From ‘Altar Boys’ to the ‘Pope’: How power rises in the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church is one of the oldest and most organised religious institutions in the world.
With millions of followers and a long history that goes back more than 2,000 years, the Church has, over time, created a structure of leadership to guide its members, make decisions, and protect its teachings.
This structure is called a hierarchy.
The hierarchy starts from the lowest levels where ordinary members serve in small roles, and goes all the way up to the pope, who is seen as the spiritual head of the entire Roman Catholic institution.
With the death of Pope Francis in April 2025, attention has now turned to what happens next.
The Church will soon begin the steps to choose a new pope, and this article seeks to establish the hierarchy that exists in the Catholic Church and what the role of each leader in the system is.
Altar or Mass Servers
These can be described as young members of the Church who help the priest during Mass. They are volunteers and are not appointed officially. They assist with simple tasks like carrying the cross or holding the book during services.
Deacons
Deacons are the first level of ordained ministers. They help priests and bishops during church services, baptisms, and weddings. They cannot lead Mass or hear confessions, but they preach and do a lot of community work.
There are two types of deacons: permanent (who can marry) and transitional (who are training to become priests). A man becomes a deacon through a special ceremony called ordination. These deacons are usually chosen and trained by a bishop.
Priests or leaders of local churches
Priests are the most familiar faces to Catholics. They lead Mass, hear confessions, and care for people in local parishes. A man must go to a seminary (a special school) and spend years training before he can become a priest. They are ordained by bishops after the training process. Some priests belong to religious orders, like Jesuits or Franciscans, while others work directly under their local bishop.
Bishops
Bishops are in charge of a group of churches in a particular area called a diocese. They supervise the priests in that area and make sure the teachings of the Church are followed. Bishops can also perform confirmations and ordain new priests and deacons. The pope chooses priests within a parish to become bishops. The Vatican has a process where candidates are studied carefully before the final choice is made.
Archbishops
An archbishop is a bishop in charge of an archdiocese, which is usually a more important or larger diocese. They have the same duties as bishops but may also oversee other bishops in nearby dioceses. Archbishops are also chosen by the pope. Some go on to become cardinals.
Cardinals/advisors to the Pope
Cardinals are senior church leaders who give advice to the pope and run key departments in the Vatican. Most cardinals are bishops or archbishops before they are chosen by the pope to become cardinals. One of their most important jobs is to choose the next pope.
When a pope dies or resigns, all cardinals under the age of 80 gather in Rome for a secret vote called a conclave. The pope is chosen from the College of Cardinals.
The Pope/leader of the Catholic Church
The pope is the bishop of Rome and the head of the global Catholic Church. Catholics believe he is the successor of Saint Peter, one of Jesus’ apostles. The pope speaks for the Church and has the final say on matters of faith. Only cardinals under 80 years old can vote for a new pope and qualify to be a pope.
During the conclave, they vote in the Sistine Chapel until one person receives two-thirds of the votes. That person must accept the role before it is announced to the world. The results of the voting, which is done in secret, are announced with smoke that emanates from the burning of the ballot papers. Black smoke indicates a failed voting process, whilst white smoke indicates the selection of a new pope.
Pope Francis, who passed away recently, was known for his love for the poor and his focus on simple living. He became pope in 2013 and led the Church for 12 years.
What happens next?
Now that the pope has died, cardinals are meeting in Rome to choose a new one. This process usually begins with a series of meetings to discuss the future of the Church. The conclave may last a few days or even weeks, depending on how quickly they agree.
In the meantime, a temporary leader called the “Camerlengo” takes care of day-to-day matters in the Vatican. Planning for the pope’s funeral is also underway.
