Encyclopedic Dictionary of Bible and Theology

Office of the Church It is the opinion of some persons that God designed his Church to be an authoritative expositor of the sense of Scripture; that while the precedence, indeed, is to be given to Scripture, in point of dignity, as the foundation on which human interpretations are to be built, the superstructure reared … Continue reading “Office of the Church”

Office, Ministerial i.e. of the Christian Ministry. The ministers whom Christ and his apostles, and their successors, appointed, are completely distinct from priests, such as those of the Jews and of the pagans, in office, as well as in name. Among the former it was not so much the family of Aaron as the whole … Continue reading “Office, Ministerial”

Office, Holy, Congregation Of The In the article INQUISITION SEE INQUISITION (q.v.) it has been explained that that tribunal is sometimes called by the name Holy Office This title, however, properly belongs to the Congregation at Rome, to which the direction of the Roman tribunal of the Inquisition is subject. This Congregation was established by … Continue reading “Office, Holy, Congregation Of The”

Office, Divine As contained in approved Breviaries, the group of psalms, hymns, prayers, readings from the Old and New Testaments, patristic homilies, and lives of saints, arranged and formulated by the Church, whereby daily public or liturgical prayer is offered to God. It is also called Cursus, Canonical Hours, or Opus Dei. It is the … Continue reading “Office, Divine”

office, abuse of Is taken in canon law in the very wide sense of the evil and unlawful use of ecclesiastical power or office and the term is not restricted to tyrannical use. The Code devotes to it an entire title (XIX) of the Fifth Book. The first canon of the title states: “Abuse of … Continue reading “office, abuse of”

Office, (The) Divine (Lat. officium divinum), is the name popularly given since the 9th century to the collection of services enjoined for the canonical hours (q.v.). It is called by St. Basil and the Greek Church the Canon; by SS. Jerome and Benedict God’s Work; the Cursus or Course in the Roman rites; the Collecta … Continue reading “Office, (The) Divine”

Office is a term for an administration without precedence in choir or chapter. The financial provost and procurator; the precentor, chancellor, and treasurer of Beverly; monks elected by the prior and seniors, and confirmed in authority by the bishop in a conventual cathedral, were called officers, the term designating now the vice-dean, treasurer, and receiver-general … Continue reading “Office”

offertory (Latin: offero, to offer up) that part of the Mass in which the unconsecrated bread and wine are offered to God; the oblation itself the prayers that accompany this offering the verse or antiphon that forms a part of the proper of the Mass which is sung by the choir while the priest is … Continue reading “Offertory”

Offertorium SEE OFFERTORY. Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Offerings, The The sacrifices described in the O.T. show the ground and means of approach to God. They are all typical, having no intrinsic value, but they foreshadowed Christ, who, as antitype, fulfilled them all. The principal offerings are four: the Burnt offering, the Meat offering, the Peace offering, and the Sin offering, with which … Continue reading “Offerings, The”