Portal:Parishes

Parishes

The Parish is the fundamental local community of the Catholic Church, where the faithful gather for worship, receive the sacraments, and engage in works of charity under the pastoral care of a priest. Rooted in the Church’s mission to proclaim the Gospel and unite believers with Jesus Christ for the salvation of souls, parishes serve as the primary setting for the celebration of the Mass, administration of sacraments like the Eucharist and Confession, and the fostering of communal faith. Established under the authority of a bishop within a diocese, parishes connect the Church’s 1.39 billion members as of 2023 to the universal Church, led by the Pope in Vatican City.