The Catholic church is one of the most well-known religious organizations in the world. The Catholic church, which is also referred to as the Roman Catholic church, was the first denomination of Christian religious practice to be ever formed. When people come to look at the distinction among all denominations, they ultimately look to the Catholic church as a reference point as to where to begin to draw upon those differences. This is because Catholic churches have a certain structure in place that is very specific and very precise. One of the elements as to how the structure of catholic churches are formed is with a higher arc that oversees the Catholic church. They are most commonly referred to as the clergy or the priesthood. The priesthood of the Catholic church includes the priest or priestess, shamans, and oracles. In Catholic churches, the priest or priestess is the religious authority that has been designated the responsibility of carrying out sacrifices and rituals of the church. The priest or the priestess is regarded as the high authority of the Catholic church, that is closest to God; thus, the authority by which one must go to in order to connect with God. The shamans of Catholic churches are the individuals that are responsible for ensuring that the beliefs and practices of the Catholic churches are being carried out, and in the manner in which they should. The oracles of Catholic churches are those that have been appointed to provide wise counsel within the church to those who need it.