CATHOLIC WORD BOOK - Knights of Columbus, Supreme Council

Situation Ethics: A subjective, individualistic
ethical theory which denies the binding
force of ethical principles as universal laws
and preceptive norms of moral conduct,
and proposes that morality is determined
only by situational conditions and
considerations and the intention of the
person. It has been criticized for ignoring
the principles of objective ethics. (See also
Consequentialism and Proportionalism.)
Slander: Attributing to a person faults
which he or she does not have; a violation
of the obligations of justice and charity, for
which restitution is due.
Sloth (Acedia): One of the seven capital
sins; spiritual laziness, involving distaste
and disgust for spiritual things; spiritual
boredom, which saps the vigor of spiritual
life. Physical laziness is a counterpart of
spiritual sloth.
Sorcery: A kind of black magic in which
evil is invoked by means of diabolical
intervention; a violation of the virtue of
religion.
Soteriology: The division of theology
which treats of the mission and work of
Christ as Redeemer.
Species, Sacred: The appearances of bread
and wine (color, taste, smell, etc.) which
remain after the substance has been
changed at the Consecration of the Mass
into the Body and Blood of Christ. (See
Transubstantiation.)
Spiritism: Attempts to communicate with
spirits and departed souls by means of
seances, table tapping, ouija boards, and
other methods; a violation of the virtue of
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religion. Spiritualistic practices are noted
for fakery.
Stational Churches, Days: Churches,
especially in Rome, where the clergy and
lay people were accustomed to gather with
their bishop on certain days for the
celebration of the liturgy. The 25 early
titular or parish churches of Rome, plus
other churches, each had their turn as the
site of divine worship in practices which
may have started in the third century. The
observances were rather well developed
toward the latter part of the 4th century,
and by the fifth they included a Mass
concelebrated by the pope and attendant
priests. On some occasions, the stational
liturgy was preceded by a procession from
another church called a collecta. There were
42 Roman stational churches in the 8th
century, and 89 stational services were
scheduled annually in connection with the
liturgical seasons. Stational observances
fell into disuse toward the end of the
Middle Ages. Some revival was begun by
John XXIII in 1959 and continued by
Paul VI and John Paul II.
Stations (Way) of the Cross: A form of
devotion commemorating the Passion and
death of Christ, consisting of a series of
meditations (stations): (1) his
condemnation to death, (2) taking up of
the cross, (3) the first fall on the way to
Calvary, (4) meeting his Mother, (5) being
assisted by Simon of Cyrene and (6) by the
woman Veronica who wiped his face, (7)
the second fall, (8) meeting the women of
Jerusalem, (9) the third fall, (10) being
stripped and (11) nailed to the cross, (12)
his death, (13) the removal of his body
from the cross and (14) his burial.
Depictions of these scenes are mounted in