Hierarchy of the Catholic Church
The holy ordering of bishops, priests, and deacons in the Catholic Church.
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Bishops, priests, and deacons are the three orders that make up the Catholic Church's hierarchy.[1] Within ecclesiology, "hierarchy" denotes a sacred ordering that acknowledges the variety of spiritual gifts and roles needed for the Church's unity.[1]
Quick Facts
- Field
- Ecclesiology, Church governance
- Key text
- First Epistle of Ignatius to the Philadelphians attests the hierarchy's existence
Facts from the source article.
Key facts and history
Bishops possess the fullness of orders and are considered successors of the Apostles.[2] In 2012, there were 5,133 Catholic bishops; at the end of 2021, there were 5,340 Catholic bishops.[2] Sacramentally, all bishops are equal, but various ranks are distinguished according to jurisdiction, office, and privileges.[3] The Catechism of the Catholic Church states the pope is "the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful".[4]
What the cited sources add
Lumen gentium also states that the Church subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the successor of Peter and the bishops in communion with him.[5] The 1983 Code of Canon Law mentions titular patriarchs in the Latin Church, such as the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Patriarch of Venice.[6]
References
- Wikipedia, "Hierarchy of the Catholic Church" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 873; "If any one saith, that, in the Catholic Church there is not a hierarchy by divine ordination instituted, consisting of bishops, priests, and ministers; let him (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Hierarchy of the Catholic Church" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Canon 42", Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, 1990; Roman Catholicism (at "Structure of the Church: The College of Bishops"). Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 15 March 2012.; "Canon 375", Code of Canon Law, 1983; Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of Theologian, 19 Member of the Episcopal College by virtue of his sacramental ordination and hierarchical communion, the ; Carol Glatz, Vatican statistics: Church growth remains steady worldwide, Catholic Herald (5 May 2014). (we also en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Hierarchy of the Catholic Church" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Lumen Gentium", Catholic Church, p. 27 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Hierarchy of the Catholic Church" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "#882", Catechism of the Catholic Church; "Canon 336", Code of Canon Law, 1983 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- "Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen gentium § 27", Site da Santa Sé. facts only, no text reused. vatican.va
- Wikipedia, "Hierarchy of the Catholic Church" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Canon 438, 1983 Code of Canon Law (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Hierarchy of the Catholic Church (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Hierarchy of the Catholic Church (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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