Global organisation of the Catholic Church

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The Catholic Church is organized in a worldwide hierarchy under the Pope, the Bishop of Rome (Holy See) based in Vatican City.

The Catholic Church is organized into local hierarchies within each nation, or group of smaller nations. National Conferences of bishops co-ordinate local policy within each nation.

Aside from the Latin Church, there are 23 churches of the Orthodox liturgical tradition in full communion with the Holy See, these are known as the Eastern Catholic Churches and are led by either a Major Archbishop or Patriarch. Patriarchal Churches have the privilege of electing their leader, only needing Papal ratification, and a Patriarch is accorded ceremonial precedence.

Four Latin Church archbishops are also called Patriarchs, this is only titular but gives them precedence in papal processions, in the case of the Patriarch of Venice, he can wear the red vestments of a cardinal. Archbishops and Bishops administer individual dioceses as successors of the twelve apostles. As such they are responsible for the appointment and supervision of parish priests, and the oversight of all church affairs within their diocese. If the responsibility associated with a certain diocese is large, a Bishop may be assisted by one or more Auxiliary Bishops, who are accorded a Titular see. A diocese may also have a Coadjutor bishop who is effectively the "co-ruler" of the diocese; Before 1978, Coadjutor bishops were normally assigned a titular see, but that is no longer the case.^[1] The bishop of the actual see only has ceremonial precedence.

As of 15 December 2015, the ecclesiastical jurisdiction statistics is as follows; 1 Papal See, 9 Patriarchates, 4 Major Archdioceses, 553 Metropolitan Archdioceses, 77 Archdioceses, 2,214 Dioceses, 42 Prelatures, 11 Territorial Abbeys, 17 Apostolic Exarchates, 8 Ordinariates, 36 Military Ordinariates, 3 Personal Ordinariates, 1 Personal prelature, 88 Apostolic Vicariates, 39 Apostolic Prefectures, 8 Apostolic Administrations, and 8 Missions 'sui juris'.

Catholicism by region and country

(incomplete)

Europe

Asia

Americas

North America

Central America

South America

Oceania

Africa

See also

Catholic Church
History (Timeline)	Jesus Twelve Apostles Early Christianity History of the papacy Ecumenical Councils Missions Great Schism of East Crusades Great Schism of West Protestant Reformation Counter-Reformation Catholic Church by country Vatican City index
Hierarchy	Pope Roman Curia Cardinals Patriarchs Major Archbishops Primates Metropolitans Archbishops Diocesan Bishops Coadjutor Bishops Auxiliary Bishops Titular Bishops Bishops Emeriti Priesthood Abbots Abbesses Brothers Monks Hermits Friars Nuns Masters of novices Novices Oblates Postulants Provincial superiors Priors Superior general
Theology	Body and Soul Catechism Divine grace Dogma One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church Original sin Saints list Salvation Sermon on the Mount The Ten Commandments Trinity Worship
Sacraments	Baptism Confirmation Eucharist Penance Anointing of the Sick Last rites Holy Orders Matrimony
Mariology	Catholic Mariology Assumption History of Mariology Immaculate Conception Mariology of the popes Mariology of the saints Mother of God Perpetual Virginity Veneration
Doctors of the Church	Gregory the Great Ambrose Augustine of Hippo Jerome John Chrysostom Basil of Caesarea Gregory of Nazianzus Athanasius of Alexandria Cyril of Alexandria Cyril of Jerusalem John of Damascus Bede the Venerable Ephrem the Syrian Thomas Aquinas Bonaventure Anselm of Canterbury Isidore of Seville Peter Chrysologus Leo the Great Peter Damian Bernard of Clairvaux Hilary of Poitiers Alphonsus Liguori Francis de Sales Peter Canisius John of the Cross Robert Bellarmine Albertus Magnus Anthony of Padua Lawrence of Brindisi Teresa of Ávila Catherine of Siena Thérèse of Lisieux John of Ávila Hildegard of Bingen Gregory of Narek
Popes	Pope Francis (2013–) conclave inauguration theology canonizations visits Pope Benedict XVI (2005–2013) Pope John Paul II (1978–2005) (more)
Orders, institutes and societies	Assumptionists Annonciades Augustinians Basilians Benedictines Bethlehemites Blue nuns Camaldoleses Camillians Carmelites Carthusians Cistercians Clarisses Conceptionists Crosiers Dominicans Good Shepherd Sisters Jesuits Mercedarians Minims Franciscans Hieronymites Olivetans Oratorians Piarists Premonstratensians Redemptoristines Servites Theatines Trappists Trinitarians Visitandines
Associations of the faithful	International Federation of Catholic Parochial Youth Movements International Federation of Catholic Universities International Kolping Society Schoenstatt Movement International Union of Catholic Esperantists Sant'Egidio Community (more)
Charities	Aid to the Church in Need Caritas Internationalis Catholic Home Missions Catholic Relief Services CIDSE
Vatican II	Definition of the Church Dei verbum Gaudium et spes Lumen gentium Nostra aetate Sacrosanctum Concilium
Particular churches	Latin Church Eastern Churches: Albanian Armenian Belarusian Bulgarian Chaldean Coptic Croatian and Serbian Eritrean Ethiopian Georgian Greek Hungarian Italo-Albanian Macedonian Maronite Melkite Romanian Russian Ruthenian Slovak Syriac Syro-Malabar Syro-Malankara Ukrainian
Liturgical rites	Alexandrian Ambrosian Anglican Use Antiochian Armenian Byzantine East Syrian Mozarabic Roman Sarum
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References