Leaders of the Church: The Pope and Bishops

The pope and bishops are leaders of the Catholic Church, and they imitate Jesus’ example of service.

Day 1 & 2 & 3

Diocese: A geographic area of the Church that is led by a bishop. Each diocese is made up of many parishes
Successor: A successor is one who follows or comes after. The bishops are the successors of the Apostles.
Pope: (n.): The successor of St. Peter as bishop of Rome and Supreme Pontiff of the universal Catholic Church. The pope exercises a primacy of authority as the vicar of Christ on earth and the shepherd of the whole Church.
Bishop: (n.): A successor to the Apostles, who has received the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. He is the leader of a particular church, or diocese, entrusted to him.
Priest: A priest is a co-worker with his bishop. He preaches the Gospel of Christ and makes the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist, available to the People of God.
Hierarchy: The hierarchy is the leadership of the Church. The pope is the head of the Church on earth and the bishop of Rome. He works together with all of the world’s bishops to teach all that Jesus commanded and make disciples of all the world.
Angelus: The Angelus is a traditional prayer led by the pope every Sunday afternoon, often from his window, overlooking St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. Afterward, he typically gives a brief message or teaching.