CATHOLIC WORD BOOK - Knights of Columbus, Supreme Council

his divine mind from eternity, and fully
revealed in Jesus Christ. Before the
Incarnation it was known only obscurely,
but after the ascension of Christ and the
coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, it
became the substance of apostolic
preaching and is preserved in its integrity
for each new generation.
Ecumenism: The movement of Christians
and their churches toward the unity willed
by Christ. The Second Vatican Council
called the movement “those activities and
enterprises which, according to various
needs of the Church and opportune
occasions, are started and organized for the
fostering of unity among Christians”
(Decree on Ecumenism, No. 4). Spiritual
ecumenism, i.e., mutual prayer for unity, is
the heart of the movement. The movement
also involves scholarly and pew level efforts
for the development of mutual
understanding and better interfaith
relations in general, and collaboration by
the churches and their members in the
social area. (See Index for other entries.)
Elevation: The raising of the host after
consecration at Mass for adoration by the
faithful. The custom was introduced in the
Diocese of Paris about the close of the 12th
century to offset an erroneous teaching of
the time which held that transub -
stantiation of the bread did not take place
until after the consecration of the wine in
the chalice. The elevation of the chalice
following the consecration of the wine was
introduced in the 15th century.
Encyclical: The highest form of papal
teaching document. It is normally
addressed to all the bishops and/or to all
the faithful.
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Envy: Sadness over another’s good fortune
because it is considered a loss to oneself or
a detraction from one’s own excellence; one
of the seven capital sins, a violation of the
obligations of charity.
Epiclesis: An invocation of the Holy
Spirit, to bless the offerings consecrated at
Mass; before the consecration in the Latin
Rite, after the consecration in Eastern
usage.
Epikeia: A Greek word meaning
reasonableness and designating a moral
theory and practice, a mild interpretation
of the mind of a legislator who is
prudently considered not to wish positive
law to bind in certain circumstances.
Episcopate: (1) The office, dignity and
sacramental powers bestowed upon a
bishop at his ordination. (2) The body of
bishops collectively.
Equivocation: (1) The use of words,
phrases, or gestures having more than one
meaning in order to conceal information
which a questioner has no strict right to
know. It is permissible to equivocate (have
a broad mental reservation) in some
circumstances. (2) A lie, i.e., a statement of
untruth. Lying is intrinsically wrong. A lie
told in joking, evident as such, is not
wrong.
Eschatology: Doctrine concerning the last
things: death, judgment, heaven and hell,
and the final state of perfection of the
people and kingdom of God at the end of
time.
Eternity: The interminable, perfect
possession of life in its totality without