J [Letter] · does not feature either in the ancient Hebrew or more modern Latin alphabets. Rather, words now spelt with the letter -J- were usually spelt with -I-. Accordingly, when reading ancient names or words that are now spelt with a -J-, many pronounce it as an -I- (‘ee’) (e.g. ‘Jerusalem’ said phonetically as ‘ee-air-oo-sah-lem’).
Jehovah [name] · represents an attempt at an anglicisation of the Hebrew יהוה (YHWH; a variant of the verb sum/essere ‘I am’/‘to be’ with dubious conjugation). As Hebrew is not written with vowels and the name of God is not to be uttered, attempts to ‘fill in the blanks’ have landed at vocalisations of either Yahweh or Jehovah. It is respectful not to vocalise either of these and instead say aloud Adonai in Hebrew or its English equivalent ‘The Lord’ when the letters appear. The Jerusalem Bible which is used for the readings at Mass in the UK, Ireland, and Australia (and associated or dependant episcopal conferences) uses the term ‘the Lord’ for all translations of the Hebrew YHWH.
Jesus [given name] · comes from the ancient Hebrew name Yeshua (ישוע) meaning ‘saviour’. It is the name of Moses’ famous sidekick who led the people of Israel into the promised land (Josuah 1:2–3 & 21:43–45). ‘Jesus’ (or, Iesus) is a slight Greek or Latin equivalent. These days the name has developed into the English ‘Joshua’. However, some Spanish languages have retained the early form ‘Jesus’; it is not uncommon as a given name in some South American areas colonised by the Spanish. Nevertheless, to use the name as an expletive is considered by many as blasphemous.
Jesus (of Nazareth) [historic figure] · grew up in ancient Israel with a short stint in Egypt. By all accounts, until the age of 30 His life was normal. He then began preaching and gained a large following. Eventually, credited with causing religious (and therefore civil) unrest, he was condemned to death. Due to the governance at the time, this had to be processed through the local Roman ruler (Pontius Pilate). He was crucified, verified as dead, and taken away to be buried. Despite heavy guarding, the body disappeared from the tomb. There were reports of sightings of Him alive. His followers did not disband
Standing just above 5 feet tall, of an olive completion with dark hair and eyes (not what we see in a lot of paintings!), he would usually have spoken Aramaic (a form of Hebrew) but no doubt had some knowledge of Greek, perhaps some local dialects, and some Latin. Allegedly He had an AB+ blood type. He and His disciples usually resided in Capernaum on the Mediterranean Cost, with customary religious pilgrimages to Jerusalem.
Jesus (the Christ) [religious figure] · is the only Son of God, begotten (not made, as He has always existed as part of the Godhead) before time. He is God — being of the same essential nature as the Father and the Spirit. He is the light of the world (Jn 8:12); through Him all things were made (1:3).
God so loved the world that He sent Jesus for us and for our salvation (3:16. So, He came down from heaven; he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and was born of the virgin Mary. After His ministry of healing and announcing the good news, he was brutally crucified, died, and was buried. If this was the end, Christian faith is naught.
On the third day he rose again, in accordance with what had been foretold by the Scriptures. He ascended to heaven and is seated (once more) at the right hand of the Father. He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will never end. Jesus is now present in the world through His Church (the body of Christ), through the ministers who act in His name, in the scriptures whenever they are proclaimed, and in all those of good will who continue His work of proclaiming the good news through reconciliation and healing.
Some like to make a distinction between the ‘Jesus of history’ and the ‘Christ of faith’. Either way, there is evidence a plenty for each. They can be helpful if they contribute to each other.
Jews · originated in the Ancient Near East. Mostly descendant in some way from the patriarch Abram / Abraham of Ur (Mesopotamia, in the South of modern-day Iraq). For a time, a core group of the people emigrated to Egypt, the return and re-conquered the land from the native Canaanites who had grown in strength during their absence. Later, they were forcibly removed to Babylon (again, Mesopotamia) before being allowed to return and rebuild their temple about 500 years before Christ.
They came under the rule of the Greeks and then Romans. 70 years after the birth of Christ, the temple was destroyed by a Roman army. Since then, the temple has been in ruins, with a remaining wall (the ‘wailing wall’) is still held as a place of pilgrimage.
The Jewish religion is based on the teachings of Moses (the ‘Ten Commandments’) with a further expansive interpretation by their religious leaders. The history of the Jews is marked by prophets calling them back to an orthodox faith. The Christian tradition has inherited the Jewish scriptures as what is often call the ‘Old Testament’; they contain the Jewish law, history, prophets, and wisdom literature.
Jews are still present in the Holy Land but have also migrated throughout the world (known as the diaspora). Often, strictly orthodox Jews still live in communities (e.g. the Jewish sections of New York). and are recognisable by their distinctive dress. The Jews suffered horrific losses and suffering through the Second World War during the holocaust conducted by the Nazi regime; the lates in a tragic history.
The Church does not tolerate any form of antisemitism. Each Good Friday, as part of the Solemn Intercessions we pray also for the Jewish people, to whom the Lord our God spoke first, that he may grant them to advance in love of his name and in faithfulness to his covenant. The hope behind the prayer is that they will come to know the Saviour, Jesus, and come to know the fullness of redemption and fulfillment of their religion.
Judas Iscariot [Apostle] · was on the twelve named by Jesus as His main team (Apostles). It was he who betrayed Jesus, leading to His eventual execution. Originally repenting of his actions, Judas eventually died in despair. Some claim he was attempting to force Jesus’ hand by handing Him over the authorities. After his death, he was replaced by Matthias (Acts 1:12–26).
Judas Shuffle (the) · is a slang term for leaving Mass before the final blessing/song. It comes from the account of John (13:30) where Judas left the Last Supper early, a moment depicted in some notable works of art. While some cogent reasons to depart early may exist, the practice is discouraged; rather, where possible, the faithful should remain until after the benediction (and hymn, if there is one; c.f. Matt 26:30a), allowing for a time of personal thanksgiving prayer.
Julius (Ceasar; as opposed to Augustus) · led the Roman as a general. He assisted in the development of the Roman Empire of which he proclaimed himself emperor. Apart from his political work he also established the Julian calendar (later replaced in most of the world by the Gregorian calendar) where the month of July was named after him. Eventually, being seen to take his dictatorship too far, he was assassinated (stabbed 23 times) within his own senate. His is the first ever recorded autopsy.
As per the note above, the name would have been written at the time (and can still be seen on monuments written) as Iulius (pronounced you-lee-oo-s). This Julius is distinguished by the title Caesar (equivalent to the modern Tsar or Kaiser). He should not be confused for Ceasar Augustus (aka ‘Octavian’) who was the founder of the Roman Empire. Some confusion between these Characters famously featured in the 2025 senior final history exams in Queensland.
Justice (natural) · concerns the highest of the cardinal virtues. Because it concerns the right application of free will, it is both a gift from God and something which should be directed according to His grace. It primarily concerns rights and can be expressed as safeguarding order, peace, and progress. The Catholic doctrine of Justice simply interprets and endorses the natural phenomena for the good of all.
Justice (social) · seeks to apply natural justice to the way we live in society. It is characterised by expressing the gospel with ‘preferential option for the poor’. This poverty, while first captured in material deprivation, is also understood to mean religious or spiritual poverty. Some then tag on that, all else being equal, the secondary option is for the young.
This is a modern application of a movement that was championed by Pope Leo XIII’s defence of the workers in his famous Rerum Novarum (1891). The same teaching is perpetuated by our current Pope, Leo XIV, especially in his most recent Magnifica humanitas (2026).
Liberation theologians (mostly from South America) have developed contemporary theology behind theories of social justice. It has become a feature of English-speaking faith, especially in places that poverty is covert and tangible gospel service is elusive. Lacking a clear origin document or magisterial teaching, there are six common themes that are associated with Catholic Social (Justice) teaching: Human dignity, the common good, stewardship of creation, preferential option for the poor, subsidiarity and participation, and solidarity.