Hi, Leeneia - most Catholics don't know that churchlore stuff. I know it and teach it because I had eight years of Catholic seminary training which spanned the Second Vatican Council, so I learned about what on both before and after that council.

The Mass is both a liturgical and a musical form. Many Masses were written for performance, not for worship - but they follow the same form and texts. In general, compositions for worship are far simpler and less theatrical. It takes a good deal of experience or exploration to understand the context of all these religious terms you speak of - but the stories behind them are often very interesting (and very complex). It you find a piece of music, religious or nonreligious, that intrigues you, it's worth your time to study the context.

-Joe-