Hierarchy of the Catholic Church

In canonical and general usage, it refers to those who exercise authority within a Christian church.^[3] In the Catholic Church, authority rests chiefly with bishops,^[4] while priests and deacons serve as their assistants, co-workers or helpers.^[5] Accordingly, "hierarchy of the Catholic Church" is also used to refer to the bishops alone.^[6] The term "pope" was still used loosely until the sixth century, being at times assumed by other bishops.^[7] The term "hierarchy" became popular only in the sixth century, due to the writings of Pseudo-Dionysius.^[8]


As of 31 December 2020, the Catholic Church consisted of 2,903 dioceses or equivalent jurisdictions,^[9] each overseen by a bishop. Dioceses are divided into individual communities called parishes, each staffed by one or more priests, deacons, or lay ecclesial ministers.^[10] Ordinarily, care of a parish is entrusted to a priest, though there are exceptions. Approximately 19.3% of all parishes do not have a resident pastor, and 1,948 parishes worldwide are entrusted to a deacon or lay ecclesial minister.^[11]


All clergy, including deacons, priests, and bishops, may preach, teach, baptize, witness marriages, and conduct funeral liturgies.^[12] Only priests and bishops can celebrate the sacraments of the Eucharist (though others may be ministers of Holy Communion),^[13] Penance (Reconciliation, Confession), Confirmation (priests may administer this sacrament with prior ecclesiastical approval), and Anointing of the Sick.^[14][15] Only bishops can administer the sacrament of Holy Orders, by which men are ordained as bishops, priests or deacons.^[16][17]

Diaconate[edit]

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 to the poor and needy, 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, They may preach homilies, and in the Roman Rite may preside at non-Eucharistic liturgies such as baptisms, weddings, funerals, and adoration/benediction. In the Eastern Catholic Churches, in the absence of a priest, deacons do not vest and may only lead services as a reader, never presiding at weddings or funerals.


The scriptural basis and description of the role and qualifications of the deacon can be found in Acts 6:1–9, and in 1 Timothy 3:1–13.^[80]


They may be seminarians preparing for ordination to the priesthood, "transitional deacons", or "permanent deacons" who do not intend 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.^[81] In the Latin Church, married deacons are permanent deacons. In most diocese there is a cut-off age for being accepted into formation for the diaconate.


The passage from membership of the laity to that of the clergy occurs with ordination to the diaconate.^[82] Previously, the Latin Church rule was that one became a cleric on receiving clerical tonsure, which was followed by minor orders and by the subdiaconate, which was reckoned as one of the major orders. By his motu proprio Ministeria quaedam of 15 August 1972, Pope Paul VI decreed: "The orders hitherto called minor are henceforth to be spoken of as 'ministries'."^[83] The same motu proprio also decreed that the Latin Church would no longer have the major order of subdiaconate, but it permitted any episcopal conference that so desired to apply the term "subdeacon" to those who hold the ministry (formerly called the minor order) of "acolyte".^[84] Even in those societies within the Latin Church that, with the approval of the Holy See, continue to administer the rites of tonsure, minor orders and subdiaconate, those who receive those rites remain lay people, becoming clerics only on being ordained as deacons.^[85]