Archbishop 
An Archbishop oversees the ministerial and administrative life of a diocese, which is made up of local communities (parishes) of the faithful. 

Archdiocese
The group of parishes that an archbishop shepherds. The Archdiocese of
Dubuque comprises 30 counties in Northeastern Iowa.

Associate Pastor
A priest who serves as a co-worker with the pastor and pastorally ministers to parishioners under the authority of the pastor. Moving forward, the associate pastor will be called a parochial vicar.

Canon Law
Canon law refers to the body of law that governs the internal life and operations of the church.

Church
A sacred building dedicated for divine worship and to which the faithful have right of entry. The following are also terms commonly used to describe churches: basilica, cathedral, chapel, shrine, non-parochial church (in the past, sometimes referred to as “oratory”), or worship site.

Cluster
A group of parishes that share a pastor, some financial resources, ministries, programs, and staff. This term will no longer be used after July 2026. Moving forward, a cluster will be known as a pastorate. 

Deanery
A grouping of parishes brought together by geography. A deanery is overseen by a dean (who is usually also a pastor) who promotes and coordinates common pastoral activity among the parishes within the deanery. In the Archdiocese of Dubuque, there are seven deaneries: Cedar Rapids, Decorah, Dubuque, Dyersville, Marshalltown, Mason City, Waterloo.

Linkage
A group of parishes that share a pastor but little/no financial resources and/or staff. This term will no longer be used after July 2026. Moving forward, groups of parishes will be known as pastorates.