seminarian
Future priest, studying
A seminarian is a student at a seminary—a school that trains people for religious ministry, especially Catholic priesthood.
The word usually implies someone preparing for ordination: The seminarians took vows of celibacy.
He left the seminary before becoming a seminarian himself.
Clergy appointment ceremony
- vocationDedicated career path
- discernmentKeen perception and judgment
- formationCreation or arrangement
- celibacyAbstaining from intimate relations
vows · novitiate · postulant · candidacy · rector · spiritual director · cassock · collar
One who performs sacraments
- deaconJunior clergy member
- bishopDiocesan clergy head
- pastorChristian congregation leader
- ministerReligious leader or serve
chaplain · vicar · rector · curate · cleric · monsignor · archbishop · cardinal
Address to deity
- meditationFocused attention practice
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
- massQuantity of matter
- vespersEvening devotional service
matins · rosary · adoration · confession · penance · fasting · retreat · spiritual exercises
Established body of teachings
- dogmaUnchallengeable official beliefs
- hermeneuticsStudy of interpretation methods
- exegesisCritical textual interpretation
- homileticsScience of sermon-making
apologetics · catechism · liturgy · canon law · scholasticism · ecclesiology · eschatology · theodicy
Learns through examination
- courseworkStudent academic tasks
- examinationMethodical assessment or review
- thesisAcademic argument requiring defense
- dissertationExtended academic treatise
lecture · professor · dormitory · refectory · library · classmates · cohort · academic
ordination
Clergy appointment ceremony
- vocationDedicated career path
- discernmentKeen perception and judgment
- formationCreation or arrangement
celibacy · vows · novitiate · postulant · candidacy · rector · spiritual director · cassock · collar · calling
priest
One who performs sacraments
minister · chaplain · vicar · rector · curate · cleric · monsignor · archbishop · cardinal · abbot
prayer
Address to deity
- meditationFocused attention practice
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
- massQuantity of matter
vespers · matins · rosary · adoration · confession · penance · fasting · retreat · spiritual exercises · breviary
doctrine
Established body of teachings
- dogmaUnchallengeable official beliefs
- hermeneuticsStudy of interpretation methods
- exegesisCritical textual interpretation
homiletics · apologetics · catechism · liturgy · canon law · scholasticism · ecclesiology · eschatology · theodicy · scripture
studies
Learns through examination
- courseworkStudent academic tasks
- examinationMethodical assessment or review
- thesisAcademic argument requiring defense
dissertation · lecture · professor · dormitory · refectory · library · classmates · cohort · academic · philosophy
- believersbeliever, believers, adherent, devotee, theist
- church peoplepriest, parson, vicar, curate, rector
- Catholic Clergypope, pontiff, cardinal, bishop, monsignor
- Catholic rolesabbess, abbot, friar, monsignor, confessor
- Catholicsparishioners, parishioner, communicant, archbishops, lapsed Catholic
- church rolesbishop, deacons, priest, pastor, lay readers
seminarianlayperson
Non-specialist or unordained person
layman · worldling · careerist · professional · businessman