On Mondays, I answer questions frequently asked by those considering a return to the Catholic Church. How do I know this stuff? I was away for more than 30 years myself, and am the co-author of When They Come Home: Ways to Welcome Returning Catholics, a book for pastors and parish leaders interested in this ministry.
I’ve gone to Mass a couple times, and I’m thinking about coming back, but it’s like people are speaking a different language. What’s ministry? What’s an ambo? What’s a charism? What’s adoration?
The Church is like any other institution. It has a language of its own, similar to the way those in project 
management talk about risk registers, Gantt charts, and best practices.
A bit of translation: Ministry is what God calls us to do in our lives. Sometimes that’s work as a volunteer or an employee in a parish. Sometimes, it’s being a priest or a nun. Always, it’s about reflecting Christ in what we say and how we treat others (and ourselves). The ambo is the stand used for scripture readings and homilies, the priest’s thoughts sparked by the readings or events. Your charism is the special gift you’ve received from God; it may be a talent for music or another art, or providing a listening ear to friends, for example. In Eucharistic adoration, the Blessed Sacrament (consecrated host) is exposed so that we may be in Jesus’ presence. Many parishes have adoration chapels that must always have someone present if the Blessed Sacrament is exposed. It’s a beautifully quiet, soulful way to worship.
If you aren’t familiar with a phrase or word and you can’t figure it out from the context, look it up on the Internet, making sure you have a trustworthy source such as the Catechism. Or, even better, be brave enough to ask one of your new Catholic friends. Maybe you can educate yourselves together.
