Catholic Church by country | Wikipedia audio article
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Date: 09/11/2018

This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Catholic Church by country

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SUMMARY
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The Catholic Church is a "Communion of Churches, both Roman and Eastern, or Oriental, that are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome (the pope)."  The Church is also known as the People of God, the Body of Christ, the Temple of the Holy Spirit, among other names." According to Vatican II's Pastoral Constitution on the Church, the "church has but one sole purpose -- that the kingdom of God may come and the salvation of the human race may be accomplished."This Communion of Churches comprises the Latin Church (or the Roman or Western Church) as well as 23 Eastern Catholic Churches, canonically called sui juris churches, each led by either a Patriarch or a Major Archbishop in full communion with the Holy See. Historically, these bodies separated from Eastern Christian communions, either to remain in or to return to full communion of the Catholic Church. Vatican II decree on Eastern Catholic Churches, however, explicitly recognises Eastern Catholic communities as "true churches" and not just rites within the Catholic Church. The term sui juris literally means "by its own law" — these bodies retain own canonical and liturgical traditions. Particular law typically provides for the synods of the larger sui juris churches to elect their own bishops, including their patriarch or major archbishop, subject only to papal "assent" (formal recognition), which is very rarely withheld. The pope appoints bishops for those smaller sui juris churches which have too few bishops to form a synod.
Four Latin Church archbishops are also called Patriarchs. This is only titular but gives them precedence in papal milieu. In the case of the Patriarch of Venice, he may wear the red vestments of a Cardinal. Archbishops and bishops administer individual dioceses as successors of the twelve apostles. They are responsible for the ordination, appointment, and supervision of parish priests and the oversight of all church affairs within their diocese except the internal affairs of religious orders of pontifical right. If the responsibility associated with a certain diocese is large, a Bishop may be assisted by one or more Auxiliary Bishops, who are accorded a titular see. A diocese may also have a coadjutor bishop (coadjutor archbishop in the case of an archdiocese), who is effectively the "co-ruler" of the diocese and automatically succeeds to the office of bishop whenever the incumbent bishop leaves office.  The title of primate refers to the bishop of the first diocese in a country or territory, which typically has grown into a metropolitan archdiocese, but carries no additional authority.As of 5 September 2017, the ecclesiastical jurisdiction statistics were as follows: one Papal See; nine Patriarchates; four Major Archdioceses; 554 Metropolitan Archdioceses; 77 Archdioceses; 2,225 Dioceses; 42 Prelatures; eleven Territorial Abbeys; eighteen Apostolic Exarchates; nine (Eastern Rite) Ordinariates; 36 Military Ordinariates; three Personal Ordinariates; one Personal prelature; 88 Apostolic Vicariates; 39 Apostolic Prefectures; eight Apostolic Administrations; and eight Missions 'sui juris'.The Catholic Church is the "world's oldest continuously functioning international institution." It is also the largest non-government provider of education and health care in the world, while the diplomatic status of the Holy See facilitates the access of its vast international network of charities.