What is the difference between a pastor, a priest, and a minister? No, this is not the start of a joke about a bunch of people walking into a bar.  Rather, I thought it would be helpful to clarify various titles that people give to leadership roles in churches.
Catholic version

Priest The biblical order of presbyters. One who conducts sacrifices 


Vicar, a priest who is the bishop's helper
Dean (arch-priest) a priest who is designated by the bishop to oversee a number of parishes
Monsignor, a title given by a Bishop to an exemplary priest.


Pastor The priest who is in charge or a parish, he may have associate pastors - recently ordained priests start as associate pastors.

Minister Ordinary ministers are the bishops, priests and deacons who administer the sacraments to the faithful.  Extraordinary ministers are laypersons appointed by the priest to help in the administration of the sacraments. 

Chaplain An ordained person whose vocation is specific to their task (i.e. hospital chaplain, military chaplain etc..) not to a parish.

Preacher Not a specifically Catholic term.

Reverend A title given to any priest deacon or bishop (to varying degrees)

Deacon An ordained person in the order below priests.  Deacons cannot celebrate Mass or administer the sacrament of reconciliation (strictly speaking, they can hear your confession - but they can't do anything about it).  Deacons come in two flavors.  The permanent deaconate (people ordained specifically as helpers to the priests) and transitional deconate (seminarians ordained a few years before their eventual ordination to the priesthood)

Elder Not a specifically Catholic term.

Bishop The successors of the apostles who oversee their diocese or bishopric (in the Eastern Catholic churches). Together with the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, they are the top of the Catholic hierarchy. They are the ones who can confirm with the Holy Spirit (or appoint priests to do so in their stead) and only they can ordain priests.


Primate the Bishop of the first diocese in a nation (the primate of the U.S. is the archbishop of the diocese of Baltimore)
Archbishop a bishop of a larger diocese
Cardinal a title, given by the pope generally to a bishop to serve as an elector of the next pope.