Secular institutes are institutes of consecrated life whose members do not live in community. Societies of apostolic life are congregations in which religious vows may or may not be taken, but the members live as brothers or sisters, observing a rule of life, living a common life, and performing a common apostolate. A saint is a person who lives a holy and virtuous life. A patron saint is a special person to imitate and pray to for help, a heavenly protector, usually one s name saint. A martyr is a person who allows himself or herself to be put to death rather than to deny the Christian faith.
Excommunication is a penalty specified in canon law for certain grave offenses.
It means that the person is separated from communion with the Church and cannot receive the sacraments. Let there be no divisions among you. Mary played a special role in God s plan of salvation because she was called to be the Mother of God. The history of the Church shows that Jesus is with his Church, as he promised, despite all persecution, and he has raised up saints in every period for God s people to imitate. Although its members have sinned and often made grave errors, the Church has preached the Gospel and tried to bring people to salvation.