Suffragan Diocese
Encyclopedia
A suffragan diocese is a diocese
in the Catholic Church that is overseen not only by its own diocesan bishop
but also by a metropolitan bishop
. The metropolitan is always an archbishop
who governs his own archdiocese. He has no canonical right of intervention in a suffragan see but rather presides at meetings of the ecclesiastical province
composed of his diocese and the suffragan dioceses. It also falls to the metropolitan to run a suffragan diocese when it has no bishop. The bishop of a suffragan diocese is called a suffragan bishop
.
Source: "Catholic Encyclopedia"
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
in the Catholic Church that is overseen not only by its own diocesan bishop
Diocesan bishop
A diocesan bishop — in general — is a bishop in charge of a diocese. These are to be distinguished from suffragan bishops, assistant bishops, coadjutor bishops, auxiliary bishops, metropolitans, and primates....
but also by a metropolitan bishop
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
. The metropolitan is always an archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
who governs his own archdiocese. He has no canonical right of intervention in a suffragan see but rather presides at meetings of the ecclesiastical province
Ecclesiastical Province
An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government, so named by analogy with a secular province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian churches, especially in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches and in the Anglican Communion...
composed of his diocese and the suffragan dioceses. It also falls to the metropolitan to run a suffragan diocese when it has no bishop. The bishop of a suffragan diocese is called a suffragan bishop
Suffragan bishop
A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...
.
Source: "Catholic Encyclopedia"