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The
Universal Church
Headed by the Pope,
Successor of Peter, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church. The Holy Father
is advised by his College of Cardinals (who are always Bishops). The Curia,
divided into dicasteries (congregations, tribunals, offices, secretariat
of state, agencies, etc.), is the agency through which the Vatican is
governed.
Patriarchates
There are twelve
patriarchates, headed by Patriarchs, in the Catholic Church: six Eastern
Rite patriarchates and six Latin Rite patriarchates.
The 12 Catholic Patriarchates are:
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Latin
Rite: |
1. |
Patriarchate
of the West (headed by the Pope) |
2. |
Patriarchate
of Jerusalem |
3. |
Patriarchate
of Lisbon |
4. |
Patriarchate
of Venice |
5. |
Patriarchate
of the East Indies |
6. |
Patriarchate
of the West Indies (vacant since 1963) |
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Eastern
Rite: |
7. |
Patriarchate
of Alexandria (the Coptic Catholic Church) |
8. |
Syrian Patriarchate
of Antioch (the Syrian Catholic Church) |
9. |
Maronite
Patriarchate of Antioch (the Maronite Catholic Church) |
10. |
Melkite
Patriarchate of Antioch (the Melkite Greek Catholic Church) |
11. |
Patriarchate
of Babylonia (the Chaldean Catholic Church) |
12. |
Patriarchate
of Sis, or Cilicia (the Armenian Catholic Church) |
The Syro-Malabar
Catholic Church and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic also have major archbishops
who act as Patriarchs but don't have the title.
Countries
Some individual
countries are headed by Primates (the United States doesn't have any). "Primate"
is a title of pre-eminence of honor, not a matter of jurisdiction.
Provinces
Headed by an archbishop
called "metropolitan archbishop" or simply "metropolitan," a province consists
of two or more dioceses, each headed by a Bishop, one of whom is the metropolitan
Archbishop who handles his own diocese (known as an "archdiocese") and acts
as Archbishop of the entire province. The Archbishop of the province is called
a "Metropolitan" within the province's diocese(s) outside of his
archdiocese, and is called "Archbishop" within his own diocese. In
the Eastern Churches, the Archbishop is called an "Archeparch."
In the United States are the Provinces of: Anchorage, Atlanta, Baltimore,
Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Dubuque, Hartford, Indianapolis,
Kansas City, Los Angeles, Louisville, Miami, Military Services, Milwaukee,
Mobile, New Orleans, New York, Newark, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Philadelphia,
Portland, San Antonio, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Seattle, St. Louis, St.
Paul-Minneapolis, and Washington D.C.
Dioceses
Dioceses are headed
by a single Bishop (also called an "Ordinary") who answers to a Metropolitan
(see above). In the Eastern Churches, a Bishop is called an "Eparch" and
his diocese is called an "eparchy."
The chief church of a diocese, or "the Bishop's church," is called a "cathedral,"
from the word "cathedra," meaning "throne," because it is there where the
Bishop has his seat and it is nearby where he resides. The central administration
building for a diocese is called a "chancery" (though, since Vatican II,
you'll probably find it in your phone book under the name "Diocesan Pastoral
Center."
Parishes
A parish is a usually
neighborhood-sized area with its own church headed by a diocesan priest,
called a "pastor" (or "vicar"), who is appointed by his Bishop. If his is
a big parish with many needs, there may also be associate priests ("curates")
and deacons to assist him.
Note: a priest who has care of a seminary or of a church that isn't a parish
church and isn't affiliated with a religious community is called a "rector."
Also called "rectors" are local superiors of a few religious congregations,
such as the Jesuits. |
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