Click to expand...
Pretty funny, actually 😃
 
Credo_in_Deum said:
Wait were going to add the Eastern ones? Wouldn’t that be Easternization? Sorry I just had to ask since I always hear Latinization in the Eastern Forums lol. Sorry if the joke was in bad taste.

God Bless!
m
Click to expand...
😃

The Easterization of the Roman Glossary : A Historical Perspective
 
Well, if you want to add Eastern abbreviations and terms, I suppose it will be best if an Easterner contributes - seeing as it will reduce the grousing about errors by well-intended non-Easterners. Here’s a start:

EC - Eastern Catholic (the Byzantine Albanians, Belarusians, Bulgarians, Croats, Czechs, Georgians, Greeks, Hungarians, Italo-Greico-Albanians, Macedonians, Montenegrons, Melkites, Romanians, Russians, Ruthenians, Serbs, Slovaks, Ukrainians)
EO - Eastern Orthodox (All those of the Constantinoplian Tradition)
OC - Oriental Catholic (Armenians, Copts, Ethiopian & Eritrean Ge’ez, Syriacs, Syro-Malankara)
OO - Oriental Orthodox (Armenian Apostolics, Copts, Ethiopian Tewahado, Eritreans, Malankara Orthodox, Syriacs, Indian Syriacs)
ACOE - Ancient Church of the East
OSBM - Order of St Basil the Great (Ordo Sancti Basilii Magni in Latin) (Ukrainian)
BSO - Basilian Salvatorian Order (Melkite)
BAO - Basilian Alleppine Order (Melkite)
BCO - Basilian Chouerite Order (Melkite)
SMSP - Society of the Missionaries of St Paul (Melkite)
BCCA - Byzantine Catholic Church in America (Byzantine Ruthenian Metropolia of Pittsburgh)
HB - His Beatitude (most Eastern Patriarchs, Catholic or Orthodox)
HH - His Holiness (most Oriental Patriarchs, Catholic or Orthodox)
HAH - His All Holiness (Patriarch of Constantinople)
MP - Moscow Patriarchate (Russian Orthodox)
ROC - Russian Orthodox Church
GOA - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
UGCC - Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church
UOC-KP - Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Kvian Patriarchate
UOC-MP - Ulkrainian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate
UAOC - Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
ACROD - American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese (of Johnstown PA)
SOC - Syriac Orthodox Church
ETOC - Ethiopian Tewahado Orthodox Church
ROCOR - Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia
ROCA - Russian Orthodox Church Abroad
CCEO - Code of Canons of the Oriental/Eastern Churchs (Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium in Latin)

Vladyka - Master (Bishop in Churches of the Byzantine Slav Tradition)
Kyr - Master (Bishop in most Churches of the Byzantine Greek Tradition, although used by the Ukrainians at times)
Sayedna - Master (Bishop in the Melkite Catholic and Antiochian Orthodox Churches, the Maronite Catholic Church, and an acceptable - though not primary - usage in the Syriac Catholic and Orthodox Churches)
Mar - Lord (Bishop in the Syriac Churches, Catholic and Orthodox, the Assyrian Church, the Chaldean Catholic Church, the ACOE, and the Indian Churches - including the Syro-Malankara Catholic, Syro-Malabarese Catholic, Jacobite Syrian Orthodox, and Malankara Orthodox Churches)
Abuna - Lord (Bishop in the Ethiopian and Eritrean Ge’ez Catholic Church, the Ethiopian Tewahado Orthodox Church, and the Eritrean Orthodox Church)
Abba - Lord (Bishop in the Coptic Orthodox and Catholic Churches)

Interrupted Liturgy - According to tradition, the Divine Liturgy served in 'Agia Sophia on Tuesday, 29 May 1453, and concelebrated by two presbyters, Catholic and Orthodox - which was interrupted by Ottoman Turks who entered the temple and began slaying all those present. When the invaders approached the Holy Table, the southern wall of the Basilica opened and, at the direction of an angel, the presbyters passed through it with the Holy Gifts in hand. The wall closed behind them, not to reopen until the Interrupted Liturgy can be resumed, when the presbyters will re-enter through the wall by which they departed. (This event is commemorated in the Greek Orthodox Church each Tuesday during the service of the Divine Liturgy.)
 
Before anyone notices and asks - the Maronite Catholics, the Assyrians, the Ancient Church of the East, and the Chaldean Catholics do not historically fit into either the Eastern or Oriental Communions - which is why they aren’t listed in the parentheticals after either of those abbreviations above.
 
Honorific & Functional titles - no real order, couldn’t do it w/o a table format …

Hieromonk - monk who is ordained to Holy Orders

Protopresbyter - honorific and/or functional, depending on Church (a few use it in both contexts). More commonly functional among EC & Maronites; more commonly honorific among EO; uncommon, but not unknown, among OC & OO. (However, there are exceptions to all those statements.) In all usages, a senior presbyter, often most senior in a geographic area of the jurisdiction. Major difference between functional and honorific usage is that the former has responsibility for oversight of parishes in an area. (Functionally, roughly equivalent to a Latin Dean/Vicar)

Mitred Protopresbyter - honorific, most common among EO, but known in EC as well. Signifies seniority and high esteem of the priest. Carries no particular authority but merits precedence and affords differentiation in vesture. (Closest Latin equivalent would be a monsignor)

Canon - honorific or functional, depending on Church. A borrowing from the Latins that is not acceptable under the current Code, but still appears from time to time in EC and can be seen in EO,a s well; I’m unaware of any use of it by OC or OO. Functionally, usually refers to those o/w denoted Consultors. (Functionally, roughly equivalent to same usage by Latins)

Hegumen - functional - Head of a monastic community (Latin equivalent - prior; less commonly, abbott)

Archimandrite - honorific (for the most part, today) - Originally applied only to the monastic clergy. Now, conferred on celibate secular/monastic priests as an acknowledgement that one is particularly learned or has provided particularly faithful and/or meaningful service to the Church. Carries no authority but affords honorific precedence in procession and includes distinctive vesture. (Latin equivalent - compared to monsignor, but w/o the associated ‘grades’)

Archimandrite - functional (historically, and occasionally still, in some Churches) - The head of a monastery or abbey or of several. A ‘true’ Archimandrite has precedence of order over an honorific one, because he exercises spiritual authority over others.

Mitrat/Mitred/Mitered/Mitrophoric Archimandrite - honorific, particular titling varies among Churches (for the Ruthenians, all Archimandrites are Mitred). Carries rights of precedence, distinctions of vesture, and, in some instances, privileges for conferral of blessings

Grand Archimandrite (usually, but not always, styled as ‘of _____’ ) - honorific, rare, conferred on a married presbyter in at least one instance. No Latin equivalent.

Patriarchal Archimandrite -honorific, rare. No Latin equvalent.

Archpriest and Mitrat/Mitred/Mitered/Mitrophoric Archpriest - Equivalent honorifics to those of the corresponding ranks of Archimandrite, the difference being that it is conferred on married presbyters.

Exarch or Patriarchal Exarch - honorific. No Latin equivalent.

Major Archepiscopal Exarch - functional - EC & OC use only - no equivalent EO/OO or Latin usages b/c none have a ‘Major-Archepiscopate’. Usually a bishop, exercises canonical authority over a Major Archepiscopal Exarchate, erected by the Synod & Major-Archbishop of his Church, that is geographically sited within the confines of the Church’s historical territories.

Patriarchal Exarch - functional - EC & OC use only - no equivalent Latin use Again, usually a bishop, exercises canonical authority over a Patriarchal Exarchate, erected by the Synod & Patriarch of his Church, that is geographically sited within the confines of the Church’s historical territories. As to EO/OO usage, see comments below.

Apostolic Exarch - functional - EC/OC use only - EO/OO use of the title Exarch differs significantly between and among the Churches of those Communions, too complex to explain here; roughly equivalent to Latin Apostolic Administrator/Vicar Apostolic. Usually a bishop, exercises canonical authority over an Apostolic Exarchate erected by Rome which is either: (1) outside the confines of the Church’s historical territories; or, (2) of a Church which is not of Patriarchal/Major-Archepiscopal rank.

Chorepiscopus/Chorbishop - honorific in some instances, functional in others. Usage among the Maronite, Syriac Catholic/Orthodox, Chaldean and Assyrian Churches. Originally an assistant bishop/vicar and still function as such in some Churches; in others, honorific usage is equivalent to that of Archimandrite. Melkites are the only EC Church to use the title, a hold-over from their Antiochian heritage, but the last known use of such was a century ago.

Periodeut - Same as Chorbishop, but served in a rural area, where Chorepiscopi served in towns. Usage almost unknown at present, although some of the Churches named above apparently still confer it, on occasion, as an honorific title.

Economos - Functionally, the financial officer of a jurisdiction. May also be afforded as an honorific.

Grand Economos - Unknown as a functional title now, but was historically accorded to the financial steward of a patriarchate; has been conferred, rarely, as an honorific.

Synchellus - Functional. A vice-chancellor of a canonical jurisdiction.

Proto-synchellus - Functional. The chancellor of a canonical jurisdiction

Monsignor - Gradually disappearing, though there remains some Maronite usage, some usage among OCs, some residual usage among older EC priests from the days of latinization, and some residual usage in ACROD from the days when that jurisdiction was formed (altho I believe the last of their presbyters to use the title has now reposed in the Lord)

Vartabed - Armenian Apostolic usage for a presbyter denoted as a doctor or teacher of faith. It affords precedence in procession and distinct vesture.

Dzayrakuyn Vartabed - Armenian Apostolic usage for a presbyter on whom has been conferred the status of supreme doctor of dogma.
 
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