How many different types of bishops are there?

[JGMendes4049]

All bishops are merely bishops, and some have additional titles and/or roles.

Additional titles and/or roles (not necessarily in order of rank)

Diocesan bishop: pastor of the cathedral of his diocese, in charge of all the Catholics in his diocese

Pope: Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of Rome, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rome, Primate of Italy, elected by College of Cardinals

Cardinal: bishops appointed by the Pope to serve in the College of Cardinals, the body empowered to elect someone to the papacy

Primate: the bishop of the oldest (arch)diocese in a nation

Metropolitan Archbishop: an archbishop with jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province

Titular (arch)bishop: a bishop who has no physical see, assigned a “titular see,” usually a city that no longer has a diocese

Suffragan bishop: a bishop who leads a diocese within an ecclesiastical province other than principal diocese, the metropolitan archdiocese

Auxiliary bishop: a bishop who is a full–time assistant to a diocesan bishop

Coadjutor bishop: a bishop who is given automatic succession rights upon the death/retirement/resignation of the sitting bishop; day–to–day is like an auxiliary bishop

Bishop emeritus: a bishop who has retired

Hope this helped.

 

[Stylites]

Why can’t a bishop just be a bishop?

Sounds like a tradition to have various types of bishops.

 

[mardukm]

All bishops are merely bishops, and some have additional titles and/or roles.

Additional titles and/or roles (not necessarily in order of rank)

Diocesan bishop: pastor of the cathedral of his diocese, in charge of all the Catholics in his diocese

Pope: Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of Rome, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rome, Primate of Italy, elected by College of Cardinals

Cardinal: bishops appointed by the Pope to serve in the College of Cardinals, the body empowered to elect someone to the papacy

Primate: the bishop of the oldest (arch)diocese in a nation

Metropolitan Archbishop: an archbishop with jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province

Titular (arch)bishop: a bishop who has no physical see, assigned a “titular see,” usually a city that no longer has a diocese

Suffragan bishop: a bishop who leads a diocese within an ecclesiastical province other than principal diocese, the metropolitan archdiocese

Auxiliary bishop: a bishop who is a full–time assistant to a diocesan bishop

Coadjutor bishop: a bishop who is given automatic succession rights upon the death/retirement/resignation of the sitting bishop; day–to–day is like an auxiliary bishop

Bishop emeritus: a bishop who has retired

Hope this helped.

In the Eastern and Oriental Catholic Churches, there are also:
Patriarch: a bishop who is the head of one of the 5 original ecclesiastical regions known as Patriarchates established by the first 2 Ecumenical Councils. The Pope is the Patriarch of the Latin Church (formerly Patriarch of the West).

Major Archbishop: a bishop who is the head of an ecclesiastical region not established by the first 2 Ecumenical Councils, but by the Pope. Every canonical rule regarding a Patriarch/Patriarchate applies to a Major Archbishop/Major Archepiscopal See, except the manner of election of the Major Archbishop.

Catholicos: A primate or metropolitan in the Oriental Tradition.

Exarch: a bishop who is the head of a group that has not yet been constituted as a diocese. An exarch need not be a bishop.

Blessings,
Marduk

 

[ajpirc]

In the Eastern and Oriental Catholic Churches, there are also:
Patriarch: a bishop who is the head of one of the 5 original ecclesiastical regions known as Patriarchates established by the first 2 Ecumenical Councils.

Major Archbishop: a bishop who is the head of an ecclesiastical region not established by the first 2 Ecumenical Councils, but by the Pope.

Could you go into more detail on the esslesiastical regions?

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

(I’m assuming that you’re talking about an abuse during Mass).

No. First you talk to the priest in question. If that fails, you talk to the pastor of the parish. If that fails, you go to the bishop of the diocese. If that fails, you go to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. If that fails, then (theoretically) you talk to the Pope.

If that fails, you’re just wrong.

If we are talking about liturgical abuses, it would be the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, not the CDF.

Do you not send a letter to the Papal Nuncio before you write to the Congregation?

 

[MarkThompson]

Do you not send a letter to the Papal Nuncio before you write to the Congregation?

No, the Apostolic Nuncio is really an ambassador, and although he serves as a liaison between the Holy See and his country’s episcopate, he has no authority to order bishops or priests to do or abstain from anything.