For additional information and resources, refer to the web link below. This website was the primary source for above information and gives a deeper insight into the Catholic Religion, its history and how so many religions come to exist as one.
Pope:"The title Pope means 'Holy Father'. St. Peter the Apostle was the first pope. Jesus Christ appointed him to the position (Matthew 16:18-19). Basically, the pope is the Vicar of Christ. This means that the pope is the visible head of the Catholic Church and his authority extends to all its members. The Catholic Church is united through the power of the Holy Spirit under the leadership of the pope". (Boyle, 2013 p.55)
Cardinal: "The new pope is always chosen from among the members of the college of Cardinals. This is because only cardinal are entitled to attend a conclave and cast their votes to elect a pope. Cardinals are selected by the pope from among the ranks of archbishops and bishops. There are more than 150 cardinals. Once a cardinal reaches the age of 80, he is no longer eligible to vote in a conclave. In between elections, cardinals help the pope to govern the Catholic Church by offering him advice on important issues. Most countries with a large Catholic population have at least one cardinal" (Boyle, 2013 p.55/56)
Archbishop: Archbishops are the most senior of all bishops in a country (Boyle, 2013). In Ireland we have four main archbishops. "Each is in charge of an area called an archdioceses. These are Armagh, Cashel, Dublin and Tuam. Each archdiocese contains several dioceses" (Boyle, 2013 p.56).
Bishop: "A bishop is the leader and chief teacher in his diocese. A diocese is the geographical area over which a bishop has been given authority by the pope. Bishops are selected by the pope. They work together under the pope's leadership. A bishop has the fullness of the priesthood. This means that the a bishop can celebrate all seven sacraments, in particular the sacrament of holy orders. This is why only a bishop can ordain a priest" (Boyle, 2013 p.56) "In most countries, Catholic bishops regularly meet to discuss important issues. These gatherings are called episcopal conferences. All the bishops are united under the popes leadership. To show this, each bishop must go to the Vatican every five years to make a report to the pope about his own diocese (Boyle, 2013 p.56).
Priest:"Every diocese is subdivided into a number of parishes. A parish is a local Catholic community served by a priest. A priest is a man who has been ordained by a bishop, i.e. he has received the Sacrament of Holy Orders. A priest must promise to remain celibate (i.e. unmarried). A priests work includes: Celebrating the sacraments, e.g. he baptizes new members, marries couples and conducts funerals.Offering leadership and giving good example by visiting the sick, helping the poor and counselling those in crisis" (Boyle,2013 p.56). Laity: "The vast majority of Catholics are members of thee laity. The term 'laity' applies to all Catholics who have not received the Sacrament of Holy Orders. However, all Catholic, no matter what roles they play- whether priests or laity- are equal members of their church. The laity can play a variety of roles within the parish. For example: Alter servers, Ministers of the Word, Ministers of the Eucharist, Catechists, Counselors and choir members" (Boyle, 2013 p.56).
All information sourced from: Boyle, N. (2013) Faith Alive. Ireland:Mentor Books.