ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Global organisation of the Catholic Church

The Catholic Church is like a big community of people all over the world who believe in God and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. It is led by the Pope, who is like the boss of the Church.

The Catholic Church is organized into small communities called parishes, which are led by priests. These priests help people to understand and follow the teachings of the Church.

Each country has groups of parishes called dioceses, which are led by bishops. These bishops help to make sure that the parishes in their area are running smoothly and that people are following the rules of the Church.

The Catholic Church is also organized into different departments called congregations, which are like big offices that deal with specific issues. For example, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith deals with questions about what the Church believes and teaches, while the Congregation for Catholic Education helps to guide Catholic schools and universities.

Finally, there are big meetings called councils that bring together leaders from all over the world to talk about important issues for the Church. These meetings are called by the Pope and they help to make sure that everyone in the Catholic Church is on the same page when it comes to important decisions.