Hierarchy of the Catholic Church

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The threefold ministry of bishop, priest or presbyter, and deacon, conferred through the sacrament of Holy Orders, is a structural feature of all the Christian Churches and is considered by them to be of not merely human institution. In the Roman Catholic Church, this threefold ministry is further developed into a hierarchy of offices and titles, defining which role a member of the clergy is performing in the government and operation of the universal or local church.

Episcopate

The Bishops, who possess the fulness of Christian priesthood, are as a body (the College of Bishops) the successors of the Apostles and are "constituted Pastors in the Church, to be the teachers of doctrine, the priests of sacred worship and the ministers of governance." The Pope himself is a bishop and traditionally uses the title "Venerable Brother" when writing formally to another bishop.

The role of a bishop is to provide pastoral governance for a diocese. Bishops who fulfill this function are known as diocesan ordinaries, because they have what canon law calls ordinary (i.e. not delegated) authority for a diocese. These bishops may be known as hierarchs in the Eastern Rite churches. Other bishops may be appointed to assist ordinaries (auxiliary 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, but even these bishops are assigned a "titular see," that is, an honorary diocese (taken from the list of those that have been abolished for one reason or another) to emphasize the essential link between the sacramental conferral of Holy Orders in the order or bishop and the governance of a community of the faithful.

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

Bishops are normally consecrated to the episcopate by at least three other bishops (Canon 375.2) (though for validity only one is needed (canon 1014) and a mandatum from the Holy See is required (Canon 1013). Consecration to the episcopate is considered the completion of the sacrament of holy orders; even when a bishop retires from his active service, he remains a bishop, since the ontological effect of the sacrament 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 do not require further ordination.

Among bishops, various ranks are distinguished. The Pope, as the successor of Peter is the head of the global Catholic Church and of the Latin-Rite Church. Some of the Eastern Catholic Churches are headed by a patriarch, a major archbishop, or a metropolitan. Within the Latin Church too, dioceses are normally grouped together as ecclesiastical provinces, in which the bishop of a particular see has the title of metropolitan archbishop, with some very limited authority for the other dioceses, which are known as suffragan sees.

Pope

What most obviously distinguishes the Catholic Church from other Christian bodies is the link between its members and the Pope. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, quoting the Second Vatican Council’s document Lumen Gentium, states: "The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter’s successor, ‘is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful.’"

The Pope is referred to as the Vicar of Christ and the Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church. He may sometimes also use the less formal title of "Servant of the Servants of God". Applying to him the term "absolute" would, however, give a false impression: he is not free to issue decrees at whim. Instead, his charge forces on him awareness that he, even more than other bishops, is "tied", bound, by an obligation of strictest fidelity to the teaching transmitted down the centuries in increasingly developed form within the Roman Catholic Church.

In Catholic theology, the bishop who is the successor of Saint Peter in the episcopal see of Rome is viewed as the head of the College of Bishops , as Saint Peter was the chief of the Apostles ; and communion with him is considered essential for the existence of the College of Bishops . He has direct authority, not an authority mediated through other bishops, over the whole Church.

The title of Pope (derived from a word, known in Greek as far back as Homer’s Odyssey 6:57, for "Father") is the most common title for the Bishop of Rome, and, in the traditional Latin abbreviation PP (sometimes lower-case), is used in his official signature, e.g. "Benedictus PP XVI". The honorary title prefixed to his name is "His Holiness".

In certain limited and extraordinary circumstances, this papal primacy, which is referred to also as the Pope's Petrine authority or function, involves papal infallibility, i.e. the definitive character of the teaching on matters of faith and morals that he propounds solemnly as visible head of the Church. In any normal circumstances, exercise of this authority will involve previous consultation of all Catholic bishops (usually taking place in holy synods or an ecumenical council).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 891 says: "’The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful – who confirms his brethren in the faith – he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals... The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter’s successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium,’ above all in an Ecumenical Council."

These are two ways, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 890 states, in which the pastors of the Church exercise the charism of infallibility with which Christ has endowed them for the purpose of guarding from deviation and decay the authentic faith of the definitive covenant that God has established in Christ with his people. In other words, they are two ways of ensuring that "the gates of Hell will not prevail" (Matthew 16:18) against the Church.

The Pope lives in Vatican City, an independent state within the city of Rome, set up by the 1929 Lateran Pacts between the Holy See and Italy. Ambassadors are accredited not to Vatican City State but to the Holy See, which was a subject of international law even 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.e. of Rome) is generally used only of Pope and curia, because the Code of Canon Law, which concerns governance of the Latin Church as a whole and not internal affairs of the see (diocese) of Rome itself, necessarily uses the term in this technical sense.

The present rules governing the election of a pope are found in the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis. This deals with the powers, from the death of a pope to the announcement 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 meeting of the cardinal 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 that was introduced first as a means instead of forcing them to reach a decision.

A pope has the option of resigning. (The term "abdicate" is not normally used of popes.) The two best known cases are those of Pope Celestine V in 1294 (who, though the poet Dante Alighieri pictured him condemned to hell for this action, was canonized in 1313) and Pope Gregory XII, who resigned in 1415 to help end the Great Western Schism.

Patriarchs

The head of some autonomous (in Latin, sui iuris) particular Churches consisting of several local Churches (dioceses) are given the title of Patriarch. The Pope himself was also called the Patriarch of the West, as head of the Latin Rite or Western particular Church, but this title is no longer in use.

The Patriarchs who head autonomous particular Churches are:

These have authority not only over the bishops of their particular Church, including metropolitans, but also directly over all the faithful. Eastern-Rite patriarchs are given precedence over all other bishops, with the exceptions laid down by the Pope. The honorary title prefixed to their names is "His Beatitude".

There are also additional patriarchs in the Latin Rite Church. They include the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Patriarch of Venice, the Patriarch of Lisbon, and the Patriarch of the East Indies. All of these offices are honorary, they are not the heads of autonomous particular Churches. The Patriarch of the East Indies is the archbishop of Goa, 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 always of the same see), but is long in abeyance.

Major Archbishops

Other autonomous particular Churches are headed by a Major Archbishop, a less prestigious title. With few exceptions, the authority of a major archbishop in his sui iuris Church is equivalent to that of a patriarch in his Church.

At present, there are four Major Archbishops:

Primates

The Latin-Rite title of Primate has in some countries been granted to the bishop of a particular (usually Metropolitan) see. It once involved authority over all the other sees in the country or region, but now involves no more than a "prerogative of honor", except in special cases.

Metropolitans

A Latin-Rite Metropolitan is the bishop of the principal (the "metropolitan") see of an ecclesiastical province composed of several dioceses. They have a limited oversight authority over the suffragan dioceses in their province, including ensuring that the faith and ecclesiastical discipline are properly observed, and naming a diocesan administrator for a vacant see if the diocesan council of consultors fails to properly elect one. The metropolitan receives a pallium from the pope as a symbol of his office.

Eastern-Rite Metropolitans in patriarchal or major archepiscopal churches have a similar level of authority as Latin-Rite metropolitans, subject to the specific laws and customs of their sui iuris church. Eastern Rite Metropolitans who head a metropolitan sui iuris church have much greater authority within their church, although it is less than that of a major archbishop or patriarch.

All Metropolitans have the title of Archbishop, and the metropolitan see is referred to as an archdiocese or archeparchy, a title held not only by the 525 metropolitan sees but also by 76 other sees.

Other Archbishops

The title of "Archbishop" is thus given not only to bishops who head a metropolitan see, but also to those who head an archdiocese that is not a metropolitan see. In addition, it is given to certain other bishops (referred to as "Titular Archbishops" - see "Titular Bishops" below) either by reason of their function (for instance, that of a Papal Nuncio) or of personal merit (as the bishop of a non-archiepiscopal see may be given the personal title of archbishop).

Diocesan Bishops

The Bishop of any see, even if he does not also hold a title such as Archbishop, Metropolitan, Major Archbishop, Patriarch or Pope, is the centre 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). As each local particular Church is an embodiment of the whole Catholic Church, not just an administrative subdivision of something larger, the bishop who is its head is not a delegate of the Pope. Instead, he has of himself primary teaching, governance and sanctifying responsibility for the see for which he has been ordained bishop.

Within each diocese, even if the Eucharist is celebrated by another bishop, the necessary communion with the Bishop of the diocese is signified by the mention of his name. In Eastern-Rite eparchies the name of the patriarch, major archbishop or metropolitan is also mentioned, because these also have direct responsibility within all the eparchies of the particular Church in question. For the same reason, every Catholic celebration of the Eucharist has a mention of the Pope by name.

Other Bishops

A Diocesan Bishop may have Assistant Bishops. The Coadjutor Bishop of a see has the right of succession on the death 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 see to which he was appointed, and is known as Bishop (or Archbishop) Emeritus of that see. 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 as an actual jurisdictional unit. The titular sees - which may be metropolitan, archiepiscopal or simply episcopal - assigned to such bishops were once known as sees in partibus infidelium, because situated in areas lost to Christianity as a result of Moslem conquests. But now former sees even in Christian countries are assigned as titular sees. These sees are also assigned to bishops who serve in the Roman Curia, as Papal Nuncios, or as equivalents of Diocesan Bishops in law (see below), such as Vicars Apostolic and Apostolic Exarchs.

The term "Titular Bishop" is frequently used for such bishops, but is, strictly speaking, inaccurate, since they are indeed bishops, even if they do not serve the see to which they are appointed, and are not merely holders of an honorary title of bishop. They are members of the College of Bishops as much as the Diocesan Bishops.

In most English-speaking countries, the honorary title prefixed to the name of a bishop is "The Most Reverend". However, in Great Britain and in those countries most strongly influenced by English (not Irish) practice, "The Most Reverend" is reserved for archbishops, and other bishops are called "The Right Reverend".

Other Episcopal Titles in Eastern Catholicism

Positions analogous to that of bishop

Within the Catholic Church the following posts have similarities to that of a bishop, diocesan or auxiliary, but are not necessarily held by a bishop

Cardinals

Cardinals are appointed by the Pope, generally choosing bishops who head departments of the Roman Curia or important episcopal sees, Latin or Eastern, throughout the world. The cardinals make up the College of Cardinals which advises the pope, and those cardinals under the age of 80 at the death of a pope elect his successor.

The cardinalate is not an integral part of the theological structure of the Catholic Church, but largely an honorific distinction that has its origins in the 1059 assignation of the right of electing the Pope exclusively to the principal clergy of Rome and the bishops of the seven "suburbicarian" sees. Because 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 as 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, only six cardinals held the rank of Cardinal Bishop, but when Eastern rite patriarchs are made cardinals, they too hold the rank of Cardinal Bishop, without being assigned a suburbicarian see, still less a church in Rome. 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.

Only cardinals whose eightieth birthday does not fall before the date of a Pope's death may enter the conclave that elects his successor. Currently, the number of cardinals not over eighty years of age is limited to 120. But additional cardinals can be chosen from among clergy over that age, an honour that has been bestowed on priests who have suffered long imprisonment under dictatorial regimes or have otherwise served the Church "with exemplary fidelity and admirable self-dedication," as Pope Benedict XVI said when naming some on February 22, 2006. In October 2003, Pope John Paul II went beyond the limit of 120 voting-age cardinals, a limit that he himself had confirmed; but at the time of his death in April 2005, the number of cardinal electors was down to 117, not all of whom were able, for health reasons, to attend the conclave that elected his successor.

Since a reform by Pope Paul VI a priest who has been nominated a cardinal is required to be ordained a bishop. (In previous centuries there were cases of cardinals who only had minor orders.) Very few such priests have asked for and obtained dispensation from this recent requirement; Cardinal Avery Dulles, SJ and Cardinal Albert Vanhoye are recent examples.

The colour associated with the robes of cardinals is a crimson red, while the red of bishops who are not cardinals (and of Apostolic Protonotaries and Honorary Prelates) is really a Roman purple.

The hat and tassels of cardinals' armorial bearings are red; those of bishops are green; and those of lesser prelates are purple. The hat has the same form for all these prelates and should therefore not be identified with the galero, a large hat that once distinguished cardinals.

The proper way to refer to a Cardinal in English, and in other modern languages, is not, as some believe, "(First name) Cardinal (Surname)" - though this is the traditional way for Cardinals to sign, placing, like the Pope, the title immediately after the first name - but simply "Cardinal (First name) (Surname)" (the usage on the Vatican website as, for instance, the references to "Cardinal Angelo Sodano" on the page concerning the the Secretariat of State).

The title of direct address used for Cardinals is "Your Eminence".

Equivalents of Diocesan Bishops in law

Canon 368 of the Code of Canon Law lists five Latin-Rite jurisdictional areas that are considered as 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 area that has not yet been raised to the level of diocese
A Territorial Abbot, in charge of an area, which in mission countries can be quite vast, associated with an abbey
A Vicar Apostolic (normally a bishop of a titular see), in charge of an apostolic vicariate, usually in a mission country, not yet ready to be made a diocese
A Prefect Apostolic (usually not a bishop), in charge of an apostolic prefecture, not yet ready to be made an apostolic vicariate
A Permanent Apostolic Administrator, in charge of a geographical area that for serious reasons cannot be made a diocese.

To these may be added:

An Apostolic Exarch or Ordinary for Eastern-Rite Faithful
A Military Ordinary
A Personal Prelate, in charge of a group of persons without regard to geography: the only personal prelature existing is that of Opus Dei.
An Apostolic Administrator of a Personal Apostolic Administration: only one exists, the Personal Apostolic Administration of Saint John Mary Vianney
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 law, he has, on a caretaker basis, the same obligations and powers as a Diocesan Bishop (canons 427-429 of the Code of Canon Law). Occasionally an Apostolic Administrator is appointed by the Holy See to run a vacant diocese, or even a diocese whose bishop is incapacitated or otherwise impeded.

Other important titles or functions usually, but not necessarily, held by (arch)bishops include those of Apostolic Delegate, Apostolic Nuncio, Papal Legate, Patriarchal Vicar, Pontifical Delegate.

Positions within a diocese at diocesan level

The Diocesan Bishop appoints a vicar general to assist him in the governance of the diocese. Usually, only one vicar general is appointed; particularly large dioceses may have more than one vicar general. (canon 475 of the Code of Canon Law)

A Diocesan Bishop can also appoint one or more episcopal vicars for the diocese. They have the same ordinary power as a vicar general, however, it is limited to a specified division of the diocese, to a specific type of activity, to the faithful of a particular rite, or to certain groups of people. (canon 476 of the Code of Canon Law)

Vicars General and Episcopal Vicars may be priests or bishops. In the Eastern Catholic Churches, they are called 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 ((canon 1420 of the Code of Canon Law, canon 191 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches). In the Latin church, the judicial vicar is also called officialis. The person holding this post must be a priest, have earned a doctorate in canon law (or at least a license), be at least thirty years old, and, unless the smallness of the diocese or the limited number of cases suggests otherwise, must not be the vicar general.

As one of the jobs of the judicial vicar is to preside over collegiate tribunals, many dioceses have adjutant judicial vicars who can preside over collegiate tribunals in place of the judicial vicar and must have the same qualifications.

Priests

Bishops are assisted by priests and deacons. Parishes, whether territorial or person-based, within a diocese are normally in the charge of a priest, known as the parish priest or the pastor.

Priests may perform many functions not directly connected with ordinary pastoral activity, such as study, research, teaching or office work. They may also be rectors of churches or chaplains of communities or special groups. Other titles or functions held by priests include those of Archimandrite, Canon Secular or Regular, Chancellor, Chorbishop, Confessor, Dean of a Cathedral Chapter, Hieromonk, Prebendary, Precentor, etc.

In the Latin Rite or particular Church, only celibate men, as a rule, are ordained as priests, while the Eastern Rites, again as a rule, ordain both celibate and married men. Among the Eastern particular Churches, the Ethiopic Catholic Church ordains only celibate clergy, while also having married priests who were ordained in the Orthodox Church, while other Eastern Catholic Churches, which do ordain married men, do not have married priests in certain countries, such as the United States of America. The Western or Latin Rite does sometimes, but very rarely, ordain married men, usually Protestant clergy who have become Catholics. All Rites of the Catholic Church maintain the ancient tradition that, after ordination, marriage is not allowed. Even a married priest whose wife dies may not then marry again.

To explain this tradition, one theory holds that, in early practice, married men who became priests – they were often older men, "elders" – were expected to refrain permanently from sexual relations with their wives, perhaps because they, as priests representing Christ, were treated as the Church's spouse. When at a later stage it was clear that not all did refrain, the Western reaction was to ordain only celibates, while the Eastern Churches relaxed the rule, so that Eastern Orthodox Churches now require their married clergy to abstain from sexual relations only for a limited period before celebrating the Eucharist. The Church in Persia, which in the fifth century became separated from the Church described as Orthodox or Catholic, decided at the end of that century to abolish the rule of continence and allow priests to marry, but recognized that it was abrogating an ancient tradition. The Coptic and Ethiopic Churches, whose separation came slightly later, allow deacons (who are ordained when they are boys) to marry, but not priests. The theory in question, if true, helps explain why all the ancient Christian Churches of both East and West, with the one exception mentioned, exclude marriage after priestly ordination, and why all reserve the episcopate (seen as a fuller form of priesthood than the presbyterate) for the celibate.

The Catholic Church and the ancient Christian Churches see priestly ordination as a sacrament effecting an ontological change that allows a priest to stand in persona Christi (in the person of Christ), not as the deputizing of someone to perform a function or as the admission of someone to a profession such as that of medicine or law. They also consider that priestly ordination can be conferred only on males. In the face of continued questioning, Pope John Paul II felt obliged to confirm the existing teaching that the Church is not empowered to change this practice: "In order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church's divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Luke 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful." The Catholic Church thus holds this teaching as irrevocable and as having the character of infallibility, not in virtue of the apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis itself, from which this quotation is taken and which states this only implicitly, but because the teaching "has been preserved by the constant and universal Tradition of the Church and firmly taught by the Magisterium."

For the Latin Rite, the term "minor orders" was, together with the subdiaconate, abolished in 1969 by Pope Paul VI. Of the four Latin-Rite minor orders, which were stages in the passage to ordination to the diaconate and priesthood, he preserved those of lector and acolyte, applying to them the term "instituted ministries". Some groups particularly attached to the earlier form of the Roman liturgical rite (the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter and the Priestly Union of St. Jean-Marie Vianney), have been permitted to continue to administer the rites of admission to all the previous orders, as well as that of tonsure, which formerly marked entrance to the ranks of the clergy. The Eastern Churches have maintained their less numerous minor orders.

The honorary title of Monsignor may be conferred by the Pope upon a diocesan priest (not a member of a religious institute) at the request of the priest's bishop. The title goes with any of the following three awards:

Chaplain of His Holiness (called Papal Chamberlain until a 1969 reform), the lowest level, distinguished by purple buttons and trim on the black cassock, with a purple sash.
Honorary Prelate (until 1969 called Domestic Prelate), the middle level, distinguished by red buttons and trim on the black cassock, with a purple sash, and by choir dress that includes a purple cassock.
Protonotary Apostolic, the highest level, with the same dress as that of an Honorary Prelate, except that the non-obligatory purple silk cape known as a ferraiuolo may be worn also.

Vicars Forane or Deans

"The Vicar Forane known also as the Dean or the Archpriest or by some other title, is the priests who is placed in charge of a vicariate forane" (canon 553 of the Code of Canon Law), namely of a group of parishes within 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 authority between them and the Diocesan Bishop.

Priests directly involved in parish work

Parish Priests or Pastors

"The parish priest or pastor is the proper pastor of the parish entrusted to him. He exercises the pastoral care of the community entrusted to him under the authority of the Diocesan Bishop, whose ministry of Christ he is called to share, so 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 the Christian faithful, in accordance with the law" (canon 519 of the Code of Canon Law).

For lack of priests, sometimes a parish may be entrusted for a time, short or long, to a priest who is not its Parish Priest or Pastor, or to a deacon or a religious, male or female, or even to a lay person. These do not thereby become the Pastor of the parish.

Assistant Priests or Curates

"Whenever it is necessary or opportune for the due pastoral care of the parish, one or more Assistant Priests can be joined with the Parish Priest. As cooperators with the Parish Priest and sharers in his concern, they are, by common counsel and effort with the Parish Priest and under his authority, to labour in the pastoral ministry" (canon 545 of the Code of Canon Law). In some English-speaking countries, Assistant Priests are called Curates, Associate Pastors, or Parochial Vicars.

Deacons

Deacons are ordained ministers of the Church who are co-workers with the bishop alongside presbyters, but are intended to focus on the ministries of direct service and outreach rather than pastoral leadership. They are usually related to a parish, where they have a liturgical function as the ordinary minister of the Gospel and the Prayers of the Faithful, may preach homilies, and may preside at non-Eucharistic liturgies such as baptisms, weddings, and funerals.

They may be seminarians preparing for ordination to the priesthood, "transitional deacons"; or they may be "permanent deacons", not intending to be ordained as priests. To be ordained deacons, the latter must be at least 25 years old, if unmarried; if married, a prospective deacon must be at least 35 years old and have the consent of his wife.

Religious and Laity

Some religious superiors are classified as major superiors. They include superiors general, with various titles, such as Abbot Primate, Abbot General, Prevost General, Abbot Ordinary, Grand Master, Master General, Abbot General, Archabbot, Prior Administrator, Prior General, Father Major, Minister General (to mention only those titles that appear in the first few of the 71 pages of the Annuario Pontificio needed to list just the male religious orders). Other major superiors may be provincial or regional superiors, often with distinctive titles echoing those of the superiors general. Each community of religious has its own local superior, who is not classified as a major superior. In addition, the chief assistant of a superior has titles such as vicar or sub-prioress. Others still have the rank of counsellor, either at general, provincial, or regional level, with titles that vary according to the tradition of the order. Religious may be professed with perpetual or only temporary vows. An order may also have novices and aspirants, as well as scholastics.

The laity also have within the Church a great variety of ranks, titles and functions. These include those of acolyte, altar server, cantor, catechist, choir master or mistress, debtera (Ethiopic rite), extraordinary minister of the Holy Communion, Gentleman of His Holiness, lector, member of a papal order of chivalry (Dame or Knight), sacristan, seminarian (major or minor), usher.

References

Canon 42, Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
Canon 375, 1983 Code of Canon Law
"#882", Catechism of the Catholic Church
Canon 331, 1983 Code of Canon Law
Canon 330, Ibid
Canon 336, Ibid
Canon 331, Ibid
Canon 43, 1990 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p123a9p4.htm#I
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_22021996_universi-dominici-gregis_en.html
Canon 55, Ibid
Ronald Roberson, CSP (2006). "The Coptic Catholic Church", The Eastern Christian Churches – A Brief Survey (6th edition).
"The Syrian Catholic Church", Ibid
"The Melkite Catholic Church", Ibid
"The Maronite Catholic Church", Ibid
"The Chaldean Catholic Church", Ibid
"The Armenian Catholic Church", Ibid
Canon 53, 1990 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
Canon 58, Ibid
Canon 438, 1983 Code of Canon Law
Canon 151, 1990 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
Canon 154, Ibid
Canon 152, Ibid
Archeparchy of Kyiv-Halyc, Catholic-Hierarchy.org
Ronald Roberson, CSP, (2006) "The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church", The Eastern Christian Churches - A Brief Survey (6th Edition)
"The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church", Ibid
"The Romanian Catholic Church", Ibid
Canon 438, Code of Canon Law
Canons 435-437, Ibid
Canons 133-139, Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
Canons 155-173, Ibid
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cclergy/documents/rc_con_cclergy_doc_01011993_chisto_en.html
John Paul II, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis
http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/instruction69.htm

External links

For more information consult the following links:

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