PADRES: The National Chicano Priest Movement

GLOSSARY

✝ 172 172 ✝ GLOSSARY With a few exceptions (i.e, Chicano, Encuentro, Latino, Mexican American ), these definitions are taken from the Official Catholic Directory, 2000. Apostolate: The mission of Christ and participation in it. Its object is to bring Christ to others. Archbishop: A bishop of a main or metropolitan diocese in an ecclesiastical province. Bishop: A priest who becomes a bishop is responsible for the pastoral care of his diocese. In addition, bishops have the responsibility to act in council to guide the church. Brother: A man who is a member of a religious order but is not ordained or studying for the priesthood. Chicano/a: A self-identification. In this study, this term denotes a progressive political identity and class among those Mexican Americans who literally call themselves Chicano/a. Cursillo: The Cursillo de Cristianidad, or Little Course in Christianity , is a three-day program for achieving spiritual renewal or spiritual awakening. It seeks to convey a new sense of individual and organized political action. Diocese: The standard term for a territorial division of the church entrusted to the bishop who rules in his own name as local ordinary and not as a delegate to another. The chief diocese of a province is an archdiocese, which is headed by an archbishop. A diocese is usually limited to a definite territory so that it comprises all the faithful who inhabit that territory. 173 g l o s s a r y S N 173 Encuentro: The Encuentro is a traditional nationwide gathering of the U.S. Latino Catholic community that began in the 1970s where Latinos discuss critically their relationship with the U.S. Catholic Church and celebrate their cultures and faith. However, the fourth nationwide Encuentro in 2000 included representatives of all sectors of the Catholic community, aiming to be a celebration of the rich cultural, ethnic, and linguistic diversity which marks the Catholic Church in the United States. Hierarchy: In general, the term refers to the ordered body of clergy, divided into bishops, priests, and deacons. In Catholic practice, the term refers to the bishops of the world or of a particular region. Hispanic: In this study, this term refers to a person of Hispanic descent who resides in the United States. Note that persons of Mexican descent comprise the largest Hispanic subgroup. “Hispanic” is used interchangeably with “Latino.” Latino/a: In this study, the term means a person of Latin descent who resides in the United States. “Latino” is used interchangeably with “Hispanic.” Mexican American: A nationality. An American of Mexican descent. Synonyms: Raza, Mexicano. Mexicano: In this study, this term means Mexican American or Mexican immigrant. National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB): The episcopal conference of U.S. bishops. The membership is composed of diocesan bishops and their associate bishops. The conference decides matters of ecclesiastical law and issues policy statements on political and social issues. Nuncio: In the United States, the papal representative is sent by the pope to both the local church and to the government. His title is Apostolic Pro-Nuncio. Ordinary: Diocesan bishops, religious superiors, and certain other diocesan authorities with jurisdiction over the clergy in a specific geographic area or the members of a religious order. Ordination: The sacramental rite by which a sacred order is conferred (diaconate, priesthood, episcopacy). Parish: A specific community of the Christian faithful within a diocese, which has its own church building, under the authority of a pastor who is responsible for providing them with ministerial service. Most parishes are formed on a geographic basis, but they may be formed along national or ethnic lines. p a d r e s 174 Pastor: A priest in charge of a parish or congregation. He is responsible for administering the sacraments, instructing the congregation in the doctrine of the church, and other services to the people of the parish. Personal Prelature: In addition to the territorial arrangement of the church into particular or local churches or dioceses, canon law provides for nonterritorial areas of religious jurisdiction, incorporating secular clergy and deacons. Membership is also open to laypersons. These prelatures are established to meet specific pastoral or missionary needs at the regional, national, or international level without infringing on the rights of the local bishops. A prelature is presided over by a personal prelate, who is an ordinary with the right to establish seminaries and ordain priests as members of...