Who is the leader of the global Catholic Church?

Answer 1

The leader of the Catholic Faith is Jesus Christ, Whom Catholics believe is God and Whom they believe founded the Catholic Church. Catholics believe that the pope is the temporal leader of the Catholic Church, the office having been instituted by Christ before His ascension in order that His Church upon Earth would have constant guidance and a visible and organized presence. The pope acts in cooperation with God' grace in order to continue Christ's mission of salvation until His return. The earthly leader of the catholic faith though is the pope.

Answer 2

The leader of the Catholic Church is Jesus Christ. His representative on earth is the Holy Father, currently Pope Benedict XVI.

Answer

Jesus Christ is the head of the Roman Catholic Church. His Vicar (like a prime minister) on earth is the Pope.
The Pope is the leader of the Catholic Church throughout the world. He is the earthly spiritual leader representing Christ and the shepherd of the entire flock.

Answer 3

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Catholic AnswerThe leader for a Catholic is Our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ. His Vicar on earth is the Holy Father in Rome, in 2012, that is His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI. The Bishop of whatever diocese a Catholic resides in carries the fullness of the priesthood for Our Blessed Lord, and is his representative for all the Catholics in his diocese. He is represented, locally in each parish, by his priests. So the leader for any particular Catholic would be (in ascending order):

local pastor

Bishop

Pope

Our Blessed Lord

Answer 4

The head of the Catholic Church is Jesus Christ. The leadership of the Church is entrusted to the movement of the Holy Spirit, and it is all formed as part of the Father's plan.

On the human level, though, the leadership of the church is entrusted to the whole college of bishops, who are vicars of Christ and successors of the Apostles.

At their head, first among them and with universal primacy, is the bishop of Rome - the pope.

In simplified terms, then, the pope is the leader of the Catholic Church - but always and only in communion with the other bishops (and the other bishops always in communion with him).

At the same time, each bishop is the leader of the Catholic Church in their particular see, or diocese. Again, though, always in communion with the other bishops around the world, especially including the bishop of Rome.

--This balance between the one leader and the many leaders is called primacy and synodality (or collegiality), and is essential to the nature of the Church, which is neither a monarchy nor a democracy. --

The current bishop of Rome is Pope Francis. He was born and baptized as Jorge Mario Bergoglio,in Argentina. He is the 263rd successor of St. Peter.*

*the 266th pontificate, however, according to the official lists - one pope, Benedict IX, served in three separate terms. Peter is also included, though the earliest succession lists count only his successors, not the Apostle himself (who was more than simply a bishop).

Answer 5

Catholic Answer

The leader of Catholicism is God: Our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. His Vicar on earth is the Pope, the Holy Father in Rome, and the leader of each particular Catholic Church is a Bishop, a successor to the Apostles, all of whom must be in communion with the Holy Father to properly exercise their authority over their particular Churches (called dioceses).

Answer 6

Roman Catholic AnswerThe leader of the Catholic Church is its head, Our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ. His Vicar on earth is the Holy Father in Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI.

Answer 7

The leader of the Church on Earth is the Pope. That would be (2011) Pope Benedict XVI.

Answer 8

Jesus Christ is the invisible head of the Catholic Church.

The Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the visible head of the Catholic Church.

Answer 9

The leader of the Catholic Church is Jesus Christ through his vicar on earth, the pope. Today (2012) that would be Pope Benedict XVI.

Answer 10

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