A Bishop’s FAQ: Explaining the terminology

On March 25, Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez is set to be installed as the third archbishop of Galveston-Houston.

During a solemn Mass at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, the papal nuncio reads a bull signed by the Roman Pontiff, and then Archbishop Vásquez accepts his crozier, sits on his cathedra and officially becomes Galveston-Houston’s 11th ordinary and the new metropolitan archbishop of the ecclesiastical province of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, which is home to six suffragan diocese in south and east Texas.

If the preceding paragraph has you a bit lost, you’re not alone.

Episcopal transitions — which is the arrival of a new bishop — include mention of a lot of terms steeped in Church history, tradition and canon law. But if you’re not a Church scholar, you can still follow along during the transition events.

A life of a bishop is filled with words that aren’t always used in everyday conversation. Here are some of the important terms you’ll encounter and what they mean:

► Auxiliary Bishop
An auxiliary bishop is an assistant to the arch/bishop of the diocese to which they are assigned. Generally, their responsibilities are defined by the arch/bishop. Auxiliary bishops are assigned “Titular” Sees, which are historical dioceses that are no longer in existence.

► Archbishop
A title automatically given to bishops who govern archdioceses. However, the title is also given as a personal rank to certain bishops who serve in the papal diplomatic corps or in certain Vatican offices.

► Archbishop-emeritus
When a new archbishop is appointed, the archdiocesan see officially becomes “vacant” until the new archbishop is installed, and the former archbishop assumes the title of “emeritus” immediately. Galveston-Houston now has one bishop with this title: Archbishop Emeritus Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, whose resignation was accepted by the pope on Jan. 20. Before his death in 2022, Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza also carried the title.

► Biretta
A purple, square-shaped hat with silk trim and tuft and three ridges across the crown.

► Bishop
Bishops are named by the pope and, by way of special ordination, receive what the Church calls “the fullness of the priesthood.” Bishop is the highest order of ordained ministry in the Catholic Church. A bishop heads the diocese and may be assisted by auxiliary bishops.

► Cardinal
A prelate — usually a bishop, but not necessarily — who has been appointed a member of the College of Cardinals by the pope. Cardinals are the pope’s closest advisers and often serve in high-ranking Vatican roles or as the heads of large dioceses. Cardinals wear distinctive red hats and vestments, which signify the possibility of martyrdom on behalf of Christ and his Church. Cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect the pope. Cardinal DiNardo, who served as Galveston-Houston’s archbishop from 2006 to 2025, is a member of the College of Cardinals.

► Cassock
A purple, floor-length garment with red cuffs on the sleeves. The Roman style has 33 buttons (symbolic of the years of the life of Jesus). Cardinals and bishops also have a “house cassock” that is black with red or purple piping, worn for non-liturgical occasions.

► Cathedra
The bishop’s chair and a symbol of his authority in a particular diocese. The word “cathedra” means “chair,” and is where the term “cathedral” is derived. While most diocese have just one cathedral, the church where the archbishop’s chair resides, in Galveston-Houston there are two: St. Mary Cathedral Basilica in Galveston and the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston. Once Archbishop Vásquez takes his seat on the cathedra at the Co-Cathedral, he becomes the Archbishop of Galveston-Houston.

► Clerical collar
A white, detachable collar worn by all ranks of clergy: bishops, priests, deacons and brothers.

► Crosier
Also called a pastoral staff, the crosier, about five to six feet in length, is a hooked staff that signifies his office as bishop and chief shepherd of his people. Often hand carved and made of wood or metal, they are unique to each bishop; the crosier often reflects his personality and spirituality.

► Curia
The central administrative and judicial offices of a diocese. In Galveston-Houston, the curia helps the archbishop to carry out his ministry in certain functions, with most of these coworkers working out of the Archdiocesan Chancery building in downtown Houston and the St. Dominic Chancery in the Texas Medical Center. The word is also used in reference to the Roman Curia, which comprises the various Vatican dicasteries and offices that advise and assist the pope. Bishop Dell’Oro is the Moderator of the Curia.

► Episcopal ring
A bishop’s ring is the symbol of his espousal to the Church.

► Episcopal motto
Upon their ordination to the episcopacy, bishops may choose an episcopal motto, usually a short passage from Scripture that serves as a guide and a model for their ministry. Archbishop Vásquez episcopal motto is “SÍGUEME,” which expresses the instruction that Christ gives each of those called by the name of Christian — “Follow Me” — for it is what it means to be a Christian, as one who follows Christ. Archbishop Emeritus Cardinal DiNardo’s episcopal motto is “Ave Crux Spes Unica,” which means “Hail, O Cross, Our Only Hope.”

► Installation
The official inauguration of ministry for a bishop of a diocese. Because Archbishop Vásquez is already a bishop — he served as bishop of Austin since 2010 and previously as auxiliary bishop in Galveston-Houston from 2001 to 2010 — he won’t be “ordained” as Galveston-Houston’s archbishop, but installed. This happens when the papal nuncio (below) reads the decree from Pope Francis and Archbishop Vásquez sits on his episcopal seat (known as a “cathedra”) for the first time at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.

► Metropolitan see
In the Latin Church, dioceses are grouped into “provinces,” which usually include one archdiocese (called the “metropolitan” see) and several smaller dioceses (called “suffragan” sees). A province usually includes an archdiocese and several smaller dioceses in a geographical region. The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston is the metropolitan see, which also includes the six other dioceses in east and south Texas: Austin, Beaumont, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Tyler and Victoria in Texas.

► Miter
In the opening procession and at other times during the Liturgy the bishop wears a miter, a tall, peaked, folding cap with two lappets, short cloth strips, or tails, attached to the back panel. While the miter is ordinarily made of linen or silk, it may have gold or silver bands or embroidery embellishing it. Normally, it is white, or alternative colors reflecting the Liturgical season. It is always removed when the bishop or pope prays.

► Mozetta
A short, shoulder cape worn by bishops over their choir cassock and rochet in choir dress. It is made of the same material and color as the cassock.

► Ordinary
In normal usage, an ordinary is a bishop (or another prelate) who has been given jurisdiction and authority over a particular Church. In some larger dioceses where multiple bishops are assigned (such as auxiliary bishops), the “ordinary” is the bishop to whom governance of the diocese is given. In the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the “ordinary” is the Archbishop of Galveston-Houston.

► Pallium
A circular white woolen band worn around an archbishop’s neck and shoulders in liturgical ceremonies. A pallium is given by the pope to Latin-rite archbishops who head metropolitan sees as a symbol of their authority over the ecclesiastical province and their unity with the pope. If an archbishop is transferred from one metropolitan see to another, he receives a new pallium. Archbishop Vásquez is set to receive his pallium from the pope during the feast of SS. Peter and Paul, June 29.

► Papal Nuncio
Simply put, the papal nuncio is the pope’s representative. Usually a cardinal, currently Christophe Cardinal Pierre, the papal nuncio is a Vatican diplomat with the rank of ambassador (in this case, the pope’s ambassador to the United States). He is responsible for the Holy See’s relations with the Church in the country where he is stationed as well as its diplomatic relations with that country. During Archbishop Vásquez’s installation Mass, Cardinal Pierre reads the official decree (known as a “papal bull”) from Pope Francis appointing Archbishop Vásquez as archbishop of Galveston-Houston.

► Papal bull
The most solemn and weighty form of a papal letter or decree. The name is derived from the Latin word “bulla,” which refers to the disk-like papal seal attached to such documents. After the papal nuncio reads the bull during the installation Mass, Archbishop Vásquez shows it to the faithful of the Archdiocese as proof of his appointment as their chief shepherd.

► Pectoral cross
A cross, worn around the neck and suspended by either a green and gold cord when wearing liturgical vestments or on a chain and placed in the jacket pocket in daily clerical clothing.

► Rochet
A knee-length, pleated white vestment worn over the cassock and made of linen or similar material.

► See
The seat of a bishop or pope’s authority and jurisdiction. When referring to diocesan bishops, the “see” is usually the diocese over which he presides and includes the diocesan boundaries.

► Suffragan
A diocese in an ecclesiastical province that is not the metropolitan archdiocese. Bishops of these dioceses are called “suffragan” bishops. For example, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston is the metropolitan archdiocese, and its suffragan dioceses are Austin, Beaumont, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Tyler and Victoria in Texas.

► Vicar
This term has many uses in the Catholic Church. The main use, however, is to refer to someone deputized by the bishop or a religious superior to carry out certain functions on his behalf. Another use is a parochial vicar, a priest who assists a pastor at a parish. Bishop Dell’Oro is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese.

► Zucchetto
The bishop wears a purple zucchetto, a small skull cap like the yarmulke. If the bishop is a cardinal, his zucchetto is red. If he is the pope, it is white.

- Definitions adapted from the USCCB, OSV News stylebook and the Official Catholic Dictionary