Global organisation of the Roman Catholic Church

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The Roman Catholic Church is organised in a worldwide hierarchy under the pope, and the Roman Curia.

Patriarchs are the heads of Catholic Churches other than the Latin Church. Some senior Roman Catholic archbishops are also called Patriarchs. Archbishops and Bishops administer individual dioceses as successors of the twelve apostles. As such they are responsible for the appointment and supervision of parish priests, and the oversight of all church affairs within their diocese.

The Catholic Church is organised into local hierarchies within each nation, or group of smaller nations. National Conferences of bishops co-ordinate local policy within each nation.

As of 3 April 2008, the ecclesial jurisdiction statistics is as follows; 13 Patriarchate, 2 Major Archeparchy, 534 Metropolitan Archdiocese, 79 Archdiocese, 2,160 Diocese, 48 Prelature, 11 Territorial Abbey, 16 Apostolic Exarchate, 8 Ordinariate, 35 Military Ordinariate, 78 Apostolic Vicariate, 45 Apostolic Prefecture, 11 Apostolic Administrature, and 9 Mission 'sui juris'.