Hierarchy, laity and consecrated life
All the baptized share a call to holiness and mission, while serving in different ways. Bishops, priests, and deacons exercise ordained ministry; lay people witness especially within ordinary social life; consecrated people offer distinctive forms of dedication. These are complementary vocations rather than a scale of human worth. The pope’s ministry and episcopal communion must be understood within this whole ecclesial life.
Follow the sources
An original library introduction, with sources for further study. This is a starting point rather than a complete treatment or a finished formation lesson.