land". They all have a share in the Church's mission and have the right to undertake apostolic activity according to their own state and condition. Lay ministry can take the form of exercising the priesthood of all the baptized, and more specifically undertaking the work of catechists. serving the Church pastorally, administratively, and in other ways, including the liturgical services as acolytes, lectors, cantors, and the like, initiation sponsors, pastoral care ministers, and members of parish and diocesan consultative bodies. Some lay Catholics carry out full-time professional and vocational service in the name of the Church, rather than in a secular calling. Though the phenomenon is widespread in North America and much of Europe, the organization and definition of the ministry is left to national bishops conferences. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has adopted the term lay ecclesial ministry for these individuals, as intentionally distinct from the general apostolate or ministry of the laity described above. The consultative leadership of the church, in both the diocese and the parish, usually comprises a Pastoral Council and a Finance Council, as well as several Commissions usually focusing on major aspects of the church's life and mission, such as Faith Formation or Christian Education, Liturgy, Social Justice, Ecumenism, or Stewardship. Religious Religious—who can be either lay people or clergy—are members of religious institutes, societies in which the members take public vows and live a fraternal life in common. This is a form of consecrated life distinct from other forms, such as that of secular institutes. It is distinct also from forms that do not involve membership of an institute, such as that of consecrated hermits, that of consecrated virgins, and other forms whose approval is reserved to the Holy See. Religious institutes have historically been subdivided into the categories of orders and congregations. Male members of orders or congregations may use the titles brother, monk, or friar, while female members may use the titles sister or nun. Each order may have its own hierarchy of offices such superior general, abbot/abbess, mother superior, prior/prioress, or others, and the specific duties and responsibilities for each office will depend on the specific order or community. Those who are in the process of joining a religious institute but have not yet taken their final vows may be referred to as postulants or novices. See also Anglican ministry Apostolic Syndic Catholic Church by country Global organisation