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Catholic Word of the Day: ABBESS. 10-23-12
CatholicReference.net ^ | 10-23-12 | Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary

Posted on 10/23/2012 8:06:09 AM PDT by Salvation

Featured Term (selected at random):

ABBESS

Feminine counterpart of abbot. The spiritual and temporal superior of a community of nuns, symbolizing her role as mother of the religious women under her care. Over the centuries an abbess has enjoyed some extraordinary privileges, such as wearing a special ring and bearing the crosier as a sign of her rank. But an abbess does not have ecclesiastical jurisdiction corresponding to that of an abbot.

See Also: ABBOT

All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; History; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic

ABBOT

Superior of a monastery of monks having a settled location; a title definitely fixed by St. Benedict. The abbot is elected, usually for life, by the professed members of the community in a secret ballot. The authority of an abbot is, first, paternal, administering the property of the abbey and maintaining discipline in the observance of rule, and, second, is quasi-episcopal in conferring a certain territorial jurisdiction. The rule of the order determines the qualifications of its abbot. His insignia are the pectoral cross and a ring. (Etym. Aramaic abba, father.)

See Also: ABBESS

All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

1 posted on 10/23/2012 8:06:17 AM PDT by Salvation
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2 posted on 10/23/2012 8:09:07 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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