What’s the difference between a parish, mission, chapel and station?

Holy Trinity in Nezperce.

By Bryan Taylor

Chancellor of the Diocese of Boise

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a parish, mission, chapel and station? What distinguishes Our Lady of Tears Chapel in Silver City from Holy Rosary Station in Cambridge from St. Paul’s Mission in Malad?

The Diocese of Boise has 51 parishes and 56 missions. Of the missions, 31 are stations and 25 are chapels. These are all holy places of worship, yet there are some distinct differences. In the Diocese of Boise, one can place the differences in a hierarchy as follows:

Cathedral – The cathedral is the bishop’s official church. It is the site of the bishop’s “cathedra,” Latin for “chair,” which symbolizes the bishop’s teaching authority and governance over the diocese per Canon 515 of the Code of Canon Law. The cathedra is what makes it different from all other churches in the diocese. Each diocese has only one cathedral.

Parish – A parish is a stable community of faithful entrusted to a pastor under the authority of a diocesan bishop. It has a defined territory and is led by a pastor, according to Canon 515. Parishes typically have their own church building, sacramental life, and administrative structures. A parish provides regular sacramental and pastoral care.

Mission – A Catholic community or outreach established to serve the faithful in areas where the Church’s presence is not yet fully organized into a parish. Missions serve areas with fewer Catholics or insufficient resources to sustain a parish. They are usually under the care of a priest, religious congregation or missionary society. Missions are often focused on evangelization and the growth of the Catholic faith in the area.

Chapel – A chapel is a sacred place designated for divine worship, but is not a parish. There are public chapels and private chapels. Public chapels are intended for the use of the faithful for public worship and are typically tied to a parish. Private chapels are intended for a specific group or institution, like a convent, hospital or university. There can be multiple chapels within a single church or parish, open to all faithful, that are not designated as the main sanctuary. Sacramental activities often occur at a chapel, but the administration of the sacraments requires proper authorization. Chapels are governed by Canons 1223-1235.

Station – A station is often in remote areas where Mass or other sacraments can be celebrated. They serve as sites for occasional worship. They are typically cared for by clergy from a nearby parish or mission. They are common in missionary territories or rural areas, which characterizes a lot of Idaho, where a full parish structure is not feasible.

So, who determines what is what and when? There is a multi-step canonical process in which stations, chapels and missions can be elevated to parishes and vice versa. Several factors can cause a change to the status of a place of worship: declining population and attendance, shortage of clergy, financial instability, structure or facility issues, diocesan reorganization, or lack of sacramental activity. During this process, the faithful, the clergy and the bishop work together to determine what is best for the diocese.

Some examples: St. Agnes in Wieser began as a station in the late 1800s and was served by the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise. The Catholic community’s growth in Weiser coincided with the increase in mining and farming activities, which brought workers from across the U.S. and the world, many of them Irish Catholics. Following significant growth, the station was elevated to full “parish” status in 1900 by Bishop Alphonse Glorieux, Idaho’s second bishop.

Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Nezperce is another example. Holy Trinity is now a station, though many parishioners remember the days when it was a parish with an elementary school (St. Anthony’s). As a station, Holy Trinity is served by Saints Peter and Paul Parish, which also oversees Sacred Heart Chapel in nearby White Bird.