From the earliest times, the life and ministry of priests and deacons, under the guidance and leadership of the bishops, has been central to the mission of the Church. The relationship between priests and deacons and their bishops is a unique one, which cannot be fully comprehended in solely juridical terms.

To assist the clergy in understanding the juridical implications of this relationship, the aim of this Directory is to set out in a systematic way the rights and obligations of the clergy, found principally within the part of the 1983 Code of Canon Law concerned with the People of God, together with those procedures which are necessary to maintain discipline and for the just resolution of disputes. An essential reference work for all those in Holy Orders.