Is Christianity Hierarchical Or Autonomous

Organization of the Catholic Church building

The hierarchy of the Catholic Church consists of its bishops, priests, and deacons.^[1] ^[2] In the ecclesiological sense of the term, "hierarchy" strictly ways the "holy ordering" of the Church building, the Body of Christ, and so to respect the multifariousness of gifts and ministries necessary for genuine unity (ane Cor 12).

In canonical and general usage, it refers to those who do authorization within a Christian church.^[3] In the Catholic Church, authority rests chiefly with the bishops,^[four] while priests and deacons serve as their assistants, co-workers or helpers.^[5] Accordingly, "hierarchy of the Catholic Church" is also used to refer to the bishops alone.^[six] The term "pope" was still used loosely until the 6th century, being at times assumed by other bishops.^[7] The term "bureaucracy" became popular merely in the sixth century, due to the writings of Pseudo-Dionysius.^[viii]

Every bit of 31 Dec 2020, the Cosmic Church consisted of 2,903 dioceses or equivalent jurisdictions,^[9] each overseen by a bishop. Dioceses are divided into private communities chosen parishes, each staffed by one or more priests, deacons, or lay ecclesial ministers.^[x] Commonly, care of a parish is entrusted to a priest, though there are exceptions. Approximately 22% of all parishes exercise non have a resident pastor, and 3,485 parishes worldwide are entrusted to a deacon or lay ecclesial minister.^[11]

All clergy, including deacons, priests, and bishops, may preach, teach, baptize, witness marriages, and behave funeral liturgies.^[12] Only priests and bishops can gloat the sacraments of the Eucharist (though others may be ministers of Holy Communion),^[thirteen] Penance (Reconciliation, Confession), Confirmation (priests may administer this sacrament with prior ecclesiastical approving), and Anointing of the Sick.^[14] ^[15] Only bishops can administer the sacrament of Holy Orders, past which men are ordained as bishops, priests or deacons.^[16] Women are excluded from the hierarchy of clergy.^[17]

Bishop [edit]

The bishops, who possess the fullness of orders, and therefore the fullness of both priesthood and diaconate, are as a body (the Higher of Bishops) considered the successors of the Apostles^[xviii] ^[19] and are "constituted Pastors in the Church, to be the teachers of doctrine, the priests of sacred worship and the ministers of governance"^[20] and "represent the Church building."^[21] In 2012, at that place were 5,133 Catholic bishops;^[22] at the end of 2014, in that location were 5,237 Catholic bishops.^[23] The Pope himself is a bishop (the bishop of Rome) and traditionally uses the championship "Venerable Brother" when writing formally to another bishop.

The typical role of a bishop is to provide pastoral governance for a diocese.^[19] Bishops who fulfill this function are known as diocesan ordinaries, because they accept what canon law calls ordinary (i.e. not delegated) authority for a diocese. These bishops may exist known equally hierarchs in the Eastern Catholic Churches. Other bishops may be appointed to assist ordinaries (auxiliary bishops and coadjutor bishops) or to carry out a function in a broader field of service to the Church, such as appointments as papal nuncios or as officials in the Roman Curia.

Bishops of a country or region may form an episcopal conference and meet periodically to discuss current problems. Decisions in certain fields, notably liturgy, fall within the sectional competence of these conferences. The decisions of the conferences are bounden on the individual bishops merely if agreed to by at least two-thirds of the membership and confirmed past the Holy See.

Bishops are ordinarily ordained to the episcopate by at to the lowest degree three other bishops,^[20] though for validity only one is needed^[24] and a mandatum from vatican city is required.^[25] Ordination to the episcopate is considered the completion of the sacrament of Holy Orders; fifty-fifty when a bishop retires from his active service, he remains a bishop, since the ontological effect of Holy Orders is permanent. On the other hand, titles such as archbishop or patriarch imply no ontological alteration, and existing bishops who rise to those offices practise not crave further ordination.

Sacramentally, all bishops are equal. According to jurisdiction, part, and privileges, however, various ranks are distinguished, as indicated below. All bishops are "vicars of Christ".^[26]

Pope (Bishop of Rome) [edit]

The pope is the bishop of Rome. He is likewise, by virtue of that role:

Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Patriarch of the Latin Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the Vatican Metropolis State, Servant of the servants of God.^[27]

Offices and titles [edit]

"Pope" is a pronominal honorific, not an role or a title, meaning "Father" (the common honorific for all clergy). The honorific "pope" was from the early third century used for whatsoever bishop in the West, and is known in Greek equally far back as Homer'southward Odyssey (half-dozen:57). In the East, "pope" is withal a common form of address for clergy in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church, and is the style of the bishop of Alexandria. Pope Marcellinus (died 304) is the showtime Bishop of Rome shown in sources to have had the title "pope" used of him. From the sixth century, the royal chancery of Constantinople normally reserved this designation for the Bishop of Rome. From the early 6th century, it began to exist confined in the West to the Bishop of Rome, a practice that was firmly in place by the 11th century, when Pope Gregory VII declared it reserved for the Bishop of Rome.^{[ citation needed ]}

As bishop of the Church of Rome, he is successor to the co-patrons of that local church, Saint Peter and Saint Paul.^[28] Equally such, the Church of Rome, and its bishop, has always had a prominence in the Cosmic communion and at to the lowest degree to some caste primacy amid his peers, the other bishops,^[29] every bit Peter had a certain primacy among his peers, the other apostles.^[30] The exact nature of that primacy is 1 of the most significant ecumenical issues of the age, and has developed as a doctrine throughout the entire history of the Church building.^[31]

The Canon of the Catholic Church, quoting the 2d Vatican Council'southward document Lumen gentium, states: "The pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter'south successor, 'is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the true-blue.'"^[32] Communion with the bishop of Rome has go such a significant identifier of Catholic identity that at times the Cosmic Church has been known in its entirety as "Roman Catholic," though this is inaccurate in Catholic theology (ecclesiology).^[33]

Three other of the pope'southward offices stem direct from his office every bit bishop of the Church of Rome. As the Latin Church building owes its identity and development to its origins in the liturgical, juridical, and theological patrimony of Rome, the bishop of Rome is de facto the patriarch of the Latin Church building. Co-ordinate to Pope Benedict XVI, at that place has been much 'confusion' between the pope'southward primacy as patriarch of the western church and his primacy every bit first patriarch among equals, that this "failure to distinguish" between the roles and responsibilities of these two distinct positions leads in fourth dimension to the "extreme centralization of the Catholic Church" and the schism between East and Due west.^[34]

As the showtime local Church of Italy, the bishop of Rome is the Primate of Italy and is empowered to appoint the president of the Italian Bishops' Conference.

The Church of Rome is also the principal church of the Province of Rome, so the bishop of Rome is Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman province.

As a bishop, the pope is referred to as a Vicar of Christ. This championship was common to all bishops from the fourth through twelfth centuries, reserved to the bishop of Rome from the twelfth through early on twentieth centuries, and restored to all bishops at the Second Vatican Council.^[35]

The pope resides in Vatican City, an independent country inside the city of Rome, set upwards by the 1929 Lateran Pacts between the holy see and Italian republic. Equally popes were sovereigns of the papal states (754–1870), then do they exercise absolute civil dominance in the microstate of The holy see since 1929.

Ambassadors are accredited not to the Vatican City State but to the Holy Come across, which was subject area to international police force fifty-fifty before the state was instituted. The body of officials that assist the Pope in governance of the Church as a whole is known as the Roman curia. The term "Holy See" (i.due east. of Rome) is generally used only of the Pope and the curia, because the Code of Canon Police force, which concerns governance of the Latin Church every bit a whole and not internal diplomacy of the run into (diocese) of Rome itself, necessarily uses the term in this technical sense.

Finally, the title "Servant of the servants of God" was an addition of Pope Gregory the Smashing, a reminder that in Christianity, leadership is always about service/ministry building (diakonia).

The style of address for the bishop of Rome is "His Holiness".

Election [edit]

The present rules governing the ballot of a pope are found in the churchly constitution Universi Dominici Gregis.^[36] This deals with the powers, from the death of a pope to the proclamation of his successor's election, of the cardinals and the departments of the Roman curia; with the funeral arrangements for the dead pope; and with the place, time and manner of voting of the coming together of the key electors, a meeting known as a conclave. This word is derived from Latin com- (together) and clavis (key) and refers to the locking away of the participants from outside influences, a measure out that was introduced first as a means instead of forcing them to reach a conclusion.

Like all bishops, the pope has the selection of resigning, though unlike other bishops, it is not required. The best known cases are those of Pope Celestine V in 1294, Pope Gregory XII in 1415 and Pope Benedict Sixteen in 2013. Approximately 10% of all popes left or were removed from function before expiry.

Eastern Patriarchs [edit]

The heads of some autonomous (in Latin, sui iuris) particular Churches consisting of several local Churches (dioceses) have the title of Patriarch.^[37]

The pope, as patriarch of the Latin Church, is the caput of the only sui iuris Church in the West, leading to the relatively brusk-lived title Patriarch of the West (in utilise 1863–2006). Eastern patriarchs are elected by the synod of bishops of their item Church.^[38]

The Patriarchs who head autonomous particular Churches are:

The Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria (Coptic Catholic Church building)^[39]
The Melkite Greek Cosmic Patriarch of Antioch (Melkite Greek Cosmic Church building)^[40]
The Maronite Patriarch of Antioch (Maronite Church)^[41]
The Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch (Syriac Catholic Church)^[42]
The Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylonia (Chaldean Cosmic Church)^[43]
The Armenian Catholic Patriarch of Cilicia (Armenian Catholic Church)^[44]

These have authority non merely over the bishops of their particular Church building, including metropolitans, simply as well directly over all the faithful.^[45] Eastern Catholic patriarchs have precedence over all other bishops, with the exceptions laid downwards by the Pope.^[46] The honorary championship prefixed to their names is "His Approbation".

Current and historical Catholic patriarchates
Type	Church	Patriarchate	Patriarch
Patriarchs of sui iuris Churches	Coptic	Alexandria	Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak
	Greek-Melkite	Antioch	Patriarch Youssef Absi
	Maronite	Antioch	Fundamental Bechara Boutros al-Rahi
	Syriac	Antioch	Patriarch Ignatius Joseph Three Younan
	Armenian	Cilicia	Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian
	Chaldean	Baghdad	Central Louis Raphaël I Sako

Major archbishops [edit]

Other autonomous particular Churches are headed by a major archbishop.^[47] The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church uses the title Catholicos for their major archbishop.^[48] With few exceptions, the authorization of a major archbishop in his sui iuris Church is equivalent to that of a patriarch in his Church building.^[49] This less prestigious office^[fifty] was established in 1963 for those Eastern Cosmic Churches which have adult in size and stability to allow full cocky-governance if historical, ecumenical, or political conditions do not allow their elevation to a patriarchate.

At present, at that place are 4 major archbishops:

Major archdiocese	Country	Church building	Major Archbishop
Ernakulam-Angamaly	India	Syro-Malabar	Cardinal George Alencherry
Făgăraş and Alba Iulia	Romania	Romanian	Cardinal Lucian Mureșan
Kyiv–Galicia	Ukraine	Ukrainian	Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk
Trivandrum	India	Syro-Malankara	Cardinal Baselios Cleemis

Latin Patriarchs [edit]

At that place are also titular patriarchs in the Latin Church building, who, for various historical reasons, were granted the title, but never the corresponding function and responsibilities, of "patriarch". They include the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Patriarch of Venice, the Patriarch of Lisbon, and the Patriarch of the Eastward Indies. All of these offices are honorary, and the patriarchs are not the heads of autonomous item Churches.^[51] The Patriarch of the Due east Indies is the archbishop of Goa, while the other patriarchs are the archbishops of the named cities. The title of Patriarch of the West Indies was in the past granted to some Spanish bishops (not e'er of the same meet), only is long in abeyance.

Current and historical Latin patriarchates
Type	Patriarchate	Patriarch
Patriarchs of the Latin Church building	Jerusalem	Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa
	Lisbon	Cardinal Manuel Clemente
	Venice	Patriarch Francesco Moraglia
Titular patriarchs of the Latin Church building	East Indies	Patriarch Filipe Neri Ferrão
Titular patriarchs of the Latin Church building	Westward Indies	vacant from 1963
Suppressed titles	Alexandria	suppressed in 1964
	Antioch	suppressed in 1964
	Constantinople	suppressed in 1964
	Aquileia	suppressed in 1751
	Grado	transferred to Venice in 1451

Cardinals [edit]

A cardinal (2nd from left) and bishops

Cardinals are princes of the Church building appointed past the Pope.^[52] He generally chooses bishops who caput departments of the Roman Curia or important episcopal sees throughout the world. Equally a whole, the cardinals compose a College of Cardinals which advises the Pope, and those cardinals nether the age of fourscore at the death or resignation of a Pope elect his successor. Their heraldic achievement is surmounted by the red galero and tassels as a form of martyred position in the Church.

Not all cardinals are bishops. Domenico Bartolucci, Karl Josef Becker, Roberto Tucci and Albert Vanhoye are examples of 21st-century non-bishop cardinals. The 1917 Lawmaking of Canon Law introduced the requirement that a cardinal must be at to the lowest degree a priest.^[53] Previously, they demand only be in small-scale orders and non even deacons. Teodolfo Mertel, who died in 1899, was the last non-priest cardinal. In 1962, Pope John XXIII fabricated it a rule that a man who has been nominated a cardinal is required to be consecrated a bishop, if not one already,^[54] but some ask for and obtain dispensation from this requirement. It is rare that the Pope will engage Cardinals who are priests simply and not consecrated as a bishop.

The 1917 Code of Canon Law, continuing the tradition observed, for case, at the Kickoff Vatican Council,^[55] laid down that cardinals have precedence over all other prelates, even patriarchs.^[56] The 1983 Code of Canon Law did not deal with questions of precedence.

The cardinalate is not an integral office of the theological structure of the Cosmic Church, only largely an honorific distinction that has its origins in the 1059 assignation of the right of electing the Pope exclusively to the master clergy of Rome and the bishops of the seven suburbicarian dioceses.^[52] Considering of their resulting importance, the term cardinal (from Latin cardo, meaning "hinge") was applied to them. In the twelfth century the practice of appointing ecclesiastics from outside Rome as cardinals began. Each cardinal is still assigned a church in Rome equally his "titular church" or is linked with one of the suburbicarian dioceses. Of these sees, the Dean of the College of Cardinals holds that of Ostia, while keeping his preceding link with one of the other six sees. Traditionally, just 6 cardinals held the rank of Cardinal Bishop, but when Eastern patriarchs are fabricated cardinals, they too hold the rank of Central Bishop, without being assigned a suburbicarian see. The other cardinals have the rank either of Cardinal Priest or Cardinal Deacon, the former rank being normally assigned to bishops in charge of dioceses, and the latter to officials of the Curia and to priests raised to the cardinalate.

Primates [edit]

The Latin Church title of primate has in some countries been granted to the bishop of a particular (usually metropolitan) come across.^[57] Information technology in one case involved authority over all the other sees in the country or region, but at present simply gives a "prerogative of honor" with no ability of governance unless an exception is made in sure matters by a privilege granted by the holy see or by an approved custom.^[58] The title is ordinarily assigned to the ordinary of the first diocese or the oldest archdiocese in the country.^[57] Thus in Poland, the primate is the archbishop of the oldest archdiocese (Gniezno, founded in yard), and non the oldest diocese (Poznań, founded in 968).

Notably, the Archbishop of Baltimore is not formally considered a primate of the Catholic Church in the The states, but "prerogative of the place".

The closest equivalent position in Eastern Orthodoxy is an exarch holding dominance over other bishops without being a patriarch.^[57] In the Eastern Cosmic Churches, exarchs, whether apostolic or patriarchal, practise non concord authority over other bishops (come across below).

Metropolitan bishops [edit]

A Latin Church building Metropolitan is the bishop of the main (the "metropolitan") see of an ecclesiastical province composed of several dioceses. The metropolitan receives a pallium from the pope as a symbol of his office. The metropolitan bishop has limited oversight say-so over the suffragan dioceses in their province, including ensuring that the faith and ecclesiastical subject field are properly observed.^[59] He also has the power to proper name a diocesan administrator for a vacant suffragan see if the diocesan council of consultors fails to properly elect one.^[60] His diocesan tribunal additionally serves by default as the ecclesiastical court of appeal for suffragans (court of second instance),^[61] and the metropolitan has the choice of judging those appeals personally.^[62]

The metropolitans of a given territory are as well involved in the selection of bishops. Every three years, they compile a list of provimvedis - a list of priests who may be suitable for the office of bishop. This is forwarded to the local apostolic nuncio, who evaluates the candidates in a consultative and confidential process. The nuncio in turn forwards the all-time candidates to the Dicastery for Bishops in Rome, who comport a final evaluation of candidates and offer their findings to the pope for his final conclusion of appointment.^[63]

Eastern Metropolitans in patriarchal or major archiepiscopal churches take a level of authority like to that of Latin metropolitans, subject to the specific laws and customs of their sui iuris church.^[64] Eastern metropolitans who head a metropolitan sui iuris church building have much greater authority within their church, although it is less than that of a major archbishop or patriarch.^[65]

All metropolitans have the championship of Archbishop, and the metropolitan come across is usually referred to as an archdiocese or archeparchy, a title held not only past the 553 metropolitan sees just likewise by 77 other sees.^[66] An exception is the metropolitan Diocese of Rome.

Archbishops [edit]

The championship of archbishop is held not only by bishops who caput metropolitan sees, just likewise by those who head archdioceses that are not metropolitan sees (most of these are in Europe and the Levant^[67]). In improver, it is held by certain other bishops, referred to as "Titular Archbishops" (see "Other Bishops" below) who take been given no-longer-residential archdioceses as their titular sees—many of these in administrative or diplomatic posts, for case as papal nuncios or secretaries of curial congregations. The bishop of a non-archiepiscopal see may exist given the personal title of archbishop without also elevating his see (such a bishop is known as an archbishop advertisement personam), though this exercise has seen significantly reduced usage since the 2d Vatican Quango.

Diocesan bishops [edit]

The bishop or eparch of a run across, even if he does not also hold a championship such as archbishop, metropolitan, major archbishop, patriarch or pope, is the eye of unity for his diocese or eparchy, and, as a member of the College of Bishops, shares in responsibility for governance of the whole Church (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 886).

Inside the Catholic Church the following posts have similarities to that of a diocesan bishop, but are not necessarily held past a bishop.

Equivalents of diocesan bishops in law [edit]

Canon 368 of the 1983 Code of Catechism Police lists 5 Latin Church jurisdictional areas that are considered equivalent to a diocese. These are headed by:

A Territorial Prelate, formerly called a Prelate nullius dioceseos (of no diocese), in charge of a geographical expanse that has not still been raised to the level of diocese
A Territorial Abbot, in charge of an expanse, which in mission countries can be quite vast, associated with an abbey
A Vicar Apostolic (normally a bishop of a titular meet), in charge of an apostolic vicariate, normally in a mission land, not however set up to be fabricated a diocese
A Prefect Apostolic (ordinarily not a bishop), in accuse of an apostolic prefecture, non yet prepare to be made an apostolic vicariate
A Permanent Churchly Administrator, in charge of a geographical area that for serious reasons cannot be made a diocese.

To these may be added:^{[ citation needed ]}

An Apostolic Exarch (usually a bishop of a titular see), in charge of an apostolic exarchate—not yet ready to exist made an eparchy—for the faithful of an Eastern Cosmic Church in an area that is situated outside the abode territory of that Eastern Church.
A Patriarchal Exarch, a bishop in charge of a patriarchal exarchate—non yet set up to be fabricated an eparchy—for the faithful of an Eastern Catholic Church in an surface area situated inside the home territory of that patriarchal Eastern Church building.^[68]
A Military Ordinary, serving Catholics in a country's armed forces
A Personal Prelate, in accuse of a grouping of persons without regard to geography: the simply personal prelature existing is that of Opus Dei.
An apostolic administrator of a personal churchly administration: simply i exists, the Personal Apostolic Administration of Saint John Mary Vianney
An ordinary of a personal ordinariate for former Anglicans^[69]
A superior of an autonomous mission

Of somewhat similar standing is the diocesan administrator (formerly called a vicar capitular) elected to govern a diocese during a vacancy. Apart from certain limitations of nature and police force, he has, on a caretaker basis, the aforementioned obligations and powers as a diocesan bishop (canons 427–429 of the Lawmaking of Catechism Police). Occasionally an churchly administrator is appointed by the Holy Come across to run a vacant diocese, or fifty-fifty a diocese whose bishop is incapacitated or otherwise impeded.

Other bishops [edit]

A diocesan bishop may take bishops who aid in his ministry. The coadjutor bishop of a see has the right of succession on the decease or resignation of the diocesan bishop, and, if the see is an archdiocese, holds the title of archbishop. Similarly, a retired diocesan bishop keeps his connection with the come across to which he was appointed, and is known equally bishop (or archbishop) emeritus of that encounter. On the other hand, an auxiliary bishop, who may also hold posts such as vicar general or episcopal vicar, is appointed bishop of a titular see, a see that in the course of history has ceased to exist equally an bodily jurisdictional unit.

Important titles or functions commonly, but non necessarily, held by (arch)bishops who are not in charge of a diocese or an equivalent community include those of Apostolic Delegate, Apostolic Nuncio, Papal Legate, Patriarchal Vicar, Pontifical Delegate.

Ordinaries and local ordinaries [edit]

Local ordinaries are placed over or exercise ordinary executive power in detail churches or equivalent communities.^[70]

The Supreme Pontiff (the Pope) is a local ordinary for the whole Catholic Church building.^[71] ^[72]
In Eastern Catholic Churches, Patriarchs, major archbishops, and metropolitans have ordinary power of governance for the whole territory of their corresponding autonomous detail churches.^[73]
Diocesan bishops and eparchial eparchs
Other prelates who caput, even if just temporarily, a particular church building or a community equivalent to information technology (encounter to a higher place)
Vicars general and protosyncelli

Episcopal vicars and syncelli

Major superiors of religious institutes (including abbots) and of societies of apostolic life are ordinaries of their respective memberships, but not local ordinaries.

Presbyterate [edit]

In general [edit]

Bishops are assisted by priests^[74] and deacons. All priests and deacons are incardinated in a diocese or religious order. Parishes, whether territorial or person-based, within a diocese are usually in the charge of a priest, known every bit the parish priest or the pastor.^[74]

In the Latin Church, only celibate men, equally a rule, are ordained every bit priests, while the Eastern Churches, once more as a rule, ordain both chaste and married men. Among the Eastern item Churches, the Ethiopic Catholic Church ordains only celibate clergy, while besides having married priests who were ordained in the Orthodox Church building, while other Eastern Catholic Churches, which do ordain married men, do not take married priests in certain countries. The Western or Latin Church does sometimes, though rarely, ordain married men, usually Protestant clergy who have become Catholics. All sui iuris Churches of the Catholic Church maintain the ancient tradition that, following ordination, matrimony is not immune. Even a married priest whose wife dies may not so marry again.

The Catholic Church and the ancient Christian Churches see priestly ordination as a sacrament dedicating the ordinand to a permanent relationship of service, and, similar Baptism and Confirmation, having an ontological effect on him. It is for this reason that a person may be ordained to each of the three orders merely once. They besides consider that ordination can exist conferred merely on males.

Priests in service exterior their diocese [edit]

Although priests are incardinated into a diocese or society, they may obtain the permission of their diocesan ordinary or religious superior to serve outside the normal jurisdiction of the diocese or club. These assignments may exist temporary or more permanent in nature.

Temporary assignments may include studying for an avant-garde caste at a Pontifical University in Rome. They may also include short-term assignments to the faculty of a seminary located outside the diocese's territory.

Long-term assignments include serving the universal church building on the staff of a dicastery or tribunal of the Roman Curia or in the diplomatic corps of the Holy See. They may besides be appointed the rector or to long-term educational activity assignments to the faculty of a seminary or Catholic university. Priests may also serve on the staff of their episcopal briefing, every bit military chaplains in the military machine ordinariates, or equally missionaries.

Positions within a diocese at diocesan level [edit]

The diocesan bishop appoints a vicar full general to assist him in the governance of the diocese. Usually, only one vicar general is appointed; peculiarly large dioceses may take more than one vicar full general. The vicar general or one of them is commonly appointed moderator of the curia who coordinates the diocesan authoritative offices and ministries.^[75] A diocesan bishop can too engage i or more episcopal vicars for the diocese. They have the same ordinary ability equally a vicar general, however, information technology is express to a specified segmentation of the diocese, to a specific blazon of activeness, to the faithful of a item rite, or to certain groups of people.^[76] Vicars general and episcopal vicars must be priests or bishops. In the Eastern Cosmic Churches, they are chosen protosyncelli and syncelli (canon 191 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches).

Diocesan bishops are required to appoint a judicial vicar to whom is delegated the bishop's ordinary power to judge cases (catechism 1420 of the Code of Catechism Law, canon 191 of the 1983 Lawmaking of Canons of the Eastern Churches). In the Latin church, the judicial vicar may also be called officialis. The person holding this postal service must be a priest, have earned a doctorate in catechism law (or at least a license), be at least thirty years erstwhile, and, unless the smallness of the diocese or the limited number of cases suggests otherwise, must not be the vicar general. Every bit one of the jobs of the judicial vicar is to preside over collegiate tribunals, many dioceses have aide judicial vicars who can preside over collegiate tribunals in place of the judicial vicar and must have the aforementioned qualifications.

The diocesan bishop appoints a chancellor, possibly a vice-chancellor, and notaries to the diocesan chancery. These officials maintain the records and archives of the diocese. They also serve as the secretaries of the diocesan curia. The bishop as well appoints a finance officer and a finance council to oversee the budget, temporal goods, income, and expenses of the diocese.

The diocesan bishop may appoint priests to be members of the chapter of his cathedral or of a collegiate church (so called after their chapter). These priests are given the title of canon. He also appoints 6 to twelve priests from the presbyteral council to serve as a college of consultors. They have the responsibility to elect the diocesan administrator in the event of the vacancy of the see.

The bishop appoints priests and other members of the faithful to various informational bodies. These include the presbyteral quango, the diocesan synod, and the pastoral council.

Vicars forane or deans [edit]

"The Vicar Forane known also as the Dean or the Archpriest or past some other title, is the priest who is placed in charge of a vicariate forane" (canon 553 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law), namely of a grouping of parishes inside a diocese. Unlike a regional Episcopal vicar, a vicar forane acts as a help for the parish priests and other priests in the vicariate forane, rather than as an intermediate say-so between them and the diocesan bishop.

Parish priest/pastor [edit]

This section concerns the priest who in the 1983 Code of Canon Constabulary is referred to past the term parochus, which in some English-speaking countries is rendered as "the parish priest", in others as "the pastor". The English term "pastor" is too used in a more generic sense corresponding instead to the Latin term pastor:

The parish priest is the proper pastor of the parish entrusted to him. He exercises the pastoral intendance of the community entrusted to him under the authority of the diocesan Bishop, whose ministry of Christ he is chosen to share, and then that for this community he may carry out the offices of teaching, sanctifying and ruling with the cooperation of other priests or deacons and with the assistance of lay members of Christ's faithful, in accordance with the law

—canon 519 of the Code of Catechism Law in the English language translation past the Canon Law Society of Neat Great britain and Ireland, assisted past the Canon Law Gild of Commonwealth of australia and New Zealand and the Canadian Canon Law Social club

The pastor (parochus) is the proper pastor (pastor) of the parish entrusted to him, exercising the pastoral care of the community committed to him under the dominance of the diocesan bishop in whose ministry of Christ he has been chosen to share, and then that for that same community he carries out the functions of teaching, sanctifying, and governing, also with the cooperation of other presbyters or deacons and with the help of lay members of the Christian faithful, according to the norm of police force

—canon 519 of the Lawmaking of Canon Law in the English language translation by the Canon Police force Society of America).

Assistant priests/parochial vicars [edit]

The parish priest/pastor may be assisted past i or more other priests:

Whenever it is necessary or opportune for the due pastoral intendance of the parish, i or more assistant priests tin can be joined with the parish priest. As cooperators with the parish priest and sharers in his business concern, they are, by common counsel and effort with the parish priest and nether his authority, to labour in the pastoral ministry

—canon 545 of the Code of Canon Law in the English translation past the Canon Law Lodge of United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland and Ireland, assisted by the Canon Law Society of Commonwealth of australia and New Zealand and the Canadian Canon Law Social club

Whenever it is necessary or opportune in order to carry out the pastoral care of a parish fittingly, one or more parochial vicars can exist associated with the pastor. As co-workers with the pastor and sharers in his solicitude, they are to offering service in the pastoral ministry by common counsel and effort with the pastor and nether his say-so

—canon 545 of the Code of Catechism Constabulary in the English language translation by the Canon Law Society of America

Honorary titles [edit]

The honorary title of monsignor is conferred past the Pope upon diocesan priests (not members of religious institutes) in the service of vatican city, and may be granted past him also to other diocesan priests at the request of the priest'southward bishop. The priest so honored is considered to exist a member of the papal household. The title goes with whatsoever of the post-obit three awards:

Chaplain of His Holiness (called Papal Chamberlain until a 1969 reform),^[77] the lowest level, distinguished by majestic buttons and trim on the black cassock, with a purple sash.
Honorary Prelate (until 1969 chosen Domestic Prelate), the middle level, distinguished by red buttons and trim on the black cassock, with a regal sash, and by choir dress that includes a purple cassock.
Protonotary Apostolic, the highest level, with the aforementioned dress equally that of an Honorary Prelate, except that the non-obligatory purple silk greatcoat known as a ferraiolo may also be worn.

In December 2013, Pope Francis decided to make future grants of the championship of Monsignor to priests not in the service of the Holy See only in the rank of Chaplain of His Holiness and only to priests aged 65 or over.^[78]

Under legislation of Pope Pius X, vicars general and vicars capitular (the latter are at present called diocesan administrators) are titular (not bodily) Protonotaries durante munere, i.eastward., as long every bit they hold those offices, and then are entitled to be addressed as Monsignor,^[79] equally indicated also by the placing of the abbreviated title "Mons", before the proper name of every fellow member of the secular (diocesan) clergy listed every bit a vicar general in the Annuario Pontificio. (Honorary titles such as that of "Monsignor" are not considered appropriate for religious.)

Some of the Eastern Cosmic Churches of Syriac tradition employ the championship Chorbishop, roughly equivalent to the Western title of Monsignor. Other Eastern Catholic Churches bestow the honorific title of Archimandrite upon unmarried priests as a mark of respect or gratitude for their services. Married presbyters may be honored with the position of Archpriest, which has two grades, the college is "Mitred Archpriest" which permits the priest to wear a mitre.

In the Latin Church, the title of Archpriest is sometimes attached to the pastors of historic churches, including the major basilicas in Rome. These archpriests are not presbyters, but bishops or cardinals.^[80] Similarly, the championship of Archdeacon is sometimes conferred on presbyters.

Diaconate [edit]

Deacons are ordained ministers of the Church building who are co-workers with the bishop alongside presbyters, merely are intended to focus on the ministries of direct service and outreach to the poor and needy, rather than pastoral leadership. They are commonly related to a parish, where they have a liturgical role as the ordinary minister of the Gospel and the Prayers of the True-blue, They may preach homilies, and in the Roman Rite may preside at non-Eucharistic liturgies such as baptisms, weddings, funerals, and adoration/benediction. In the Eastern Catholic Churches, in the absence of a priest, deacons do not belong and may merely lead services equally a reader, never presiding at weddings or funerals.

The scriptural basis and clarification of the role and qualifications of the deacon tin be institute in Acts 6:one–9, and in 1 Timothy 3:ane–13.^[81]

They may be seminarians preparing for ordination to the priesthood, "transitional deacons", or "permanent deacons" who do not intend to exist ordained as priests. To exist ordained deacons, the latter must be at least 25 years old^{[ citation needed ]}, if unmarried; if married, a prospective deacon must exist at to the lowest degree 35 years old and have the consent of his wife, in the U.s.a..^{[ description needed ]} In the Latin Church, married deacons are permanent deacons. In most diocese there is a cut-off age for being accepted into germination for the diaconate.^{[ citation needed ]}

The passage from membership of the laity to that of the clergy occurs with ordination to the diaconate.^[82] Previously, the Latin Church rule was that one became a cleric on receiving clerical tonsure, which was followed by small orders and by the subdiaconate, which was reckoned every bit one of the major orders. By his motu proprio Ministeria quaedam of 15 August 1972, Pope Paul 6 decreed: "The orders hitherto called pocket-sized are henceforth to be spoken of as 'ministries'."^[83] The same motu proprio also decreed that the Latin Church building would no longer accept the major order of subdiaconate, but it permitted any episcopal conference that so desired to apply the term "subdeacon" to those who agree the ministry (formerly called the minor guild) of "acolyte".^[84] Fifty-fifty in those societies inside the Latin Church that, with the approval of the holy see, continue to administer the rites of tonsure, pocket-sized orders and subdiaconate, those who receive those rites remain lay people, becoming clerics only on being ordained equally deacons.^[85]

Laity [edit]

Most Catholics are laity, a term derived from Greek λαὸς Θεοῦ (Lao people's democratic republic Theou), meaning "people of God". All Christian faithful have the correct and duty to bring the gospel bulletin increasingly to "all people in every age and every land".^[86] They all have a share in the Church's mission and accept the right to undertake apostolic action co-ordinate to their ain state and condition.^[87]

Lay ministry can take the form of exercising the priesthood of all the baptized, and more than specifically undertaking the work of catechists. serving the Church pastorally, administratively, and in other ways, including the liturgical services as acolytes, lectors, cantors, and the similar,^[88] ^[89] initiation sponsors, pastoral care ministers, and members of parish and diocesan consultative bodies.^[89] ^[90]

Some lay Catholics carry out full-time professional person and vocational service in the name of the Church building, rather than in a secular calling. Though the phenomenon is widespread in Due north America and much of Europe, the system and definition of the ministry is left to national bishops conferences. The U.s.a. Conference of Catholic Bishops has adopted the term lay ecclesial ministry building for these individuals, equally intentionally distinct from the full general apostolate or ministry of the laity described above.^[91]

The consultative leadership of the church, in both the diocese and the parish, usually comprises a Pastoral Council^[92] ^[93] and a Finance Council,^[94] ^[95] also as several Commissions ordinarily focusing on major aspects of the church's life and mission, such as Organized religion Formation or Christian Education, Liturgy, Social Justice, Ecumenism, or Stewardship.^{[ citation needed ]}

Religious [edit]

Religious—who tin can be either lay people or clergy—are members of religious institutes, societies in which the members take public vows and live a fraternal life in common.^[96] This is a form of consecrated life distinct from other forms, such as that of secular institutes.^[97] It is distinct also from forms that do not involve membership of an institute, such as that of consecrated hermits,^[98] that of consecrated virgins,^[99] and other forms whose approval is reserved to state of the vatican city.^[100]

Religious institutes take historically been subdivided into the categories of orders and congregations. Male person members of orders or congregations may employ the titles brother, monk, or friar, while female person members may use the titles sister or nun. Each social club may accept its own hierarchy of offices such superior general, abbot/abbess, mother superior, prior/prioress, or others, and the specific duties and responsibilities for each role will depend on the specific order or community. Those who are in the process of joining a religious institute just have not all the same taken their final vows may be referred to as postulants or novices.

See besides [edit]

Anglican ministry
Churchly Syndic
Catholic Church building by state
Global arrangement of the Catholic Church
List of Eastern Catholic exarchates
List of Roman Catholic apostolic administrations
List of Roman Catholic apostolic prefectures
List of Roman Catholic apostolic vicariates
List of Roman Catholic archdioceses
List of Roman Catholic dioceses (alphabetical)
List of Roman Catholic dioceses (structured view)
Listing of Roman Catholic military dioceses
List of Roman Catholic missions sui juris
List of Roman Catholic territorial prelatures
Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops
Lodge of precedence in the Catholic Church building

References [edit]

^ Catechism of the Catholic Church, 873 Archived 2010-09-06 at the Wayback Machine
^ "If whatever one saith, that, in the Catholic Church building at that place is not a hierarchy by divine ordination instituted, consisting of bishops, priests, and ministers; allow him be anathema" (Council of Trent, session XXIII, canon VI on the sacrament of Order).
^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Bureaucracy". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 13 (11th ed.). Cambridge Academy Printing. p. 452.
^ Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd ed.). Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 2019. Paragraphs 874–896.
^ Canon of the Catholic Church building (second ed.). Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 2019. Paragraphs 886, 888, 893, 939.
^ "Hierarchy" in John Hardon, Modern Catholic Lexicon
^ Duffy, Eamon (1997). Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes . Yale. ISBN978-0300115970.
^ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Bureaucracy". www.newadvent.org . Retrieved 2019-06-03 .
^ Vatican, Annuario Pontificio 2021, p. 1103.
^ Barry, p. 52
^ "Frequently Requested Church building Statistics". Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. Georgetown University. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
^ Commission on the Diaconate. "Frequently Asked Questions About Deacons". The states Briefing of Cosmic Bishops. Retrieved 2008-03-09 .
^ "The minister who is able to confect the sacrament of the Eucharist in the person of Christ is a validly ordained priest alone" (__P38.HTM Lawmaking of Canon Law, canon 900 §1). While in the English language, the give-and-take "priest" usually means someone received into the second of the three holy orders (likewise called the presbyterate) just not into the highest, that of bishop, the Latin text underlying this statement uses the Latin term sacerdos, which comprises both bishops and, in the common English sense, priests. To refer exclusively to priests in the more common English language sense, Latin uses the word presbyter. Meet Dennis Chester Smolarski, The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 1969–2002: A Commentary (Liturgical Press 2003 ISBN 978-0-8146-2936-9), p. 24.
^ Canon 42 Catholic Church Canon Law. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
^ Catechism 375 Archived 2008-02-19 at the Wayback Machine, Catholic Law. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
^ Barry, p. 114.
^ Strenski, Ivan (February 10, 2015). Agreement Theories of Religion: An Introduction. Wiley. p. 195. ISBN9781118457702.
^ "Canon 42". Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. 1990. Retrieved 2007-04-20 .
^ ^a ^b Roman Catholicism (at "Structure of the Church: The Higher of Bishops"). Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved on 2012-03-15.
^ ^a ^b __P1D.HTM "Canon 375". Lawmaking of Catechism Law. 1983. Retrieved 2007-04-20 .
^ Education on the Ecclesial Vocation of Theologian, xix Member of the Episcopal College by virtue of his sacramental ordination and hierarchical communion, the bishop represents his Church just equally all the bishops, in wedlock with the Pope, represent the Church universal in the bonds of peace, love, unity, and truth.
^ Ballad Glatz, Vatican statistics: Church growth remains steady worldwide, Catholic Herald (May v, 2014).
^ Junno Arocho Esteves, Vatican statistics study increase in baptized Catholics worldwide, Cosmic News Service (March 7, 2016).
^ "Canon 1014". Code of Canon Law. 1983. Archived from the original on 2007-04-02. Retrieved 2007-04-20 .
^ __P3O.HTM "Canon 1013". Code of Canon Law. 1983. Retrieved 2007-04-20 .
^ Lumen Gentium. Catholic Church. p. 27.
^ Annuario Pontificio, published annually by Libreria Editrice Vaticana, p. 23. ISBN 978-88-209-8722-0.
^ Roman Catholicism (at "Structure of the Church: Churchly Succession"). Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved on 2012-03-15.
^ "Catechism 331". Code of Canon Law. 1983. Archived from the original on 2007-04-02. Retrieved 2007-04-xx .
^ "Canon 330". Code of Catechism Police force. 1983. Retrieved 2007-04-20 .
^ Schatz, Klaus (1996). Papal Primacy: From its Origins to the Nowadays. Michael Glazier. ISBN978-0-8146-5522-1.
^ "#882". Catechism of the Cosmic Church . Retrieved 2007-04-20 .
^ "Canon 336". Code of Canon Law. 1983. Archived from the original on 2012-05-25. Retrieved 2007-04-xx .
^ DeVille, Adam A.J. (2011). Orthodoxy and the Roman Papacy: Ut Unum Sint and the Prospects of East-West Unity. University of Notre Dame Press.
^ "Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church building Lumen gentium § 27". Site da Santa Sé. Archived from the original on September vi, 2014. Retrieved 2010-01-27 .
^ Pope John Paul II (February 22, 1996). "Apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis". Archived from the original on May half-dozen, 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-20 .
^ "Canon 55". Code of Canons for the Eastern Churches. 1990. Retrieved 2007-04-20 .
^ "Canon 63". Code of Canons for the Eastern Churches. 1990. Retrieved 2008-05-28 .
^ Ronald Roberson, CSP (2006). "The Coptic Cosmic Church building", The Eastern Christian Churches: A Brief Survey (sixth edition).
^ Ronald Roberson, CSP (2006). "The Melkite Catholic Church", The Eastern Christian Churches: A Brief Survey (sixth edition).
^ Ronald Roberson, CSP (2006). "The Maronite Catholic Church", The Eastern Christian Churches: A Brief Survey (6th edition).
^ Ronald Roberson, CSP (2006). "The Syrian Catholic Church", The Eastern Christian Churches: A Brief Survey (6th edition).
^ Ronald Roberson, CSP (2006). "The Chaldean Catholic Church", The Eastern Christian Churches: A Brief Survey (6th edition).
^ Ronald Roberson, CSP (2006). "The Armenian Catholic Church", The Eastern Christian Churches: A Brief Survey (6th edition).
^ Canon 53, 1990 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
^ Catechism 58, Ibid
^ Canon 151, 1990 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
^ "Syro Malankara Church says information technology tin use Catholicos title", Indian Cosmic News Service, July 21, 2005
^ Canon 152, 1990 Code of Canons for the Eastern Churches
^ Catechism 154, 1990 Lawmaking of Canons for the Eastern Churches
^ __P1J.HTM Canon 438, 1983 Code of Canon Law
^ ^a ^b Roman Catholicism (at "Structure of the Church: The Roman Curia and the College of Cardinals"). Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved on 2012-03-15.
^ Code of Canon Police (1917), canon 232 §one
^ Pope John XXIII (15 April 1962). "Cum gravissima".
^ Chas. Augustine, A Commentary on the New Code of Canon Law (Herder 1918), volume II, pp. 36–37
^ Code of Canon Law (1917), canon 239 §i 21°
^ ^a ^b ^c Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Primate". Cosmic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
^ Code of Catechism Law, catechism 438
^ Canons 435–437, Ibid.
^ __P1H.HTM Canon 421 §2, Ibid.
^ Catechism 1438, Ibid.
^ Canon 1419 §ane, Ibid.
^ "To cull a bishop: A man for the Church building, non a "ladder-climber" - Vatican News". 26 April 2021.
^ Canons 133-139, Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
^ Canons 155-173, Ibid
^ Annuario Pontificio 2017. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 2017. p. 1136. ISBN9788820999759.
^ According to Catholic-Bureaucracy.org, every bit of 2007, non-metropolitan archdioceses include 37 in Europe (x immediately subject to the Holy See, 1 immediately subject to an Eastern Catholic major archbishop, 25 suffragan archdioceses, and 1 military archdiocese), 37 in Southwest asia (3 immediately subject to state of the vatican city, 21 immediately subject to Eastern Cosmic patriarchs, 4 suffragan archdioceses), 4 in Africa (2 immediately subject to the Holy See, 2 immediately bailiwick to Eastern Cosmic patriarchs), 2 in N America (ane immediately subject to the Holy Come across, 1 military archdiocese), 2 in South America (1 immediately subject to state of the vatican city, 1 military archdiocese), 2 in Commonwealth of australia (both immediately bailiwick to vatican city), 1 in Southeast Asia (immediately subject to the Holy See), and one in South asia (immediately discipline to an Eastern Cosmic major archbishop)
^ Lawmaking of Canons of the Eastern Churches, canon 314 §1 Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Automobile; cf. Bert Groen, William Peter van den Bercken (editors), Four Hundred Years Union of Brest (Peeters 1998 ISBN 978-ninety-429-0670-ix), p. 197, which likewise mentions Eastern Catholic exarchs appointed in the past even by a metropolitan
^ Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus of four November 2009 Archived 27 Oct 2014 at the Wayback Machine
^ Id.c.134 §§1–2
^ __P1D.HTM "Catechism 134, §ane and §two". 1983 Code of Canon Law. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
^ Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, canons 43 and 45 Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine
^ Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, canons 78, 152 and 157 Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine
^ ^a ^b Roman Catholicism (at "Construction of the Church building: The priesthood"). Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved on 2012-03-15.
^ "Canon 475". 1983 Code of Catechism Law. The Holy See. 1983-01-28. ISBN0-943616-79-4. Archived from the original on 2007-10-12. Retrieved 2009-08-20 .
^ __P1O.HTM "Canon 476". 1983 Code of Catechism Law. The Holy Run into. 1983-01-28. ISBN0-943616-79-four . Retrieved 2009-08-xx .
^ The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church – Guide
^ O'Connell, Gerard (four January 2014). "Pope abolishes honorary championship of monsignor for diocesan priests under the age of 65". Vatican Insider . Retrieved 4 January 2014.
^ "Pariter, qui vicarii generalis aut etiam capitularis munere fungitur, hoc munere dumtaxat perdurante, erit protonotarius titularis" (Pope Pius Ten, Inter multiplices curas, 62. 21 February 1905)
^ See Archpriest#Roman Catholicism.
^ "The Deacon". St. Brendan Church building. Retrieved 2013-xi-07 .
^ Lawmaking of Canon Law, canon 266
^ Ministeria quaedam Archived 2011-11-03 at the Wayback Machine, Two
^ Ministeria quaedam Archived 2011-xi-03 at the Wayback Machine, IV
^ Instruction on the Application of the Apostolic Letter Summorum Pontificum Archived 2016-02-23 at the Wayback Machine, thirty
^ Canon 211 Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Automobile 1983 Code of Catechism Law
^ Canon 216 Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine 1983 Code of Canon Law
^ __PV.HTM Canon 230 §ane, 1983 Code of Canon Police force
^ ^a ^b Roman Catholicism (at "Structure of the Church: The laity"). Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved on 2012-03-xv.
^ Catechism 228 §2, 1983 Code of Catechism Law
^ Co-Workers in the Vineyard (pdf), United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2005
^ __P1T.HTM Canon 512 §1, 1983 Code of Canon Constabulary
^ Canon 536 §one, 1983 Code of Canon Law
^ __P1Q.HTM Catechism 492 1983 Lawmaking of Catechism Law
^ Canon 537, 1983 Code of Canon Constabulary
^ __P1Z.HTM Code of Catechism Constabulary, canon 607
^ Code of Catechism Law, canon 710
^ __P1Y.HTM Code of Canon Constabulary, canon 603
^ Code of Canon Law, canon 604 Archived 2016-04-xviii at the Wayback Motorcar
^ __P1Y.HTM Code of Canon Police force, canon 605

External links [edit]

Explanations of the bureaucracy
- Book Two: The People of God Liber II. De Populo Dei, Part II: The Hierarchical Constitution from the Code of Canon Law on the Holy Meet official website
- Catholic Encyclopedia "bureaucracy" commodity
  - Barry, Rev. Msgr. John F (2001). One Faith, One Lord: A Written report of Bones Catholic Conventionalities. Gerard F. Baumbach, Ed.D. ISBN 0-8215-2207-eight.
Directory of officials
- Catholic-Hierarchy.org. This is an online database of bishops and dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church building. It contains geographical, organizational and address data on each Catholic diocese in the world, including Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with the Holy Meet, such as the Maronite Catholic Church or the Syro-Malabar Church building. It as well gives biographical information on current and previous bishops of each diocese, such as dates of birth, ordinations and (when applicable) decease. Not officially sanctioned by the church, the website is run every bit a private project by David 1000. Cheney in Kansas City. For the sources used by Cheney in his compilation, see http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/sources.html. ^{[self-published]}
- GCatholic.org