09/06/2026
TYPES OF BISHOPS
Understanding the Different Episcopal Roles in the Catholic Church
Have you ever wondered why the Catholic Church has diocesan bishops, auxiliary bishops, coadjutor bishops, archbishops, titular bishops and even bishops emeritus?
They are all bishops, but they do not all serve in exactly the same way.
And here is where things can become confusing: these titles do not simply represent different “levels” of bishop. Some describe the bishop’s responsibility, some describe the particular Church he serves, and some describe his relationship to another bishop.
So, what exactly is the difference?
A bishop is a successor of the Apostles. Through episcopal ordination, he receives the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders and is entrusted with teaching, sanctifying and governing the People of God. But the Church assigns bishops different offices and responsibilities according to the needs of the Church.
1. DIOCESAN BISHOP
The diocesan bishop is the bishop who is entrusted with the pastoral care and governance of a particular diocese.
He is the principal shepherd of that local Church, responsible for teaching the faith, overseeing the celebration of the sacraments and governing the diocese in communion with the Pope and the universal Church.
When Catholics normally say, “our bishop,” this is usually the person they mean.
2. AUXILIARY BISHOP
An auxiliary bishop is appointed to assist a diocesan bishop in the pastoral care and administration of a diocese.
Large dioceses, for example, may require additional episcopal assistance because of their size, population or pastoral needs.
An auxiliary bishop does not ordinarily become the diocesan bishop automatically when the diocesan bishop leaves office.
3. COADJUTOR BISHOP
A coadjutor bishop is also appointed to assist a diocesan bishop, but there is one major difference:
The coadjutor has the right of succession.
This means that when the diocesan bishop’s office becomes vacant, the coadjutor normally succeeds him as diocesan bishop.
So, while both an auxiliary and a coadjutor assist the diocesan bishop, the coadjutor is specifically appointed with succession in view.
4. TITULAR BISHOP
A titular bishop is a bishop who is given the title of an ancient diocese that no longer exists as a functioning diocese.
He therefore does not govern that historical diocese.
Titular sees are commonly associated with bishops who hold certain positions or who assist in the Church without being the diocesan bishop of a particular current diocese.
Interestingly, many auxiliary bishops and bishops serving in certain Church offices are titular bishops.
5. ARCHBISHOP
An archbishop is a bishop who ordinarily presides over an archdiocese, which is generally a diocese of particular importance within an ecclesiastical province.
But an archbishop is not a different sacramental grade from a bishop.
An archbishop is still a bishop.
When an archbishop is the metropolitan of an ecclesiastical province, he is called a metropolitan archbishop. He has particular responsibilities toward the other dioceses—the suffragan dioceses—within that province, while each diocesan bishop retains his own authority over his diocese.
6. SUFFRAGAN BISHOP
A suffragan bishop is a diocesan bishop whose diocese belongs to an ecclesiastical province headed by a metropolitan archbishop.
This is therefore not a separate sacramental kind of bishop.
It describes the bishop’s relationship to the metropolitan and the ecclesiastical province in which his diocese is located.
For example, if several dioceses belong to one ecclesiastical province, the diocesan bishops of those dioceses are suffragan bishops, while the bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese is the metropolitan archbishop.
7. BISHOP EMERITUS
When a diocesan bishop resigns from the governance of his diocese, normally upon reaching the canonical retirement age, the Pope may accept his resignation and he becomes Bishop Emeritus of that diocese.
He remains a bishop because episcopal ordination is permanent, but he is no longer the bishop governing that diocese.
This is why you may hear the expression, “Bishop Emeritus of…”
It means he formerly governed that diocese but no longer does.
And now, there is an important clarification that can prevent a very common misunderstanding....
WHAT ABOUT A CARDINAL?
A cardinal is not a separate sacramental grade above a bishop.
Cardinal is a dignity and ecclesiastical office connected principally with membership in the College of Cardinals and the particular responsibilities entrusted to cardinals.
Most cardinals are bishops, but being a cardinal does not mean receiving another level of Holy Orders.
In fact, the Pope can appoint someone who is not yet a bishop as a cardinal and, in certain circumstances, dispense him from the requirement of episcopal ordination.
So don’t think of the hierarchy as:
Bishop → Archbishop → Cardinal → Pope.
That is not how it works.
The Pope himself is the Bishop of Rome, and the Pope’s universal authority comes from his office as Bishop of Rome and his role as successor of Saint Peter, not from being a higher “degree” of Holy Orders.
Ultimately, all bishops share the same fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. What differs is the office they are entrusted with, the Church they serve, and the responsibilities attached to that office.
So the next time you hear “Auxiliary Bishop,” “Coadjutor,” “Titular Bishop,” “Archbishop,” or “Bishop Emeritus,” you will know that these titles are telling you something about where that bishop serves and what responsibility he has, not that he possesses a different kind of episcopal ordination.
One episcopal ministry. Different ecclesiastical roles. One Church.
And perhaps the most important thing to remember is this:
Every Catholic bishop serves as a successor of the Apostles, in communion with the Pope and the universal Church, for the sanctification and shepherding of God’s people.
Be Prayerful. Be Inspired.
©Catholic Dailies
