United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

Appendix A. Glossary • 513

FATHERS OF THE CHURCH: Church teachers and writers of the early centuries whose teachings are a crucial witness to the Tradition of the Church. FILIAL LOVE: The love that children owe their parents through respect, gratitude, just obedience, and assistance. FORTITUDE: The Cardinal Virtue by which one courageously and firmly chooses the good despite dif ficulty and also perseveres in doing what is right despite temptation, fear, or persecution. FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: The Tradition of the Church lists twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity (cf. CCC, no. 1832). FULL COMMUNION (RECEPTION INTO): This refers to the entrance of baptized Christians of other Christian ecclesial communions into full com munion with the Catholic Church, through a profession of faith and the Sacraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist.

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GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: These gifts are permanent disposi tions that move us to respond to the guidance of the Spirit. The tradi tional list of these gifts is derived from Isaiah 11:1-3: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, reverence (piety), and wonder and awe in God’s presence (fear of the Lord). GLUTTONY: The Capital Sin that describes actions of eating and drinking more than what is necessary. GNOSTICISM: In the first Christian centuries, this blend of Christianity and paganism denied that Jesus was human and sought salvation through occult “wis dom.” The earliest Church Fathers, especially St. Ignatius of Antioch, rejected the Gnostics and vigorously defended the humanity of Jesus Christ, conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, who gave birth to Jesus. GOD: The eternal unchanging being who created all that is and who continues to oversee and guide all things. Through the centuries, God has revealed himself to us as one being who is a Trinity of Persons—Father, Son, and Holy