What was the organization of the Roman Catholic Church during the Middle Ages?

Answer 1

The Roman Catholic Church of the Middle Ages was organized just about the same as it is today. The clergy were divided into two groups, the regular and the secular. The regular clergy were monks and abbots, who lived in monasteries. The secular clergy were the deacons, priests, and bishops who served the secular people around them.

The Pope was the most important person in the Roman Catholic Church, and was at its head.

Regular clergy were organized according to the regulations of their orders. There was sometimes a master or grand master at the top, who answered to the pope. The abbeys and monasteries were headed by abbots, and most of the people in them were monks.

The highest bishops other than the pope were cardinals, who elected popes as they were needed. Below them were archbishops and below them were bishops. The bishops had priests below them, and at the bottom of the ordained secular clergy were deacons. The position of archdeacon was not universal, and was a priest between the bishop and other priests.
It was organized as the following from lowest to highest power:

1. priests
2. bishops
3. archbishops
4. cardinals
5. Pope