The Catholic Church has many Rites (branches) <ref> https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resource/56009/the-rites-of-the-catholic-church</ref> <ref> https://www.catholic365.com/article/6085/intro-to-the-eastern-catholic-churches-part-vi-the-byzantine-rite-and-its-history.html</ref> The Latin Rite is directly under the Pope. The other rites recognize the Pope as their shepherd but are administered by either a Patriarch, a Major Archbishop, a Metropolitan, or have some other arrangement. Patriarchs are elected by a synod of bishops of their Rite, and then request ecclesiastical communion from the Pope. Major Archbishops are also elected by a synod of bishops of their Rite, but then are approved by the Pope before they take office. Metropolitans are picked by the Pope from a list given by a synod of bishops. Latin Rite bishops are appointed by the Pope. The other Rites choose their own bishops and have their own cannon law; '''many rites have married catholic priests'''. These Rites may have their own dioceses in [[Christianity_in_North_America | North America]] and [[Christianity_in_South_America | South America]]. Most people only know of the Latin Rite dioceses. Below is a list of the Rites | The Catholic Church has many Rites (branches) <ref> https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resource/56009/the-rites-of-the-catholic-church</ref> <ref> https://www.catholic365.com/article/6085/intro-to-the-eastern-catholic-churches-part-vi-the-byzantine-rite-and-its-history.html</ref> The Latin Rite is directly under the Pope. The other rites recognize the Pope as their shepherd but are administered by either a Patriarch, a Major Archbishop, a Metropolitan, or have some other arrangement. Patriarchs are elected by a synod of bishops of their Rite, and then request ecclesiastical communion from the Pope. Major Archbishops are also elected by a synod of bishops of their Rite, but then are approved by the Pope before they take office. Metropolitans are picked by the Pope from a list given by a synod of bishops. Latin Rite bishops are appointed by the Pope. The other Rites choose their own bishops and have their own cannon law; '''many rites have married catholic priests'''. These Rites may have their own dioceses in [[Christianity_in_North_America | North America]] and [[Christianity_in_South_America | South America]]. Most people only know of the Latin Rite dioceses. Below is a list of the Rites |