ministration
/mɪnɪˈstreɪʃ(ə)n
/noun (usually ministrations)
1 formal or humorous The provision of assistance or care: a kitchen made spotless by the ministrations of a cleaning lady...
- He had bravely hobbled home, unaided, ignored, to seek out the ministrations of wife and daughter.
- Thanks to Patrick and Madeleine Rigard, who have owned the chateau for the last nine years, their young and attentive staff, and the spoiling ministrations of their chef de cuisine, Alain Gouraud, Chaumontel fairly bustles with life.
- Such early death was all too frequent, the patients often helped on their way by the ministrations of physicians who knew only one ‘cure’ - bleeding.
Synonyms
attention, treatment, help, assistance, aid, care, services, succour, relief, support
2The services of a minister of religion or of a religious institution: the ministrations of Father Martin...
- In any case, all churches' services and ministrations were in principle available to all men and women.
- New Testament pastors are called ‘ministers of the Spirit’ because the Holy Spirit plants and perpetuates God's life in his saints through their public and private ministrations.
- The island of Varappuzha from which the Archdiocese derived its name was the idyllic setting the fathers of the Order of Carmelites Discalced chose to begin their ministrations in what was then called the Vicariate of Malabar.
2.1 [mass noun] The action of administering the sacrament: the celebration and ministration of the sacraments...
- It was altogether fitting that the ministration of the sacraments be given, not to the angels, but to men.
- This virtual wish to be and to remain partners in marriage, which is not annulled by the reception of baptism, is an entity in the parties in which may be found the ministration of the sacrament.
Derivatives
ministrant
- He had merely stated the condition in which the ministrants then were, and in which they should remain.
- She was a ministrant or servant, one who was actually serving the needs of others.
- The faithful servants of God in public life are his ministrants as truly as those who perform the divine service in church.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Latin ministratio(n-), from ministrare 'wait upon', from minister (see minister).