Catholic Church Hierarchy
The term hierarchy (literally, "holy government") has a variety of related usages in the Catholic Church. There is a hierarchy of truths, which refers to the levels of solemnity of the official teaching of the faith. There is a hierarchical nature of the church, which is a structural feature considered to be of divine institution.
Most commonly, it refers to the ordering of ministry in the church into the threefold order of episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate, which is considered to be divinely instituted and essential to the Church itself. In some cases, it refers only to the magisterium, the official teaching body of the church, the bishops, excluding deacons and presbyters (priests).
There is, in addition, an order of precedence of the various offices and ministries, which indicates the precedence or 'rank' of various ministers and offices in the Church for use during liturgies or other ceremonies where such protocol is helpful.
The Catholic Church comprised, as of 31 December 2011, 2,834 dioceses, each overseen by a bishop. Dioceses are divided into individual communities called parishes, each staffed by one or more priests. Priests may be assisted by deacons. All clergy, including deacons, priests, and bishops, may preach, teach, baptize, witness marriages and conduct funeral liturgies. Only priests and bishops are allowed to administer the sacraments of the Eucharist, Reconciliation (Penance), Confirmation (priests may administer this sacraments with prior ecclesiastic approval), and Anointing of the Sick. Only bishops can administer the sacrament of Holy Orders, which ordains someone into the clergy.
Read more about Catholic Church Hierarchy: Bishop, Ordinaries and Local Ordinaries, Diaconate, Laity, Religious
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