This list of more than 60 Latin terms includes commonly-used words and phrases taken from:
- the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
- the liturgical calendar
- Catholic doctrine
- administration and governance
- as well as other specialized Latin terms.
| Latin Term / Phrase | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ad gentes | To the nations (The missionary mandate of the Church) |
| Ad limina | To the thresholds (Bishops’ periodic administrative visits to Rome) |
| Ad maiorem Dei gloriam | For the greater glory of God (Motto of the Jesuits) |
| Aggiornamento | Bringing up to date (not Latin but Italian; modernization of Church pastoral approach) |
| Agnus Dei | Lamb of God |
| Anima Christi | Soul of Christ |
| Anno Domini (A.D.) | In the year of our Lord |
| Bullas Papales | Papal Bulls (Formal decrees authenticated with a lead seal) |
| Codex Iuris Canonici | The Code of Canon Law |
| Collegialitas | Collegiality (Shared responsibility and authority among bishops) |
| Communio | Communion / Fellowship |
| Coram Deo | In the presence of God |
| Corpus Christi | The Body of Christ |
| Creatio ex nihilo | Creation out of nothing |
| Credo | I believe |
| Cura pastoralis | Pastoral care |
| Curia Romana | The Roman Curia (The administrative apparatus of the Holy See) |
| Deo gratias | Thanks be to God |
| Depositum fidei | The deposit of faith |
| Dispensatio | Dispensation (A canonical relaxation of a formal law) |
| Dominus vobiscum | The Lord be with you |
| Ecclesia | The Church |
| Ecclesia semper reformanda | The Church must always be reformed |
| Ex cathedra | From the chair (Pronounced with full papal authority) |
| Feria | Ferial Day (A standard weekday on the liturgical calendar) |
| Festum | Feast Day (Second-tier liturgical celebration) |
| Festum de praecepto | Holy Day of Obligation |
| Festum Titulare | Titular Feast (The patronal celebration of a specific parish) |
| Gloria in excelsis Deo | Glory to God in the highest |
| Gratia | Grace |
| Habemus Papam | We have a Pope |
| In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti | In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit |
| In persona Christi | In the person of Christ |
| In solidum | In solidarity / Jointly (Entrusting pastoral care to a team) |
| In status gratiae | In a state of grace |
| Indulgentia Partialis | Partial indulgence (Partial remission of temporal punishment) |
| Indulgentia Plenaria | Plenary indulgence (Complete remission of temporal punishment) |
| Kyrie eleison | Lord, have mercy (Greek origin, used traditionally in Latin liturgy) |
| Lex orandi, lex credendi | The law of praying is the law of believing |
| Litterae Apostolicae | Apostolic Letters (Papal documents addressing administrative questions) |
| Loci theologici | Theological sources |
| Lucrari indulgentiam | To gain or acquire an indulgence |
| Magisterium | Teaching authority of the Church |
| Mea culpa | Through my fault |
| Memoria | Memorial (Third-tier liturgical celebration, either mandatory or optional) |
| Miserere nobis | Have mercy on us |
| Motu proprio | By one’s own initiative (A document issued directly by the Pope) |
| Nihil obstat | Nothing hinders (Official declaration that a book is free of doctrinal error) |
| Ora pro nobis | Pray for us |
| Oremus | Let us pray |
| Pax vobiscum | Peace be with you |
| Pia invocatio | Pious invocation (Short, devout prayers carrying a partial indulgence) |
| Pro defunctis / Per modum suffragii | For the deceased / By way of suffrage |
| Ressourcement | Return to the sources (French; theological return to early Church writings) |
| Sacramentum | Sacrament |
| Sanctus | Holy |
| Sedes Vacante | The seat being vacant (The period between popes) |
| Sensus fidei | The sense of the faith (An individual believer’s instinct for Christian truth) |
| Sensus fidelium | The sense of the faithful (The collective consensus of the global Church) |
| Solemnitas | Solemnity (The highest ranking holy day on the calendar) |
| Subsidiaritas | Subsidiarity (The principle that matters should be handled by the lowest competent authority) |
| Sursum corda | Lift up your hearts |
| Synodus | Synod (An assembly of bishops gathered to advise the Pope) |
| Tribunal | An ecclesiastical court |
| Urbi et Orbi | To the city [Rome] and to the world |
| Vicaris Generalis | Vicar General (A bishop’s principal administrative deputy) |
| Vigilia | Vigil (Evening liturgy celebrated on the eve of a major feast) |
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