Deacon the third rank of Holy Orders (one--bishop, two--priests, three-- deacons). A deacon assists priests in preaching, conferring baptism, performing marriage, helping in the administration of parishes and other duties. There are two kinds of deacons: A transitional deacon, in which a man is a deacon for approximately a year before being ordained a priest and a permanent deacon in which a man remains permanently in the third rank of Holy Orders. Some permanent deacons are married .

Decade the name for one of the sections of the Rosary. It consists of one Our Father, ten Hail Mary's, and one Glory Be. The common Rosary consists of five decades

Decalogue (the Ten Commandments) the ten chief laws given by God to man

   
Demon another name for an evil angel

Desecration the misuse of a sacred person, place or thing

Despair giving up hope in salvation and in the forgiveness of sins; a sin against hope

   

Detraction hurting a person’s reputation by revealing his faults without necessity

Devil a fallen angel, especially Satan, the chief of the bad angels

Devotions prayers and other expressions of piety which extend the liturgical life of the Church

   

Diaconate literally, “servant hood”. From Apostolic times, the diaconate was a position of ministry. Today deacons are first among ministers who help the priest. They participate in administering the Sacraments, and preaching the Gospel. The diaconate is an ordained ministry, one of the degrees of Holy Orders

Diocese the territory, comprising many parishes, over which a bishop rules

Disciple firstly this refers to the Apostles and the seventy-two who received instruction from Christ (Lk 10:1-24). More generally, it refers to all who accept Jesus’ message and follow Him.

Dishonesty lying, cheating, stealing, lack of truth

Disobedience not fulfilling the commands of God or lawful superiors

Dispensation a special exception or exempting from a law granted by one in authority

Dispositions attitude of mind and heart (when receiving the sacraments)

Disrespect failure to show honour, esteem, or courtesy

Distractions anything that turns our attention away from what we are doing

   

Divine Office another name for the breviary. This is the official prayer of the Church

Divorce the claim of dissolution of a marriage; A civil divorce does not free persons from a valid marriage before God. An annulment is not a divorce, but rather a declaration that the marriage never existed.

Doctor of the Church canonized saint who is given this title because of their holy lives and high level of learning, as shown by their writings

   

Doctrine the revealed teachings of Christ, as proclaimed by the Church

Dogma A truth revealed by Sacred Tradition, that must be believed by the faithful. It is a truth to be held absolutely, unconditionally, since it is a self communication of God by God

Doxology a prayer of tribute or praise offered to God, i.e., the “Glory to God” in the Mass, the passage 2 Peter 3:18 in Scripture, etc.

   
domestic church term used to refer to the family’s role as a little church in every home, that is a replication of God’s Family the place where children receive the first proclamation of the Faith, a community of grace and prayer, a school of human virtues and of Christian charity (cf. CCC 1658, 1666, 2204, 2685)Double consequence of sin personal sin has both temporal punishments and spiritual consequences; Baptism and plenary indulgences are the two certain ways to remove all sin and
its punishments (cf. CCC 1263-1264, 1471, 1498)