Catechism of the Catholic Church

874

Glossary

above all the Eucharist, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting at and blessing marriages, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in presiding over funerals, and in dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity. While the Churches of the East have always had a functioning order of deacons, in the West the permanent diaconate was reestablished by the Second Vatican Council (1569, 1571). DECALOGUE: The Ten Commandments (literally, “ten words”) given by God to Moses on Sinai. In order to be faithful to the teaching of Jesus, the Decalogue must be interpreted in the light of the great commandment of love of God and neighbor (2055, 2056). See Commandment. DEFINITION, DOGMATIC: A solemn declaration by an ecumenical council or by the Pope that a doctrine is revealed by God and must be believed by the universal Church; such definitions are called infallible, and must be adhered to with the obedience of faith (891). DEPOSIT OF FAITH: The heritage of faith contained in Sacred Scripture and Tradition, handed on in the Church from the time of the Apostles, from which the Magisterium draws all that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed (84; cf. 1202). DESCENT INTO HELL: An article in the Apostles’ Creed referring to the victory over death and sin which Christ won by being “raised from the dead.” DEMON: See Devil/Demon.

Jesus, like all people, experienced death and in his soul joined the others in the realm of the dead, where he descended as Savior, proclaiming the Gospel to the spirits imprisoned there in order to free the just ones who had gone before him (632). DESPAIR: The abandonment of hope in salvation and the forgiveness of sins (2091). DETRACTION: Disclosure of another’s faults and sins, without an objectively valid reason, to persons who did not know about them, thus causing unjust injury to that person’s reputation (2477). DEVELOPMENT, DOCTRINAL: Growth in the understanding of God’s revelation, which continues through the contemplation and study of believers, theological research, and the preaching of the Magisterium (94). DEVIL/DEMON: A fallen angel, who sinned against God by refusing to accept his reign. Satan or the devil, the Evil One, and the other demons were at first good angels, created naturally good, who became evil by their own doing (391, 1707; cf. 2851). DIOCESE: A “particular church,” a community of the faithful in communion of faith and sacraments whose bishop has been ordained in apostolic succession. A diocese is usually a determined geographic area; sometimes it may be constituted as a group of people of the same DIACONATE: See Deacon, Diaconate.

rite or language. In Eastern churches, an eparchy (833).