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Easter Communion – Reception
of the Holy Eucharist, as prescribed by the Church, during the
Easter season, which differs among countries, but generally between
Ash Wednesday (or the first Sunday of Lent) and Trinity Sunday. Also
called "Easter Duty," it includes the reception of the sacrament of
penance. Children (puberes) are also to make their Easter duty, and
the obligation rests on parents, guardians, and the pastor to see
that this duty is fulfilled.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Ecclesiastes, The book of.
- A sapiential book of the Old Testament, also known as Qoheleth
(meaning “member of the religious assembly”), written in the third
century B.C. and accepted as canonical by both Jews and Christians.
The book emphasizes the vanity of merely human desires and
achievements. Wisdom consists in moderate pursuit of the good things
in this world.
© Fireside New American Bible
A book of the Old Testament, called in Hebrew Koheleth or in English
"the Preacher." Once held to have been written by Solomon, now
agreed that the author is unknown. The theme of the book is the
transient character of all earthly goods, compared with the true
wisdom that is found in the fear of the Lord. Though sober in tone,
it is not pessimistic, since hope for happiness is held out to those
who direct their lives according to reason and the will of God.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Ecumenism - Those activities and
movements which are meant to promote unity among Christians. The
term is also extended to activities meant to bring about better
relations between Christianity and other world religions. True
ecumenism leads to a better understanding and appreciation of
different beliefs; false ecumenism is an unhealthy compromise of
beliefs.
© Fireside New American Bible
The modern movement toward Christian unity whose Protestant origins
stem from the Edinburgh World Missionary Conference in 1910, and
whose Catholic principles were formulated by the Second Vatican
Council in 1964. These principles are mainly three: 1. Christ
established his Church on the Apostles and their episcopal
successors, whose visible head and principle of unity became Peter
and his successor the Bishop of Rome; 2. since the first century
there have been divisions in Christianity, but many persons now
separated from visible unity with the successors of the Apostles
under Peter are nevertheless Christians who possess more or less of
the fullness of grace available in the Roman Catholic Church; 3.
Catholics are to do everything possible to foster the ecumenical
movement, which comprehends all "the initiatives and activities,
planned and undertaken to promote Christian unity, according to the
Church's various needs and as opportunities offer" (Decree on
Ecumenism, I, 4).
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Efficacious Grace – The
actual grace to which free consent is given by the will so that the
grace produces its divinely intended effect. In the controversy
between the Dominicans [led by Báñez (1528-1604)] and the Jesuits
[led by Molina (1525-1600)] there was no agreement on what precisely
causes an actual grace to become efficacious. In the Báñezian
theory, the efficacy of such grace depends on the character of the
grace itself; in the Molinist theory, it depends on the fact that it
is given under circumstances that God foresees to be congruous with
the dispositions of the person receiving the grace. In every
Catholic theory, however, it is agreed that efficacious grace does
not necessitate the will or destroy human freedom.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Emmanuel - This was the Messianic
title prophesied by Isaiah. He also foretold that the Messiah would
be born of a virgin. In writing for the Jews, Matthew referred them
tot his prophesy and declared that it was fulfilled in Christ.
© Fireside New American Bible
Encyclical – A papal document
treating of matters related to the general welfare of the Church,
sent by the Pope to the bishops. Used especially in modern times to
express the mind of the Pope to the people. Although of themselves
not infallible documents, encyclicals may (and generally do) contain
pronouncements on faith and morals that are de facto infallible
because they express the ordinary teaching of the Church. In any
case, the faithful are to give the papal encyclicals their interior
assent and external respect as statements of the Vicar of Christ.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Envy - One of the seven capital sins.
There is no temper or passion of the human mind and heart more
self-destructive than that of looking with displeasure upon the
prosperity of another. This may be a mortal sin if one’s neighbors
good fortune is of significant importance to him. The warnings in
Holy Scriptures against this evil are both specific and
comprehensive; examples of its folly abound.
© Fireside New American Bible
Ephesians, The Letter to
the. - A letter to the church at Ephesus, or more generally
to the churches of Asia Minor, written by St. Paul (in the early
A.D. 60s) or, more likely, by one of his disciples or associates
(and dating from sometime in the second half of the first century).
The letter contains a masterful summary of Paul’s teaching about
Christ: The divine plan that all things will be reconciles to the
Father in Christ (1:10), hidden in God prior to creation (1:4), has
now been revealed to the Apostles and prophets (3:5) and
accomplished through Christ’s death and resurrection.
© Fireside New American Bible
One of the instructional letters of St. Paul, written from Rome
sometime during his first imprisonment (A.D. 61-63). Most likely it
was a circular letter whose theme is the union of all the faithful
with and in Christ, as members of his one Mystical Body. Its
reference to matrimony as a mystery that implies the union of Christ
and the Church (5:32) has made this epistle the classic source of
the Church's doctrine on the sacrament of marriage.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Episcopacy. – Divine institution of
bishops as successors of the Apostles. By virtue of divine right,
therefore, bishops possess an ordinary power of government over
their dioceses. The episcopal power is ordinary because it belongs
to the episcopal office. It is an immediate power because it is
exercised in the bishop's own name and not at the order of a
superior. Thus bishops are not mere delegates or agents of the Pope,
nor his mere vicars or representatives. They are autonomous pastors
of the flock entrusted to them even though they are subordinated to
the Pope.
The episcopal power is inherent in the bishops' ordination, though
it must be activated by collegial union with the Pope and the rest
of the Catholic hierarchy. It is a true pastoral power that embraces
all the ecclesiastical powers belonging to the exercise of this
office, namely the teaching, ruling, judging, and, when necessary,
punishing refractory members of their diocese. It is, however, a
power that is limited locally and materially, since it extends only
to a definite segment of the Church and is circumscribed by the
papal authority, which is superior to that of any bishop in his
diocese.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Eschatology - ‘doctrine of last
things’. A branch of theology which deals with either the last
things which will befall the soul after death, or the last things
which will be identified with the end of the world. The former
treats death and the particular judgment, whereby man will be
rewarded in heaven or suffer in purgatory or hell. The latter covers
the resurrection of the dead, the Coming of Christ, the Last
Judgment; as well as those last things which will come before the
end of the world, such as the preaching of the Gospel to all
nations, the conversion of Jews, etc.
© Fireside New American Bible
The branch of systematic theology that treats of the last things:
death, particular and general judgments, heaven, hell, and
purgatory. All the essentials of eschatology have been clearly
defined by the Church, notably the Fourth Lateran Council (1215) and
the constitution Benedictus Deus of Pope Benedict XII in 1336.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Esther, The Book of. -
This book of the Old Testament tells of the events commemorated in
the Jewish festival of Purim when Queen Esther saved her people from
destruction in the time of Ahasuerus (Xerxes), King of Persia
(485-465 B.C). The Jewish heroine foiled the plot devised by Haman,
a court official, to exterminate all the Jews. In turn, he and his
accomplices were executed, and the Jews still in captivity in Persia
were spared.
© Fireside New American Bible
Eternal Law – The plan of divine
wisdom, insofar as it directs all the actions and events of the
universe. It is, therefore, the unchangeable effective decree of God
binding the whole of creation to the fulfillment of its purpose, and
to the use of such means for attaining this purpose as are adapted
to each nature.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Eternal Punishment – The
unending penalty suffered in hell by the evil spirits and the human
beings who die in mortal sin. The Church bases her teaching about
the existence of eternal punishment on the words of Christ in
foretelling the final judgment (Matthew 25:34, 41). He compares the
sentence of the just with the condemnation of the wicked. Christ as
judge will first say, "Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take
for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation
of the world." But to the unjust, "Go away from me, with your curse
upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his
angels." Then he repeats the two judgments with a conclusion,
speaking first of the lost and then of the saved, "And they will go
into eternal [aionios] punishment, and the virtuous to eternal [aionios]
life" (Matthew 25:46). Since there is no question about the endless
duration of heaven, the Church concludes the same about hell. The
eternity of hell was defined by the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Eucharist - The Eucharist (from the
Greek ‘eucharistia’, “thanksgiving”) is the sacrament of the
Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, in which He is present under the
forms of bread and wine offering Himself in the Sacrifice of the
Mass and giving Himself as spiritual food to the faithful. Essential
for the celebration of the Eucharist are unleavened wheat bread
(although leavened bread is used in most of the Eastern Rites) and
grape wine. The appointed words of consecration must be used by a
priest in order for the change known as “transubstantiation” to take
place, in which the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of
Christ.
The Eucharist was instituted at the Last Supper by Christ Himself
(Mt 26:26-28; Mk 14:22-24; Lk 22:17-20; 1 Cor 11:23-25) “in order to
perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the ages until he
should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the
Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection, a sacrament of
love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet in which
Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of
future glory is given to us” The celebration of the Eucharist is the
action of Christ and His church. “For in it Christ perpetuates in an
unbloody manner the sacrifice offered on the cross, offering Himself
to the Father for the world’s salvation through the ministry of
priests. The Church, the spouse and minister of Christ, performs
together with Him the role of priest and victim, offers Him to the
Father and at the same time makes a total offering of herself
together with Him” (Eucharisticum Mysterium, Instruction on
the Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery).
Because of the importance and holiness invested in it by Christ
Himself, the Eucharist is the chief act of worship in the Catholic
Church, and the Consecrated Species of the Eucharist are to be
adored by the faithful with the same worship due God, because of
Christ’s substantial presence.
© Fireside New American Bible
The true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, who is really and
substantially present under the appearances of bread and wine, in
order to offer himself in the sacrifice of the Mass and to be
received as spiritual food in Holy Communion. It is called
Eucharist, or "thanksgiving," because at its institution at the Last
Supper Christ "gave thanks," and by this fact it is the supreme
object and act of Christian gratitude to God.
Although the same name is used, the Eucharist is any one or all
three aspects of one mystery, namely the Real Presence, the
Sacrifice, and Communion. As Real Presence, the Eucharist is Christ
in his abiding existence on earth today; as Sacrifice, it is Christ
in his abiding action of High Priest, continuing now to communicate
the graces he merited on Calvary; and as Communion, it is Christ
coming to enlighten and strengthen the believer by nourishing his
soul for eternal life.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Eucharistic prayer - The
central rite of the Mass, which combines anaphora (Greek:
elevation, lifting up); oratio oblationis (Latin: prayer of
offering); illatio (Latin: contribution or sacrifice);
canon (from Greek: rule or norm); prex précis (prayer of
request); and canon actionis (rule of the action). Earliest
evidence of the outline of the Eucharistic Prayer (not the text
itself) comes from the Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus (d. 215).
The fourth and fifth centuries saw important developments in both
East and West toward establishing these texts, which formed the
center of the Eucharistic celebration during which the bread and
wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. The structure of
the prayer includes: thanksgiving, acclamation, epiclesis, narrative
of the institution and consecration, anamnesis, offering,
intercessions and final doxology.
© Fireside New American Bible
The central portion of the Eucharistic liturgy. There are eight
parts to this prayer, namely the Preface, Acclamation, Epiclesis,
Consecration, Anamnesis, Oblation, Intercessions, and Doxology. Its
ritual history goes back to apostolic times.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Evangelization – Zealous
proclamation of the Gospel in order to bring others to Christ and
his Church. In the words of Pope Paul VI, “Evangelizing means to
bring the Good News into all the strata of humanity, and through its
influence transforming humanity from within and making it new, ‘Now
I am making the whole of creation new’ (Revelation 21:5). But there
is no new humanity if there are not first of all new persons renewed
by baptism, and by lives lived according to the Gospel” (Evangelic
Nuntiandi, 18). Evangelization, therefore, includes three
distinctive elements: 1. interior conversion to Christ and his
Church; 2. affecting not only the individual person but the whole
culture; and 3. as a result, changing this culture and its
institutions to make them Christian and Catholic
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Eve - Life. This was the name given by
Adam to the woman created by God as a fitting companion for him. In
calling her Eve, which means “the mother of all living,” he stated
the unique position of woman in the generation of the race. In
giving Eve to Adam, God instituted marriage as a monogamous relation
between one man and one woman and ordained that through this union
the human race should be propagated. Although it was through Eve
that sin had its beginning, Adam subsequently sinned with her, but
the mercy of God gave both Adam and Even the promise that a Redeemer
would come to save the entire world from eternal punishment.
© Fireside New American Bible
Evil – The antithesis of good; whatever
is harmful or contrary to what is moral or religious. Because God is
perfectly good. He is never the direct cause of any evil; however,
He sometimes permits occurrences that are evil as a matter of course
in the universe, or in the exercise of man’s free will.
© Fireside New American Bible
The privation of a good that should be present. It is the lack of a
good that essentially belongs to a nature; the absence of a good
that is natural and due to a being. Evil is therefore the absence of
what ought to be there.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Ex Cathedra - From the
throne. This phrase is used figuratively with reference to certain
pronouncements made by the Pope. When “exercising his office, as the
shepherd and teacher of all Christians, he in virtue of his supreme
apostolic authority, defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals
to be held by the whole Church,” the Pope is said to speak ex
cathedra. Such utterances are of the most solemn kind and must be
accepted as infallible.
© Fireside New American Bible
The term commonly applied to the special and explicit exercise of
papal infallibility. When the Pope speaks from the chair (cathedra)
of authority, as visible head of all Christians, his teaching is not
dependent on the consent of the Church and is irreformable.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Ex Opere Operantis –
A term mainly applied to the good dispositions with which a
sacrament is received, to distinguish it from the ex opere operato,
which is the built-in efficacy of a sacrament properly conferred.
But it may refer to any subjective factor that at least partially
determines the amount of grace obtained by a person who performs
some act of piety. Thus in the use of sacramentals or in the gaining
of indulgences, the blessings received depend largely on the faith
and love of God with which a sacramental is employed or an
indulgenced prayer or good work is performed.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Ex Opere Operato – A
term defined by the Council of Trent to describe how the sacraments
confer the grace they signify. Trent condemned the following
proposition: "That grace is not conferred `ex opere operato' by the
sacraments of the New Law" (Denzinger 1608). Literally the
expression means "from the work performed," stating that grace is
always conferred by a sacrament, in virtue of the rite performed and
not as a mere sign that grace has already been given, or that the
sacrament stimulates the faith of the recipient and thus occasions
the obtaining of grace, or that what determines the grace is the
virtue of either the minister or recipient of a sacrament. Provided
no obstacle (obex) is placed in the way, every sacrament properly
administered confers the grace intended by the sacrament. In a true
sense the sacraments are instrumental causes of grace.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Excommunication –
Excommunication is the penal exclusion of one of the faithful from
the community of the faithful. Tracing its biblical roots to the
cures, excommunication has varied widely in the scope over the
centuries. The primary canonical effects of excommunication,
nevertheless, have always been sacramental and governmental. The
spiritual and eschatological effects, contrary to public perception,
were and are rather limited. The social effects vary in severity
with culture, historical period and the station of the offender. By
any measure, though, excommunication is one of the most ancient,
serious and controversial censures imposed by the Church.
Excommuncation can be incurred in either of two ways. According to
the norms of the penal process, excommunication, like other
ecclesiastical penalties, is usually to be imposed ‘ferendae
sententiae’ excommunications to a judicial trial consisting of at
least three judges. The pretended celebration of the Eucharist or of
sacramental Confession (Canon 1378) and violation of the seal of
Confession by an interpreter (Canon 1388) are delicts punishable by
‘ferendae sententiae’ excommunication.
Certain other offenses, on the other hand, are considered so
seriously disruptive of ecclesial life that they may be met with
excommunications imposed automatically, or ‘latae sententiae’.
Although there were some thirty such offenses listed in the 1917
Code, these have been reduced to seven in the 1983 Code: violation
of the Sacred Species (Canon 1367), laying violent hands on the Pope
(Canon 1370), absolution of an accomplice (Canon 1378), Episcopal
consecration without authorization from the Holy See (Canon 1382),
violation of the seal of confession by a confessor (Canon 1388) and
procuring abortion (Canon 1398). In regard to the effects of
excommunication, every excommunicate is forbidden to have any share
in the Eucharist or other acts of public worship or to celebrate or
receive the sacraments or sacramentals. An excommunicate is
therefore clearly deprived of sacramental grace.
© Fireside New American Bible
An ecclesiastical censure by which one is more or less excluded from
communion with the faithful. It is also called anathema, especially
if it is inflicted with formal solemnities on persons notoriously
obstinate to reconciliation. Two basic forms of excommunication are
legislated by the Code of Canon Law, namely inflicted penalties (ferendae
sententiae) and automatic penalties (latae sententiae). In the first
type, a penalty does not bind until after it has been imposed on the
guilty party. In the second type, the excommunication is incurred by
the very commission of the offense, if the law or precept expressly
determines this (Canon 1314). Most excommunications are of the
second type. Among others identified by the new Code are the
following:
-"An
apostate from the faith, a heretic or a schismatic incurs
automatic excommunication" (Canon 1364).
-"A person who throws away the
consecrated species or takes them or retains them for a
sacrilegious purpose incurs an automatic excommunication
reserved to the Apostolic See" (Canon 1367).
-"A confessor who directly violates
the seal of confession incurs an automatic excommunication
reserved to the Apostolic See" (Canon 1388).
-"A
person who procures a successful abortion incurs an automatic
excommunication" (Canon 1398).
There are three principal effects of this penalty, so that "an
excommunicated person is forbidden
-to
have any ministerial participation in celebrating the
Eucharistic Sacrifice or in any other ceremonies whatsoever of
public worship
-to celebrate the sacraments and sacramentals and to receive the
sacraments
-to discharge any ecclesiastical offices, ministries or
functions whatsoever, or to place acts of governance" (Canon
1331).
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Exodus, The book of – Going
forth. This is the term employed for the departure of the children
of Israel from Egypt and is the title of the book which describes
that departure and the journey to the land of Canaan, including the
record of God’s miraculous dealings and of the Mosaic legislation.
© Fireside New American Bible
The second book of the Bible, so named because it relates the
departure of the Israelites from Egypt and their wandering through
the desert up to Mount Sinai. There are five principal parts to the
book: events in Egypt before the exodus (1-12), leaving Egypt and
the journey to Mount Sinai (13-18), promulgation of the first
precepts of the Mosaic law (19-31), apostasy of the Jews,
reconciliation and renewal of the Covenant (32-34), construction of
the Tabernacle (35-40).
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Exorcism - The power to expel demons
in case of demoniacal possession. The practice of exorcism among the
Jews was more or less general; adjurations, invocations, ceremonies,
the use of magical formulae and other forms of divination varied,
and it was even claimed by some that the power of the exorcist had a
divine source. Certain exorcists encountered by Paul sought to
exercise this power in the name of the Lord Jesus. All occult magics,
divinations, exorcisms and heathen superstitions were condemned by
the Holy Scriptures from the beginning; such claims and practices
have no place in the life of a Catholic. Christ, however, showed
that evil could definitely be overcome by good; hence, the miracles
of expelling the evil spirits was recorded in the Gospel accounts.
The triumph of good over evil continues into the era of the Church.
This victory of good over evil in Christianity should not be
interpreted as a magical power (exorcism as described above) but as
a growth process in God’s life.
© Fireside New American Bible
An adjuration in which the devil is either commanded to depart from
a possessed person or forbidden to harm someone. Although commonly
referred to as driving the evil spirit from a possessed person,
exorcism is essentially the same when used in the case of obsession.
The Gospels are filled with descriptive narratives about exorcisms
performed by Christ. St. Mark's Gospel is especially detailed in the
number of exorcisms performed by the Master, and the effortless ease
with which he delivered those who were under the influence of the
evil one. In the account of these exorcisms, the contemporary idiom
is unreservedly adopted: the evil spirits cry out in words found in
contemporary stories where a devil about to be exorcised
acknowledges the power of the exorcist: "I know you. You are . . ."
Hence it is noteworthy that Jesus uses none of the contemporary
exorcists' rituals and spells, but simply expels them by the power
of his command. The deeper significance of these narratives is that
Jesus inaugurates the final struggle against all evil and, with
emphasis, against the evil spirit, and foreshadows the final
victory. Significant, too, are the peace (Mark 4:39, 5:15, 6:51) and
awareness of the divine presence (Mark 1:27, 2:12, 5:15) which
follow Christ's expulsion of demons.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Expiation – Atonement for some
wrongdoing. It implies an attempt to undo the wrong that one has
done, by suffering a penalty, by performing some penance, or by
making reparation or redress.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament – The ceremony in which a priest or deacon
removes the Sacred Host from the tabernacle and places it on the
altar for adoration. In public exposition the Sacred Host is placed
in the lunette of the monstrance and elevated so that all adorers
can see it. In private expositions the tabernacle door is opened and
the ciborium containing consecrated Hosts is brought forward. Any
good cause is reason for private adoration. Public exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament requires a period of adoration, in private or
public with prescribed hymns and prayers, as well as the blessing
with the monstrance. Definite days for public adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament are no longer specified for the universal Church;
now any days may be chosen for good reasons; and for regular
exposition permissions are granted by the local ordinary. The
ceremony was introduced in the fourteenth century under the
influence of the newly established feast of Corpus Christi. Some
religious monasteries and convents with special permission have the
Sacred Host perpetually exposed for special honor and devotion with
someone in attendance night and day.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Extreme Unction - A term used
for centuries for the sacrament of the anointing of the sick. It is
unction because a person is anointed with oil; it is extreme because
it is conferred on those who are considered in extremis; i.e., in
extreme physical disability with the likelihood of dying.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Ezekiel - A prophet of the sixth
century B.C. He grew up in Jerusalem and was a contemporary of
Jeremiah. He was primarily a preacher profoundly concerned for the
spiritual improvement of his people. He disdained the concept of the
Messiah as a glorious, militant king; rather he stressed the image
of the less dramatic shepherd. Some of his major themes were:
reproaches addressed to unfaithful Israelites; "The guilt of the
House of Israel and Judah is immense, boundless; the country is full
of bloodshed, the city overflows with wickedness" (Ezekiel 9:9);
occasional denunciations of foreign nations exerting evil influence
on his people, and prophetic anticipation of better days ahead for
Israel (Ezekiel 25, 29, 30). "Then they shall be my people and I
will be their God" (Ezekiel 11:21). His book concluded on the
prophetic note: "The name of the city in future is to be:
Yahweh-is-there" (Ezekiel 48:35). The Book of Ezekiel is quoted
extensively by St. John in the Apocalypse; in fact there are many
points of similarity between the writings of the prophet and of the
apostle.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
Ezra - A
Jewish priest during the reign of the Persian king Artaxerxes
(404-358 B.C.). His chief contribution was instituting reforms
in the Jewish church and state. In Greek and Latin the name is
Esdras. Thanks to the generous policy of thing king, Ezra was
able to organize a pilgrimage of fifteen hundred families in Babylon
to cross the desert into Jerusalem (Ezra 7). He was shocked on
arriving to become aware of the great number of Israelites married
to foreign women, a practice he described as "treachery" (Ezra 9:2).
His denunciation led to the dissolution of many such marriages and
considerable unhappiness among the people (Ezra 10). Aiding
Ezra in his work was the layman Nehemiah. In fact the biblical
report of their ministry carries the joining title "The Book of Ezra
and Nehemiah." In the Vulgate, I Esdras is Ezra; II Esdras is
Nehemiah. Much of Ezra's accomplishment could be called
administrative. He reformed the ecclesiastical ritual,
organization of the synagogue improved, and the rise of the
rabbinate and eventually the development of the Sanhedrin were
tributes to his ability.
© Modern Catholic Dictionary, Eternal Life Publications
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