Glossary

A witness to the truth of the faith, in which the martyr endures even death to be faithful to Christ. Those who die for the faith before having received Baptism are said to have received a "baptism of blood," by which their sins are forgiven and they share in the death and Resurrection of Christ.

(Latin missio, a sending) The term literally denotes "sending" and covers a variety of meanings, all somehow expressing the idea of a going forth from one person to others in the task of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ, of serving others and of building up the Christian community. (Woods, 2002)

The place where religious men or women live in a community and they dedicate their lives to prayer and service.

The way of life followed by religious men and women who live in a monastery and where they are generally secluded from the world, according to fixed rule and under vows, in order to praise God through contemplation and apostolic charity. The principal duty of those living the monastic life is to offer humble service to God within the boundaries of the monastery. Some monastic institutes dedicate themselves wholly to contemplation; others engage in some works of the apostolate or of Christian charity, in accord with the character of monastic life. (catholicculture.org)

(Greek monachos, living alone, solitary.) Originally a hermit or anchorite, but already in the early Church applied to men living a community life in a monastery, under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, according to a specific rule, such as that of St. Basil or St. Benedict. (catholicculture.org)

(Greek monos, one; theos, god.) The belief that there is only one God, a supreme being who is transcendent, omniscient, omnipotent, all good, and creator of all that exists. (Komonchak, 1989)

A believer in or adherent of Islam.