A cathedral is the home church for the bishop or archbishop of a diocese. It takes its name from the bishop’s chair, called a cathedra in Latin. The cathedra represents the position and authority of the bishop, and the place where he resides in the territory of his jurisdiction. The bishop is the pastor of his cathedral parish and appoints a rector to manage its spiritual and temporal affairs. It is the main church of a diocese and functions as a parish church within itself. The Cathedral of the Arlington Diocese is Saint Thomas More.

A shrine is a church or other sacred place where either a relic is preserved or where an apparition or historical event of faith has taken place. A shrine is typically designated to help foster devotion to a particular saint. For example, the Basilica Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (a basilica and a shrine) was built to foster devotion to our Blessed Mother in the United States, particularly since she is the patroness of America under the title of the Immaculate Conception. Shrines are regulated by the local bishop, and national shrines are designated as such by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).