Sui juris

Within the Catholic Church, there are 24 sui juris Churches. They are called "sui juris" because each Church is governed by its own set of laws.

Each Church is in communion with Rome, and they all share the same beliefs, but each Church has its own unique liturgy, "rites," spirituality, hierarchy, and laws. (Often, these sui juris Churches are called "Rites." This usage of the word "rite" is obsolete, though the word is still often used in this manner. According to the Code of Canon Law of the Eastern Churches, "A rite is the liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary patrimony, distinct by the culture and circumstances of history of a people, by which its own manner of living the faith is manifested in each church Sui Juris" (Can. 28:1). Thus a Rite is not a sui juris Church itself but is rather the patrimony of a sui juris Church.)

The church under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of the West -- an office always occupied by the same person who is the Pope -- is sometimes called the Latin Rite, and 98% of all Catholics belong to it. The others are called Eastern-rite Catholic churches.