The Government and Structure of the Church

Because it is an organization of men the church must have laws and a government. The
government of the church is of course inherent in his very foundation. In its practical
application, it has been shaped by the experiences of nearly 2,000 years.
The Parish
A parish is a community of the Christian faithful established and entrusted by the bishop
to a pastor for its pastoral care. Catholic parishes are usually territorial that is its
membership in them is based upon residence within the parish boundaries.

But parishes can be personal that is with membership based on language, nationality,
affiliation with a college or university, military service or other criterion. Depending on
the size of the parish, he may have one or more assistant priests. The pastor has
jurisdiction over the members of his as their religious superior. It is his obligation to
enforce the laws of the church, administer the sacraments, preach the word of God and
in short carry out the works within his parish.
The Diocese
A diocese is a portion of the people of God entrusted to a bishop for the pastoral care.
In providing that care, the bishop is assisted by the presbyterate, the college of
presbyters. Three forces gather the people; their Bishops and priests into a church, the
Holy Spirit, the gospel and the Eucharist.
In mission areas and elsewhere, particular churches which are equivalent to dioceses in
canon law are sometimes called territorial prelature, apostolic vicariate, apostolic
administration, military ordinariate, etc.

The Archdiocese
Certain of the more important dioceses are called archdioceses. Ordinarily an
archdiocese is an ecclesial province consisting of three to ten dioceses called suffragan
sees. Archdiocese is the Metropolitan see (mother of parent see). In practice, this does
not affect the government of each individual bishop who is wholly in charge of his
diocese. It means simply that certain administrative details are carried out between the
Metropolitan and the suffragan sees.

Patriarchates are ecclesiastical provinces found in the Eastern churches. The patriarch
is the head of the respective Church. There are still some patriarchates in the Latin
church: Jerusalem, Lisbon, Venice, and the East Indies. These titles are more honorary
than of real significant. They do however signify the great importance those centers
have played in the history of the Church.
Major Archeparchies are the same as the Patriarch in the Easter Church.
Territorial Abbies are abbies which have their own territorial jurisdiction. The Abbot is
given episcopal jurisdiction over the territory.
Military Ordinariate is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction for all military personnel and their
families entrusted in the pastoral care of a bishop who serve as military ordinary.

The Roman Curia

The central headquarters of the church or in the ancient city of Rome in a section known
as Vatican City, which is independent of the Italian government and of every other
government in the world. Within the city are the administrative officers of the universal
Church.
The Roman curia is the ensemble of discasteries and bodies which assists the Pope in
the exercise of his supreme pastoral office of service to the churches which make up
the Roman Catholic communion. The Roman curia today is the large administrative
apparatus which carries on the ordinary business of the church central office. Its
agencies heeded by Cardinals and staffed by many hundreds of bureaucrats, most of
whom are bishops and priests.
Within the curia, the most important parts are the Secretariat of State that coordinates
both the internal and external affairs of the church and the sacred congregations that
constitute the important committees headed by Cardinals and Bishops. Then there are
also three judicial bodies – tribunals or courts, several councils for various causes, and
offices for the administration funds and properties.

The terms Apostolic see or Holy See referred to the papl office.

Sacred Congregations

Congregation for the doctrine of faith is used to be called the Holy office, and before
it was known as the Holy Roman Inquisition. Its primary duty and responsibility is to
promote and preserve the Catholic faith throughout the church.
Congregation for the Oriental Churches considers those matters, whether regarding
persons or things which touch on the Eastern Catholic churches.
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has primary
responsibility for the sacred liturgy and the sacraments.
Congregation for the Causes of Saints is competent in all matters, which in any way
pertained to the beatification of servants or God or to the canonization of the blessed or
to the preservation of relics.
Congregation for Bishops is responsible for the delineation division and establishment
and merging of the dioceses, for the consideration of candidates to be appointed to the
diocese, and the recommendation of candidates to the Holy Father.
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples is responsible for missionary activity
throughout the world.
Congregation for the Clergy is responsible for matters relating to secular priests and
deacons. One of its Chief roles is to try and ensure a more equitable distribution of
priests throughout the world.

Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life

promotes and supervises, in the whole Latin church, the practices of the evangelical
counsels as they are exercised in approved forms of consecrated life at the same time
the activities of societies of apostolic life.
Congregation for Catholic Education expresses and exercises the Apostolic See’s
solitude for the formation of those who are called to Holy Orders as well as for the
promotion and organization of Catholic Education. It is competent for all that pertains to
the formation of clerics and the catholic education both of clerics and of the laity.