The Catholic Church is territorially organized into dioceses, each led by a bishop responsible for teaching, worship, and governance within his jurisdiction. Each diocese is in turn subdivided into parishes, which are local communities led by a parish priest. Dioceses may be grouped into ecclesiastical provinces headed by an archbishop, and into larger regions such as patriarchates or archdioceses.
Episcopal Conferences are bodies for collaboration among the bishops of a country or region. Although they do not possess the same authority as the Pope or ecumenical councils, episcopal conferences play an important role in pastoral coordination and in adapting the Church’s teachings to local circumstances.
