Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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PARISH

Normally, in a diocese, a definite territorial division that has been assigned its own church, a determined group of the faithful, and its own distinct pastor who is charged with the care of souls. National parishes have also been created to meet the needs of people of a certain race or nationality, with no relation to territory. Sometimes subdivisions of vicariates and prefectures apostolic are called quasi parishes. (Etym. Greek paroikos, dwelling near.)