CATHOLIC WORD BOOK - Knights of Columbus, Supreme Council

with the Eucharist is preceded by a
reasonable time for readings of the word of
God, songs, prayers and a period for silent
prayer.” So stated Vatican directives issued
in 1973.
F
Faculties: Grants of jurisdiction or
authority by the law of the Church or
superiors (pope, bishop, religious superior)
for exercise of the powers of holy orders;
e.g., priests are given faculties to hear
confessions, officiate at weddings; bishops
are given faculties to grant dispensations,
etc.
Faith: In religion, faith has several aspects.
Catholic doctrine calls faith the assent of
the mind to truths revealed by God, the
assent being made with the help of grace
and by command of the will on account of
the authority and trustworthiness of God
revealing. The term faith also refers to the
truths that are believed (content of faith)
and to the way in which a person, in
response to Christ, gives witness to and
expresses belief in daily life (living faith).
All of these elements, and more, are
included in the following statement: “
‘The obedience of faith’ (Rom 16:26; 1:5;
2 Cor 10:5 6) must be given to God who
reveals, an obedience by which man
entrusts his whole self freely to God,
offering ‘the full submission of intellect
and will to God who reveals’ (First Vatican
Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the
Catholic Faith, Chap. 3), and freely
assenting to the truth revealed by him. If
this faith is to be shown, the grace of God
and the interior help of the Holy Spirit
must precede and assist, moving the heart
and turning it to God, opening the eyes of
the mind, and giving ‘joy and ease to
everyone in assenting to the truth and
believing it’” (Second Council of Orange,
Canon 7) (Second Vatican Council,
Constitution on Revelation, Dei Verbum,
No. 5). Faith is necessary for salvation.
Faith, Rule of: The norm or standard of
religious belief. The Catholic doctrine is
that belief must be professed in the
divinely revealed truths in the Bible and
tradition as interpreted and proposed by
the infallible teaching authority of the
Church.
Fast, Eucharistic: Abstinence from food
and drink, except water and medicine, is
required for one hour before the reception
of the Eucharist. Persons who are advanced
in age or suffer from infirmity or illness,
together with those who care for them, can
receive Holy Communion even if they
have not abstained from food and drink for
an hour. A priest celebrating two or three
Masses on the same day can eat and drink
something before the second or third Mass
without regard for the hour limit.
Father: A title of priests, who are regarded
as spiritual fathers because they are the
ordinary ministers of baptism, by which
persons are born to supernatural life, and
because of their pastoral service to people.
Fear: A mental state caused by the
apprehension of present or future danger.
Grave fear does not necessarily remove
moral responsibility for an act, but may
lessen it.
First Friday: A devotion consisting of the
reception of Holy Communion on the first
Friday of nine consecutive months in
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