Bishops, Priests and Deacons are ordained for service in the Church and this service is one of providing for the good order of the Church. Thus the sacrament of ordination is called Holy Orders and those ordained belong to the hierarchy. In some respects the Church is like the military in that it has a hierarchical leadership. But the Church is first and foremost a community of communities. Just as each city and state in our nation enjoys a certain amount of autonomy, so in the Church each parish (a community led by a priest) and diocese (a group of parishes led by a Bishop) enjoys a good deal of freedom and must take responsibility for its own life. Dioceses are united in the Faith under the leadership of the Pope, who is the Bishop of Rome.

Down through the ages various questions have been raised and the Church Community has had to examine its mind and heart to determine what it really believes and how a disciples should act. At one time the question was raised, "Is Jesus really human?". In our day, the Church is being asked, "Is Euthanasia morally acceptable?

The Bishops united with the Bishop of Rome are the authentic interpreters of the Good News and ensure the fidelity of the Church to the teachings of Christ and his Apostles. Their role is to examined Scripture, Tradition and the wisdom of the ages in order to provide authoritative answers to such questions. This function of the Church is called the Magisterium (the teaching function of the Church).

There are varying degrees of "teachings". The most solemn are those of Ecumenical Councils when the Bishops gather as a whole to address certain issues. Thus through the councils of Nicea and Constantinople the Bishops taught that Christ was truly Divine and truly Human. This resulted in the Nicene Creed which Catholics reaffirm at Sunday Mass. Infallible teachings are those which the Pope, on behalf of the whole Church, teaches. Only in times of crisis or at certain peak moments does the Pope teach infallibly or the Bishops speak through Ecumenical Councils.

Most of what the Church teaches is a result of a growing and deepening understanding of what Christ revealed and what it means to be a Disciple of Christ. It taught and learned in a very ordinary way. Thus, when the Pope or Bishops either as a group or individually speak about matters of faith or morality, celebrating the liturgy or living life in today's world their words are to be weighed with care and respect and with the presumption that this an authentic interpretation of the Good News.

Jesus Christ is the fullness of God’s revelation. Those who encountered Jesus wrote down some of their key reflections in Scripture. They also passed on a living sense of what it meant to follow Christ, much as a son or daughter today might explain what it means to be a member of a particular family. The Bishops are the official teachers of the Church interpreting what constitutes TRADITION that cannot change and Traditions or local customs and practices which grow up from time to time and can change.

The Church is both shaped by history and shapes history. By understanding both World and Church history one can develop a greater appreciation for the efforts of the Church to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. A review of history helps us understand that the Church grows both in its understanding of Christ's message and in finding better ways to express it. For instance in the early years of the Church, St. Paul did not speak out against slavery. Today the Church would vehemently oppose any type of slavery.

Over the years, the Church, like every human organization, developed certain ways of acting to preserve its well being and grow in an orderly manner. Eventually these ways of acting became precepts or laws of the Church. Catholics are to:

1. Participate in the celebration of Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.
2. Confess serious sins at least once a year.
3. Receive Holy Communion during the Easter Season.
4. Observe the requirements of the Church with regard to Marriage: (Essentially have one's marriage witnessed by a Priest or Deacon)
5. Fast and abstain on the days appointed.
6. Contribute to the support of the Church.
7. Join in the Missionary work of the Church to proclaim the Good News.