CATHOLIC WORD BOOK - Knights of Columbus, Supreme Council

the establishment of the Inquisition for
trying charges of heresy brought against
Jewish (Marranos) and Moorish (Moriscos)
converts. It acquired jurisdiction over
other cases as well, however, and fell into
disrepute because of irregularities in its
functions, cruelty in its sentences, and the
manner in which it served the interests of
the Spanish crown more than the accused
persons and the good of the Church.
Protests by the Holy See failed to curb
excesses of the Inquisition, which lingered
in Spanish history until early in the 19th
century.
I N R I: The first letters of words in the
Latin inscription atop the cross on which
Christ was crucified: (I)esus (N)azaraenus,
(R)ex (I)udaeorum — Jesus of Nazareth,
King of the Jews.
Insemination, Artificial: The implanting of
human semen by some means other than
consummation of natural marital
intercourse. In view of the principle that
procreation should result only from
marital intercourse, donor insemination is
not permissible.
In Sin: The condition of a person called
spiritually dead because he or she does not
possess sanctifying grace, the principle of
supernatural life, action and merit. Such
grace can be regained through repentance.
Instruction: A document containing
doctrinal explanations, directive norms,
rules, recommendations, admonitions,
issued by the pope, a department of the
Roman Curia or other competent
authority in the Church. To the extent that
they so prescribe, instructions have the
force of law.
Intercommunion, Eucharistic Sharing: The
common celebration and reception of the
Eucharist by members of different
Christian churches; a pivotal issue in
ecumenical theory and practice. Catholic
participation and intercommunion in the
Eucharistic liturgy of another church
without a valid priesthood and with a
variant Eucharistic belief is out of order.
Under certain conditions, other Christians
may receive the Eucharist in the Catholic
Church. (See additional Intercommunion
entry). Intercommunion is acceptable to
some Protestant churches and
unacceptable to others.
Interdict: A censure imposed on persons for
certain violations of church law.
Interdicted persons may not take part in
certain liturgical services, administer or
receive certain sacraments.
Intinction: A method of administering
Holy Communion under the dual
appearances of bread and wine, in which
the consecrated host is dipped in the
consecrated wine before being given to the
communicant. The administering of Holy
Communion in this manner, which has
been traditional in Eastern Rite liturgies,
was authorized in the Roman Rite for
various occasions by the Constitution on
the Sacred Liturgy promulgated by the
Second Vatican Council.
Irenicism: Peace seeking, conciliation, as
opposed to polemics; an important
element in ecumenism, provided it
furthers pursuit of the Christian unity
willed by Christ without degenerating
into a peace at any price disregard for
religious truth.
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