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CONGREGATION FOR BISHOPS DIRECTORY “APOSTOLORUM SUCCESSORES”
CONTENTS Chap. I. The Identity and Mission of the Bishop within the Mystery of Christ and the Church
Chap. III. Spirituality and Ongoing Formation of the Bishop
Chap. IV. The Ministry of the Bishop in the Particular Church
Chap. V. The Munus Docendi of the Diocesan Bishop
Chap. VI. The Munus Sanctificandi of the Diocesan Bishop
Chap. VII. The Munus Regendi of the Diocesan Bishop
Chap. VIII. The Parish, the Vicariate Forane and the Pastoral Visit
Successors of the Apostles (Apostolorum Successores) by divine institution, Bishops are constituted as Pastors of the Church when the Holy Spirit is conferred upon them at their episcopal ordination, and they receive the task of teaching, sanctifying and governing in hierarchical communion with the Successor of Peter and with the other members of the episcopal College. The title “Successor of the Apostles” lies at the root of the pastoral ministry of the Bishop and of his mission in the Church and it clearly defines the figure of the Bishop and his mission. Bishops, as members of the episcopal College which is the successor of the Apostolic College, are intimately united to Jesus Christ, who continues to choose and to send out his Apostles. As a successor of the Apostles, by virtue of his episcopal ordination and through hierarchical communion, the Bishop is the visible principle and the guarantee of unity in his particular Church(1). According to the Book of Revelation, the walls of the new Jerusalem “had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles” (Rev 21:14). The Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium teaches: “the Bishops have by divine institution taken the place of the Apostles as Pastors of the Church, in such wise that whoever listens to them is listening to Christ and whoever despises them despises Christ and him who sent Christ”(2). As successors of the Apostles, Bishops receive the grace and the responsibility to safeguard the mark of apostolicity in the Church. In order that the living Gospel might always be preserved in its entirety in the Church, the Apostles left Bishops as their successors, entrusting to them their own Magisterial task(3). This is why Bishops, generation after generation, are called to safeguard and to hand on Sacred Scripture and to promote the Traditio, that is, the proclamation of the one Gospel and the one faith, in complete fidelity to the teaching of the Apostles. At the same time, their task is to shed the light of the Gospel upon the new questions that are constantly presented by changing historical circumstances (for example, questions of a cultural, socioeconomic or scientific and technological nature)(4). Bishops, moreover, are responsible for sanctifying and governing the People of God cum et sub Petro, with missionary dynamism and in continuity with the work accomplished by their episcopal predecessors. The present Directory, an updated and revised version of the one issued on 22 February 1973, has been prepared by the Congregation for Bishops in order to offer to the “Shepherds of Christ’s flock” a useful guide that will help them to exercise more fruitfully every aspect of their complex and difficult pastoral ministry in the Church and in the modern world. It is intended to help the Bishops to address, with humble trust in God and with constant courage, the challenges and new problems of the present day, amid the great progress and the rapid changes that mark the beginning of this third millennium. This Directory belongs to a rich tradition: from the sixteenth century onwards, many ecclesiastical writers have produced documents with such titles as Enchiridion, Praxis, Statutes, Ordo, Dialogues, Aphorisms, Munera, Instructions, Officium, with a view to offering Bishops comprehensive pastoral manuals to assist them in the exercise of their ministry. The principal sources of this Directory are the documents of the Second Vatican Council, as well as more recent pontifical teaching and the 1983 Code of Canon Law. Significantly, this Directory is being published shortly after the promulgation of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Gregis, which brought together the ideas and proposals of the Tenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, held in 2001 and devoted to a study of the episcopal ministry under the heading: “The Bishop, minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the hope of the world”. This recent Apostolic Exhortation completed the series of Post-Synodal Magisterial reflections by the Holy Father on the different vocations of the People of God, in the context of the ecclesiology of communion set out by the Second Vatican Council, focusing on the diocesan Bishop as the visible sign and central principle. Hence, this Directory is closely linked to the Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Gregis with regard to its doctrinal and pastoral foundations. It was produced after wide consultation, taking note of suggestions and comments received from various diocesan Bishops and from some Bishops Emeritus. The Directory is fundamentally pastoral and practical in nature, offering suggestions and concrete guidelines for the activity of Bishops, without prejudice to the prudent discretion of each individual Bishop in judging how best to apply them in the particular conditions of his diocese, taking into account the local mentality and social situation, and the growth of his people’s faith. In this Directory, whatever is drawn from the discipline of the Church retains the same force that it has in its original source. THE IDENTITY AND MISSION “I am the Good Shepherd; “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, I. THE BISHOP WITHIN THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST 1. Identity and Mission of the Bishop. Reflecting upon his office and his duties, the Bishop should consider as the key to his identity and mission the mystery of Christ and the attributes willed by the Lord Jesus for his Church, “a people brought into unity from the unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”(5). For it is in the light of the mystery of Christ, Shepherd and Guardian of souls (cf. 1 Pet 2:25), that the Bishop will come to understand ever more profoundly the mystery of the Church, in which he, by the grace of episcopal ordination, has been appointed as teacher, priest and shepherd so as to guide her with the power he has received. As Vicar(6) of the “great shepherd of the sheep” (Heb 13:20), the Bishop manifests through his life and his episcopal ministry the fatherhood of God. He reveals the goodness, the loving care, the mercy, the gentleness and the authority of Christ, who came to give his life and to gather all people into one family, reconciling them in the love of the Father. The Bishop also manifests the constant vitality of the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the Church and sustains her in her human weakness. This Trinitarian understanding of the Bishop’s being and acting (esse and agere) is rooted in the life of Christ himself. He is the eternal and only-begotten Son of the Father, who from the beginning is in the Father’s bosom (cf. Jn 1:18) and was anointed and sent into the world by the Holy Spirit (cf. Mt 11:27; Jn 15:26 and 16:13-14)(7). 2. Eloquent Images of the Bishop. Some dynamic images of the Bishop, drawn from Scripture and from the Tradition of the Church, such as the image of the shepherd, the fisherman, the father, the brother, the friend, the comforter, the servant, the teacher, the leader, the sacramentum bonitatis, point to Jesus Christ and characterize the Bishop as a man of faith and discernment, a man of hope and serious commitment, a man of gentleness and compassion, a man of communion. These images indicate that to enter into the Apostolic succession is to enter into combat for the Gospel(8). Among the different images, that of the shepherd illustrates with particular eloquence the breadth of the episcopal ministry, in that it expresses its meaning, purpose, style and evangelical missionary dynamism. The model of Christ the Good Shepherd suggests to the Bishop daily fidelity to his mission, total and serene dedication to the Church, joy in leading to the Lord the People of God entrusted to his care, and gladness in gathering into the unity of ecclesial communion the scattered children of God (cf. Mt 15:24; 10:6). In contemplating the Gospel icon of the Good Shepherd, the Bishop discovers the meaning of constant self-giving, remembering that the Good Shepherd offered his life for his flock (cf. Jn 10:11) and came not to be served but to serve (cf. Mt 20:28)(9). Moreover, he discovers the inspiration for his pastoral ministry and for the proper exercise of his triple munera of teaching, sanctifying, and governing according to the model of the Good Shepherd. So if his episcopal ministry is to bear fruit, the Bishop is called to conform himself closely to Christ both in his personal life and in the exercise of his apostolate, in such a way that the “mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16) thoroughly informs his thoughts, words and deeds, and the light streaming from the face of Christ illumines his “care of souls, which is the art of arts”(10). This spiritual aspiration awakens in the Bishop the hope of receiving from Christ the “unfading crown of glory” (1 Pet 5:4) when he comes again as universal shepherd to bring together and to judge all nations (cf. Mt 25:31-46). This same hope guides the Bishop throughout his ministry, illuminating his days, nourishing his spirituality, increasing his trust and sustaining him in his struggle against evil and injustice. Together with his people, he therefore looks forward in certain hope to contemplating the Lamb that was slain, the Shepherd who leads all people to the source of life and to the vision of God (cf. Rev 7:17). II. THE BISHOP IN THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH 3. The Church, the Mystical Body of Christ and the People of God. The Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium proposes a number of images which illustrate the mystery of the Church and highlight its characteristic marks, revealing the indissoluble bond that unites the People of God with Christ. Among these, two that particularly stand out are that of the mystical body, with Christ as head(11), and that of the People of God, which gathers together all the children of God, pastors as well as lay faithful, and intimately unites them through one baptism. This people has Christ as its head, Christ who was “put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Rom 4:25). They live in the dignity and the freedom of the children of God, and the Holy Spirit dwells in their hearts as in a temple. Their law is the new commandment of love and their goal is the Kingdom of God already inaugurated on earth(12). Our Saviour entrusted to Peter and to the other Apostles the task of feeding this one and only Church of his (cf. Jn 21:17) and he commissioned them to govern it and to enable it to grow (cf. Mt 28:18-20). He established it for ever as a pillar and bulwark of the truth (cf. 1 Tim 3:15). 4. Common Priesthood and Ministerial Priesthood. Christ has endowed all the members of this people with hierarchical and charismatic gifts, established them in a communion of life, charity and truth, and invested them with priestly dignity (cf. Rev 1:6; 5:9-10). They have been consecrated by him through baptism, so as to offer spiritual sacrifices through everything they do. They have been sent out as the light of the world and the salt of the earth (cf. Mt 5:13-16) to proclaim the marvellous works of Him who has called them out of darkness into his wonderful light (cf. 1 Pet 2:4-10). Some members of the Body of Christ, however, are consecrated by the sacrament of holy orders to exercise the priestly ministry. The common priesthood and the ministerial or hierarchical priesthood differ essentially, even if they are ordered one to another, since each shares in its own proper way in the one priesthood of Christ. “The ministerial priest, by the sacred power that he has, forms and rules the priestly people; in the person of Christ he effects the eucharistic sacrifice and offers it to God in the name of all the people. The faithful indeed, by virtue of their royal priesthood, participate in the offering of the Eucharist. They exercise that priesthood, too, by the reception of the sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, abnegation and active charity”(13). 5. Particular Churches. The People of God is not merely a community of different nations, but in its very nature it is composed of different parts, the particular Churches, formed in the image of the universal Church. In them and from them exists the one and only Catholic Church(14). The particular Church is entrusted to the Bishop(15), who is the visible source and foundation of unity(16), and through his hierarchical communion with the head and the other members of the episcopal College, the particular Church is incorporated into the plena communio ecclesiarum of the one Church of Christ. In this way, the entire mystical Body of Christ is also a body of Churches(17), generating a wonderful reciprocity, since the riches of the life and works of each one redound to the good of the whole Church. Both the Pastor and his flock thus share in the supernatural abundance of the whole Body. These particular Churches are also “in” and “from” the Church, which is “truly present and operative” within them. Hence the Successor of Peter, Head of the episcopal College, and the Body of Bishops are proper, constitutive elements of each particular Church(18). The pastoral governance of the Bishop and the life of his diocese must manifest their reciprocal communion with the Roman Pontiff and with the episcopal College, and also with particular sister Churches, especially those present in the same region. 6. The Church, Sacrament of Salvation. The Church is a sacrament of salvation in that, through the visible Church, Christ is present in the midst of his people and he continues his mission, pouring out his Holy Spirit upon the faithful. The body of the Church therefore differs from all human societies, because she is governed not according to the personal capacities of her members, but through her intimate union with Christ. From him, the Church receives life and energy, which is passed on to her members. The Church does not only signify intimate union with God and the unity of the whole human race, but she is the effective sign of this unity and is therefore a sacrament of salvation(19). 7. The Church, Communion and Mission. At the same time, the Church is communion. The images of the Church and the essential marks which define her reveal that in her most intimate nature she is a Trinitarian mystery of communion, because, as the Second Vatican Council teaches, “the faithful, united with their Bishops, have access to God the Father through the Son, the Word made flesh who suffered and was glorified, in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. And so… they enter into communion with the most holy Trinity”(20). Communion lies at the heart of the Church’s self-understanding (21) and is the bond which expresses her nature as a human reality, as a community of saints and as a body of Churches; communion also expresses the reality of the particular Church. Ecclesial communion is communion of life, of charity and of truth(22), and as a bond uniting people with God, it establishes a new kind of relationship among people and manifests the sacramental nature of the Church. The Church is “the home and the school of communion” (23), built up around the Eucharist, sacrament of ecclesial communion, through which, “really sharing in the body of the Lord… we are taken up into communion with him and with one another”(24). At the same time, the Eucharist is the epiphany of the Church, by which her Trinitarian character is made visible. The Church has a mission to proclaim and to spread the Kingdom of God to the utmost ends of the earth, so that all may believe in Christ and so come to eternal life(25). The Church is therefore also missionary. In fact, “Christ did not bequeath to the Church a mission in the political, economic, or social order: the purpose he assigned to it was a religious one. But this religious mission can be the source of commitment, direction, and vigour to establish and consolidate the community of men according to the law of God”(26). 8. The Bishop, Visible Principle of Unity and Communion. The Bishop, visible principle of unity in his diocese, is called to build up the particular Church unceasingly in the communion of all its members, and to ensure that their diverse gifts and ministries, in union with the universal Church, serve to build up all the faithful and to spread the Gospel. As teacher of the faith, sanctifier and spiritual guide, the Bishop knows he can count on a special divine grace, conferred upon him at his episcopal ordination. This grace sustains him as he spends himself for the Kingdom of God, for man’s eternal salvation, and in his commitment to shape the course of history with the power of the Gospel, giving direction to man’s pilgrimage through time. III. THE COLLEGE OF THE TWELVE AND THE COLLEGE OF BISHOPS 9. The Pastoral Mission of the Twelve. At the beginning of his mission, the Lord Jesus, after praying to the Father, appointed twelve Apostles to be with him and to be sent out to preach the Kingdom of God and to cast out demons(27). Jesus willed the Twelve to be an undivided College with Peter as head, and so it was that they carried out their mission as eye-witnesses of his resurrection, beginning from Jerusalem (cf. Lk 24:47) and then to all the peoples of the earth (cf. Mk 16:20). This mission, which the Apostle Peter forcefully proclaimed when addressing the first Christian community of Jerusalem (cf. Acts 1:21-22), was fulfilled by the Apostles as they went forth proclaiming the Gospel and making disciples of all nations (cf. Mt 28:16-20). In this way they were continuing the very task that the Risen Christ had entrusted to them on that first Easter evening: “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you” (Jn 20:21)(28). 10. The Apostles, Foundations of the Church. The Apostles, with Peter as head, are the foundation of the Church of Christ, and their names are written on the foundations of the heavenly Jerusalem (cf. Rev 21:14). As the architects of the new People of God, they guarantee fidelity to Christ, cornerstone of the building, and to his Gospel: they teach with authority, they guide the community and safeguard its unity. In this way, the Church, “built on the foundation of the Apostles” (Eph 2:20), possesses the mark of apostolicity, inasmuch as it preserves and hands on whole and entire the deposit received through the Apostles from Christ himself. The apostolicity of the Church is the guarantee of fidelity to the Gospel received and to the sacrament of orders, which perpetuates the apostolic office. 11. Continuity of the Mission of the Twelve in the Episcopal College. The pastoral mission of the Apostolic College is perpetuated in the episcopal College, just as the primatial office of Peter is perpetuated in the Roman Pontiff. The Second Vatican Council teaches that “the Bishops have by divine institution taken the place of the apostles as Pastors of the Church, in such wise that whoever listens to them is listening to Christ and whoever despises them despises Christ and him who sent Christ (cf. Lk 10:16)”(29). The episcopal College, with the Roman Pontiff as its head and never without him, is “the subject of supreme and full power over the universal Church”(30), while the Pontiff, as “Vicar of Christ and Pastor of the entire Church”(31), possesses “supreme, full, immediate, and universal ordinary power in the Church, which he is always able to exercise freely”(32). This means that the Roman Pontiff also obtains the primacy of ordinary power over all particular Churches and groups of them(33). The episcopate, one and undivided, shows itself united in a single fraternity around Peter, in order to fulfil its mission to proclaim the Gospel and to shepherd the Church so that it grows throughout the world, always remaining an apostolic community amid the rich diversity of times and places. 12. Membership and Activity of the Bishop in the Episcopal College. The Bishop becomes a member of the episcopal College by virtue of his episcopal ordination, which confers the fullness of the sacrament of orders and configures the Bishop ontologically to Jesus Christ as Pastor of his Church. By virtue of his episcopal ordination, the Bishop becomes a sacrament of Christ himself, present and active among his people. Through the episcopal ministry, Christ preaches the Word, administers the sacraments of faith and guides his Church (34). For the exercise of the episcopal munus, a “canonical mission” is needed from the Roman Pontiff, with which the Head of the episcopal College entrusts to the Bishop a portion of the People of God or an office for the good of the universal Church (35). So it is that the three functions which constitute the “pastoral munus” received by the Bishop in his episcopal ordination must be exercised in hierarchical communion, even if, because of its distinct nature and purpose, the function of sanctifying is exercised differently from those of teaching and governing (36). The latter two functions, in fact, by their very nature (natura sua) can only be exercised in hierarchical communion, since otherwise they would lead to invalid acts. The Bishop is never alone because, through “affective collegiality” (collegialitas affectiva), he is constantly united with his brethren in the episcopate and with the one chosen by the Lord to be the Successor of Peter. Affective collegiality finds expression as “effective collegiality” (collegialitas effectiva) in an Ecumenical Council or in the joint action of Bishops throughout the world, initiated by the Roman Pontiff or received by him, in such a way as to constitute a truly collegial act. The spirit (affectus) of collegiality, which is more than a mere sense of solidarity, is manifested in different degrees and the acts which derive from it may have juridical consequences. It takes different forms, such as the Synod of Bishops, the ad limina visit, the participation of diocesan Bishops as members of Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, missionary cooperation, particular councils, Episcopal Conferences, ecumenical activity, and inter-religious dialogue (37). THE BISHOP’S SOLICITUDE FOR THE “All Bishops as members of the College of Bishops and legitimate successors
I. THE BISHOP’S SOLICITUDE FOR THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH 13. Cooperation for the Good of the Universal Church. By virtue of his membership in the episcopal College, the Bishop is solicitous for all the Churches. He is linked with the other members of the College by episcopal fraternity and by the close bond uniting the Bishops to the Head of the College. This requires that every Bishop should work together with the Roman Pontiff, Head of the episcopal College, who exercises primacy over the whole Church and has been entrusted with the task of bringing the light of the Gospel to all peoples. In the first place, the Bishop must be an effective sign and source of unity in the particular Church which he represents within the universal Church. He is also bound to show due solicitude for the whole Church; even if this does not involve the power of jurisdiction over individuals, it redounds to the advantage of the whole People of God. For this reason, the Bishop has the duty of “fostering and safeguarding the unity of the faith and of upholding the discipline which is common to the whole Church”(38). He should contribute to the ordinary Magisterium of the Church and to the proper application of universal canonical discipline, he should educate his flock in a love for the universal Church and he should work with them to further every aspect of the Church’s common apostolate. The Bishop should never forget the pastoral principle by which, in governing his own particular Church well, he contributes to the welfare of the whole People of God, which is a corporate body of Churches. In addition to the principal institutional means by which Bishops work together for the good of the whole Church – the Ecumenical Council, a solemn and universal exercise of the power of the episcopal College – they also work together in the exercise of their supreme and universal power through joint action, provided always that it is initiated or freely received by the Roman Pontiff (39). Every Bishop has the right and the duty to assist and cooperate actively in one or other of these collegial actions through prayer, study, and the expression of his votum. The Synod of Bishops, a consultative body, provides a valuable service to the primatial function of the Successor of Peter, as well as strengthening the bonds uniting the members of the episcopal College with one another(40). If he is nominated to take part in the Synod, the Bishop should fulfil his task with zeal, for the glory of God and the good of the Church. The same concerns should guide him when expressing his opinion on the questions proposed for the reflection of the Synod, and when participating in the election of Bishops from his own Episcopal Conference, active or retired, to be delegates at the Synod by virtue of their knowledge and experience of the topic under discussion. This same solicitude for the universal Church should prompt the Bishop to offer the Pope recommendations, observations and suggestions, to point out dangers for the Church, opportunities for new initiatives and other useful ideas. In this way he renders an inestimable service to the primatial ministry and a sure contribution to the effectiveness of the Pope’s universal governance. When asked for opinions on pastoral questions and when invited to assist in the preparation of documents for the whole Church – especially in his capacity as a member or consultor of a Dicastery of the Roman Curia – the Bishop should respond candidly, after serious study and meditation coram Domino on the topic(41). If he is asked to perform some particular task for the benefit of the whole Church, the Bishop should, if at all possible, accept it and fulfil it diligently. Conscious of his responsibility for the unity of the Church and mindful of the speed with which any statement in today’s world can become widely known to a broad cross-section of public opinion, the Bishop should take care not to cast doubt on aspects of doctrine taught by the authentic Magisterium or on disciplinary matters, so as not to damage the authority of the Church or his own authority. If he has questions to raise regarding these doctrinal or disciplinary matters, he should, instead, have recourse to the normal channels of communication with the Apostolic See and with other Bishops. 14. Cooperation with the Apostolic See. As a consequence of his episcopal ordination, of hierarchical communion and of his membership in the episcopal College, the Bishop should prize highly and nourish in his heart that communion of charity and obedience which binds him to the Roman Pontiff, making his own the Holy Father’s intentions, initiatives, joys and concerns, and fostering also within the faithful those same filial sentiments. The Bishop should carry out faithfully the instructions of the Holy See and of the different Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, which assist the Roman Pontiff in his mission of service to the particular Churches and to their Pastors. He should ensure, moreover, that the documents of the Holy See are brought to the attention of every priest, and, when appropriate, of every member of the faithful; and he should find ways of explaining the content of the documents, so as to make them accessible to everyone. In order to apply each document in the most effective way, the Bishop should pay attention not only to its content, but also to its genre (e.g. teaching documents, norms, guidelines), and its pastoral implications. When it consists of laws and other general norms, special attention is needed to ensure that they are observed immediately on promulgation, if necessary by means of appropriate diocesan directives. If a document belongs to some other category, such as general guidelines, the Bishop should prudently judge the best way to proceed for the pastoral good of his flock. Relations with the Papal Legate. The papal Legate represents the Roman Pontiff to the particular Churches and to nations (42). His mission does not supplant, neither does it obstruct or replace the function of the Bishops, but favours it in many ways and supports it with fraternal counsel. Hence, the Bishop should set out to maintain good fraternal relations of mutual trust with the papal representative, both on a personal level and through the Episcopal Conference, and he should make use of the Legate’s offices to send information to the Apostolic See and to request canonical provisions for which it is competent. As a specific form of cooperation with the ministry of the Roman Pontiff, the Bishop, together with the other Pastors of the ecclesiastical province or of the Episcopal Conference, or even personally, indicates to the Apostolic See the names of priests considered suitable for the episcopate. In the course of preliminary investigations on possible candidates, the Bishop may consult well-informed individuals, but he should never agree to a collective consultation, since this would endanger the secret prescribed by canon law – necessary to protect the good name of those concerned – and it would condition the freedom of the Roman Pontiff to choose the most suitable candidate(43). “By reason of the bond of unity and charity and according to the resources of their dioceses, Bishops are to assist in procuring those means which the Apostolic See needs, according to the conditions of the times, so that it is able to offer service properly to the universal Church”(44). Neither should the Bishop neglect the special collection known as Peter’s Pence, designed to enable the Church of Rome to fulfil properly its office of presiding in universal charity. When the resources of the diocese allow and when there are suitable priests with the necessary preparation whose services are requested, the Bishop should place them at the disposal of the Holy See ad tempus or indefinitely. 15. The ad Limina Visit (45). Canonical discipline requires the diocesan Bishop to observe the ancient tradition of the ad limina visit every five years, by venerating the tombs of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul and by meeting the Successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome. In its liturgical and pastoral dimensions and in its opportunities for fraternal exchange, the visit has a clear purpose for the Bishop: it increases his sense of responsibility as Successor of the Apostles and gives renewed vigour to his communion with the Successor of Peter. At the same time, the visit is also important for the life of the particular Church which, through the person of its Bishop, strengthens the bonds of faith, communion and discipline uniting it to the Church of Rome and to the entire ecclesial body(46). Fraternal meetings with the Roman Pontiff and with his closest collaborators in the Roman Curia offer the Bishop a privileged opportunity not only to give an account of the situation of his diocese and its needs, but also to learn more about the hopes, the joys and the difficulties of the universal Church and to receive helpful counsel and guidance on the problems of his flock. The visit has great importance also for the Successor of Peter, who welcomes the Pastors of the particular Churches and discusses with them issues concerning their ecclesial mission. The ad limina visit is therefore an expression of his pastoral solicitude for the whole Church (47). Hence, careful preparation is necessary. Sufficiently far in advance (not less than six months, if possible), the Bishop should send the Holy See his “Report on the state of the diocese”, following the scheme set out in the Form for the Quinquennial Report prepared by the Congregation for Bishops. This Report should provide the Roman Pontiff and the Roman Dicasteries with first-hand information – accurate, synthetic and precise – of great value for the exercise of the Petrine ministry. For the Bishop, on the other hand, the Report provides a good opportunity to examine the state of his Church and to formulate a pastoral plan: so it is advisable that in drawing up this document the Bishop should avail himself of the help of his closest advisers in pastoral governance. Yet his own contribution remains indispensable, above all in those sections relating to his personal activity, where he gives an overall account of his pastoral ministry. The current practice is that ad limina visits are normally arranged for entire Episcopal Conferences, sometimes divided into smaller groups if necessary, and this serves to underline the collegial union of Bishops. While the whole group participates in some parts of the visit – the pilgrimages to the tombs of the Apostles, the Pope’s address, the meetings with the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia – it is always the individual Bishop who presents his Report and makes the visit on behalf of his Church. It is the individual Bishop who meets the Successor of Peter personally and retains the right and the duty to communicate directly with him and the Heads of Dicasteries on all questions concerning his diocesan ministry. 16. Diocesan Bishops as Members of the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia. A further sign of the spirit of collegiality between Bishops and the Pope is given by the presence of some diocesan Bishops as members of the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia. Their presence enables them to express to the Supreme Pontiff the thinking, the hopes and the needs of all the Churches. In this way, through the Roman Curia, the bond of unity and charity existing within the episcopal College is extended throughout the People of God(48). 17. Missionary Activity. Together with the Roman Pontiff, Bishops are directly responsible for the evangelization of the world (49). Every Bishop should fulfil this responsibility with the greatest solicitude. In view of his role as coordinator and focal point of diocesan missionary activity, the Bishop should make every effort to open his particular Church to the needs of others, awakening in the faithful a missionary spirit, finding men and women to work in the missions and enkindling a fervent apostolic and missionary spirit among the presbyterate, among religious and members of societies of apostolic life, among the students of his seminary and among the lay faithful. Cooperating with the Apostolic See in the task of evangelizing peoples, he should support young Churches with material and spiritual aid. In this and in other ways appropriate to the circumstances of time and place, the Bishop manifests his fraternity with other Bishops and carries out his duty to proclaim the Gospel to all nations (50). Insofar as the situation of the diocese permits, and having secured the agreement of the Holy See and the Ordinary concerned, the Bishop is encouraged to establish a relationship with a particular missionary Church, sending missionaries and material resources in accordance with agreed commitments. Moreover, he is urged to promote and support in his particular Church the Pontifical Missionary Societies, securing the necessary spiritual and financial aid (51). With this end in view, the Bishop should appoint a competent priest, deacon or layperson to organize the various diocesan initiatives, such as the annual World Mission Day and the annual collection for the missionary societies(52). In the same way, the Bishop should join his own efforts with those of the Holy See in order to assist Churches which suffer persecution or are afflicted with serious shortages of clergy or of resources(53). The bond of communion between the Churches is clearly manifested in the fidei donum priests, chosen from among those who are suitable and sufficiently trained. Through these priests, older dioceses contribute effectively to the evangelization of newer Churches, and receive, in their turn, freshness and vitality of faith from the younger Christian communities(54). When a suitable cleric (priest or deacon) expresses a desire to join the fidei donum priests, the Bishop should, as far as possible, accede to the request, even if this involves a short-term sacrifice for his diocese. He should ensure that the cleric’s rights and duties are clearly established by means of a written agreement with the Bishop in the territory of destination. A temporary transfer need not involve excardination, thereby allowing the cleric on his return to retain all the rights he would have enjoyed had he remained in the diocese(55). The Bishops of younger Churches in mission countries should also be prepared to send their priests to other regions in the same country, the same Continent or other Continents which have greater need of evangelization or of clergy. The Bishop should be broadly disposed to accept into his own diocese priests from mission countries who request temporary hospitality for study or other purposes. In such cases the Bishops involved should draw up an agreement regulating the different aspects of the priest’s life. For this purpose, the norms established by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples should be observed(56). 18. Ecumenical Commitment. Bearing in mind that the reestablishment of unity was one of the principal intentions of the Second Vatican Council(57) and that it is no mere postscript added on to the traditional activity of the Church(58), the Bishop should sense the urgency of promoting ecumenism, a goal to which the Catholic Church is irrevocably committed. While responsibility for the direction of the ecumenical movement lies principally with the Holy See, the Bishops, individually as well as jointly in Episcopal Conferences, have responsibility for establishing practical norms for applying higher-level decisions to local circumstances(59). Faithfully following the directives and guidelines of the Holy See, the Bishop should also concern himself with maintaining ecumenical relationships with the different Churches and Christian Communities present in his diocese, and should appoint a representative competent in the field, who will coordinate and promote diocesan activities in this area(60). If the circumstances of the diocese so suggest, the Bishop should establish a secretariat or a commission charged with proposing measures aimed at promoting Christian unity. Its tasks would include carrying out the initiatives that the Bishop himself has indicated, fostering a spiritual ecumenism in the diocese, preparing resources for the ecumenical formation of the clergy and the seminarians(61), and supporting parishes in their ecumenical activity. 19. Relations with Judaism. The Second Vatican Council recalls the spiritual bond uniting the people of the New Testament with the descendants of Abraham (62). By virtue of this bond, the Jewish people have a special place in the Church’s regard for members of non-Christian religions: to them “belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ” (Rom 9:4-5). The Bishop should promote among Christians an attitude of respect towards these our “elder brothers”, so as to combat the risk of anti-semitism, and he should be vigilant that sacred ministers receive an adequate formation regarding the Jewish religion and its relation to Christianity. 20. Inter-religious Dialogue. The Catholic Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in other religions. “She has a high regard for the manner of life and conduct, the precepts and doctrines which, although differing in many ways from her own teaching, nevertheless often reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all men. Yet she proclaims and is in duty bound to proclaim without fail, Christ who is ‘the way, the truth and the life’ (Jn 14:6). In him, in whom God reconciled all things to himself (2 Cor 5:18-19), men find the fullness of their religious life”(63). In her relationship with non-Christian religions, the Church is called to establish a sincere and respectful dialogue, avoiding any false irenicism, in order to discover the seeds of truth present in the religious traditions of man and to encourage legitimate spiritual aspirations. This dialogue is intimately linked with the irrevocable call to mission contained in Christ’s command, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mk 16:15), a mission that must be guided by a delicate respect for the conscience of each individual. 21. Support for the Initiatives of the Holy See on an International Level. As far as the circumstances of his diocese allow, the Bishop should help to promote the objectives of international institutions and associations supported and sustained by the Apostolic See: for justice and peace in the world, for the protection of the family and the protection of human life from the moment of conception, for the progress of peoples and for other initiatives. As a particular form of apostolic action in the international sphere, the Holy See participates as a full member of the principal international organizations and actively contributes to the various Conferences held under their auspices. At these international gatherings, the Church must make her voice heard in defence of the dignity of the human person and of fundamental human rights, in calling for the protection of the weakest and in promoting justice in international relations and respect for nature. The Bishop should lend his support to such initiatives as he addresses the faithful and seeks to influence public opinion, remembering that his pastoral ministry can have a significant impact on the establishment of a just international order, truly respectful of the dignity of the human person(64). II. EPISCOPAL COOPERATION AND THE STRUCTURES A) EPISCOPAL COOPERATION 22. The Joint Exercise of the Episcopal Ministry. “Without prejudice to the power which each Bishop enjoys by divine institution in his own particular Church, the consciousness of being part of an undivided body has caused Bishops throughout the Church’s history to employ, in the fulfilment of their mission, means, structures and ways of communicating which express their communion and solicitude for all the Churches, and perpetuate the very life of the College of the Apostles: pastoral cooperation, consultation, mutual assistance, etc” (65). So the Bishop exercises the ministry entrusted to him not only when discharging within the diocese the functions proper to him, but also when cooperating with his brothers in the episcopate in various supra-diocesan episcopal structures. These include meetings of Bishops from the ecclesiastical province, from the ecclesiastical Region (where the Apostolic See has established one) and, first and foremost, the Episcopal Conference itself. These episcopal gatherings are expressions of the collegial dimension of the episcopal ministry and its need to adapt to the different human situations in which the Church exercises her saving mission (66). Their principal purpose is mutual assistance in the exercise of the episcopal office and the harmonization of each Pastor’s initiatives, for the good of individual dioceses and the good of the entire Christian community of the territory. By means of these meetings, the particular Churches experience the bond of communion uniting them with the universal Church through the Bishops, their lawful representatives (67). Unless the law of the Church or a special mandate from the Apostolic See gives them binding force, any joint actions by these episcopal gatherings must have, as their primary criterion, a proper sensitivity and respect for the personal responsibility of each Bishop in relation to the universal Church and to the particular Church entrusted to him, while duly acknowledging the collegial dimension inherent in the episcopal office. B) SUPRA-DIOCESAN STRUCTURES AND THE METROPOLITAN BISHOP 23. Various Supra-diocesan Episcopal Gatherings a) Meetings of the Bishops of an Ecclesiastical Province. The suffragan Bishops of an ecclesiastical province together with the metropolitan Ordinary meet in order to coordinate their pastoral activities and to exercise the joint competence pertaining to them under the law (68). These provincial meetings are convoked at regular intervals by the metropolitan Archbishop. Auxiliary and coadjutor Bishops of the province also take part, with a deliberative vote. Where pastoral need so suggests, and with the permission of the Apostolic See, the Bishops of a neighbouring diocese, immediately subject to the Holy See, may become associated with joint initiatives. The same applies to Apostolic Vicars and Prefects who govern in the name of the Supreme Pontiff. b) Duties of the Metropolitan Archbishop. A special responsibility for the unity of the Church falls to the metropolitan Archbishop in his relation to the suffragan dioceses and their Bishops (69). The authority which he holds within the ecclesiastical province, in communion with the Church of Rome, is signified by the pallium which every Metropolitan asks to receive personally or via a proxy from the Roman Pontiff. The pallium is blessed by the Roman Pontiff every year on the Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul (29 June) and is conferred upon each Metropolitan present. A Metropolitan who is unable to make the journey to Rome receives the pallium from the papal Legate. In every case, the Metropolitan possesses the faculties pertaining to his office from the moment he takes possession of the archdiocese. The Metropolitan may wear the pallium in all the Churches of his ecclesiastical province, but he may never wear it outside the province, not even with the consent of the diocesan Bishop. When a Metropolitan is transferred to another metropolitan See, he must request a new pallium from the Roman Pontiff (70). The Metropolitan has the duty to be vigilant that faith and ecclesial discipline are diligently maintained throughout the province and that the episcopal ministry is exercised in conformity with canon law. Should he observe abuses or errors, the Metropolitan, attentive to the good of the faithful and to the unity of the Church, should refer the matter objectively to the papal Legate, so that the Apostolic See can take appropriate action. Before referring the matter, the Metropolitan may, if he sees fit, speak directly to the Bishop in question regarding the problematic issues arising in the suffragan diocese. His solicitude for suffragan dioceses will be especially evident during sede vacante periods or at times of particular difficulty for the diocesan Bishop. Yet the role of the Metropolitan should not be limited to disciplinary matters; rather, as a natural consequence of the precept of charity, it should also include discreet fraternal concern for the human and spiritual needs of the suffragan Bishops, in relation to whom he may be considered in some degree an elder brother, a “primus inter pares”. The effective exercise of the Metropolitan’s role, as foreseen by the Code of Canon Law, should favour greater pastoral coordination and a more incisive local collegiality among the suffragan Bishops. Together with the other Bishops of the ecclesiastical province, the metropolitan Archbishop should promote joint initiatives intended to offer an adequate response to the needs of the dioceses under his care. In particular, if circumstances so warrant, the Bishops of an ecclesiastical province may wish to arrange joint programmes for the ongoing formation of the clergy or to hold pastoral discussions about agreed guidelines on matters of interest throughout the territory. For the formation of candidates for the priesthood, the Bishops may wish to establish a metropolitan seminary, whether major or minor. They could set up a house of formation for adult vocations, for the formation of permanent deacons, or for laypersons engaged in the apostolate. Other areas of joint pastoral work could be proposed by the Metropolitan to the Bishops. If in some particular case the Archbishop needs special faculties in order to carry out his mission, especially if it has to do with a pastoral programme planned jointly with the suffragan Bishops, then in agreement with the Bishops of the ecclesiastical province he may request these faculties from the Holy See. c) Meetings of the Bishops of an Ecclesiastical Region. Where an ecclesiastical region has been established for a number of ecclesiastical provinces(71), the diocesan Bishops take part in the meetings of the regional assembly of Bishops according to the form laid down in its statutes. d) The Episcopal Conference. The Episcopal Conference is an important means of strengthening communion among the Bishops and promoting joint action in a particular territory, which in principle corresponds to a whole country. The Conference has certain pastoral functions of its own, which it exercises through collegial acts of government, and it is the most suitable vehicle for promoting all kinds of joint pastoral initiatives for the good of the faithful (72). e) International Meetings of Episcopal Conferences. These structures are a natural consequence of the ever-deepening human and institutional relations beween the countries of a particular geographical region. Their purpose is to guarantee a stable relationship between the Episcopal Conferences that are represented, so as to facilitate cooperation between Conferences and to serve the local hierarchies of the nations concerned. C) PARTICULAR COUNCILS 24. The Experience of Councils throughout History. “From the earliest ages of the Church, Bishops in charge of particular Churches… [established]… synods, provincial councils and, finally, plenary councils… in which the Bishops determined on a common programme to be followed in various churches both for teaching the truths of the faith and for regulating ecclesiastical discipline”(73). 25. Nature. Particular councils are assemblies of Bishops, in which other ministers and lay faithful may participate with a consultative vote, intended to provide for the pastoral needs of the People of God in a particular territory, adopting appropriate measures for the increase of the faith (74), for the organization of common pastoral action, for the regulation of morals and for the safeguarding of ecclesiastical discipline (75). Particular councils can be provincial, if the territory concerned corresponds to an ecclesiastical province, or plenary, if it involves all the particular Churches of an Episcopal Conference. In the case of a plenary council (or a provincial council when the province is coterminous with the territory of a nation), it is necessary to obtain the approval of the Apostolic See before proceeding (76). Before granting approval, the Apostolic See needs to know the precise motive for convoking the council and also the topics or subjects to be discussed. 26. Members. In particular councils, only the Bishops may make decisions, since they have a deliberative vote, but certain important ecclesiastical office-holders and the major Superiors of religious institutes and societies of apostolic life must also be invited, so that they may collaborate with the Bishops, offering their experience and their counsel. Moreover, the Bishops are free to invite other clerics, religious and laypersons, but should ensure that their number does not exceed half the number of those present by right (77). In view of the great importance of particular councils for the ordering of ecclesiastical life within the province or nation, the Bishop should be personally involved in their preparation and celebration (78). 27. Legislative Power. In order to meet these objectives, particular councils have power of governance, especially legislative power, on the basis of which the Bishops establish the same norms for their different Churches, thereby providing for more effective pastoral activity in tune with the needs of the times. So canonical discipline leaves ample freedom for the Bishops of the same province or Conference to regulate pastoral matters jointly, always respecting higher norms (79). This freedom should lead the Bishops to submit for common judgement and decision only those questions which require identical regulation throughout the territory, since otherwise the power proper to each Bishop within his own diocese would be inappropriately conditioned. All the binding decisions of a particular council, both general and particular decrees, must be examined and approved by the Apostolic See before being promulgated (80). D) THE EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE 28. Objectives of the Episcopal Conference. The role of the Episcopal Conference has grown in importance in recent years. In manifold and fruitful ways, the Conference contributes to the realization and development of the spirit of collegiality (affectus collegialis) among members of the same Episcopate. Through the Conference, the Bishops fulfil certain pastoral functions jointly for the faithful of their territory. Such action corresponds to the need, particularly evident today, for Bishops to provide for the common good of particular Churches through an agreed and well coordinated policy (81). The task of the Episcopal Conference is to assist the Bishops in their ministry, to the advantage of the whole People of God. The Conference fulfils an important function in all kinds of pastoral areas through: – the joint regulation of certain pastoral matters via general decrees, binding both the Bishops and the faithful of the territory
(82); To this end, canon law has granted certain competences to the Conference; – a channel for dialogue with the political authority common to the whole territory; are unable to provide alone. In addition to the above, there is the vast area of mutual support in the exercise of episcopal ministry, via the sharing of information, the exchange of ideas and the achievement of consensus. 29. Members of the Episcopal Conference. By virtue of the law itself, all diocesan Bishops of the territory and those equivalent to them in law (84), as well as coadjutor Bishops, auxiliaries and other titular Bishops who perform a special pastoral function for the good of the faithful, belong to the Episcopal Conference. Those appointed for an interim period to govern an ecclesiastical circumscription in the country are also members (85). Catholic Bishops of another rite with jurisdiction in the territory of the Episcopal Conference may be invited to the plenary assembly with a consultative vote. The Statutes of the Episcopal Conference may decree that they are members. In such cases, they have a deliberative vote (86). Bishops Emeritus are not members of the Conference by law, but it is desirable that they be invited to the plenary assembly, in which they take part with a consultative vote. It is good, moreover, to call upon them for meetings or study commissions created to examine matters in which they have particular competence. Some Bishops Emeritus may also be called to serve on the Commissions of the Episcopal Conference (87). The Legate of the Roman Pontiff, while he is not a member of the Episcopal Conference and has no right to vote, is invited to the opening session of the Episcopal Conference, according to the Statutes of each episcopal assembly. As a member of the Conference, certain fundamental duties pertain to the Bishop: a) The Bishop should ensure that he is well acquainted with the universal norms regulating this institution as well as the Statutes of his particular Conference which establish the basic norms for joint action (88). Inspired by a profound love for the Church, he should be vigilant that the activities of the Conference are always conducted according to the canonical norms. b) He should participate actively and diligently in the episcopal assemblies, without ever ceding this responsibility to the other Bishops. If he is elected to fulfil a particular task within the Conference, he should not refuse without just cause. He should study carefully the topics proposed for discussion, if necessary with the help of experts, in such a way that his arguments are always well founded and formulated according to his conscience. c) In the meetings, he should express his opinion with fraternal candour, without fear of expressing a different opinion from the others when necessary, always disposed to listen with understanding to opposing arguments. d) When the common good of the faithful requires a joint approach, the Bishop should be ready to follow the opinion of the majority, without insisting on his own point of view. e) Should he ever feel in conscience that he cannot assent to a statement or a resolution of the Conference, he should weigh carefully before God all the circumstances, mindful also of the public repercussions of his decision. If it concerns a general decree endorsed by the recognitio of the Holy See, the Bishop should apply to the Holy See for a dispensation allowing him to distance himself from its contents. The Conference may invite non-members to attend its meetings, but only in certain cases and only with a consultative vote (89). 30. Specific Matters Assigned to the Conference. Clearly, the apostolate in the modern world has to face pastoral matters and problems that can only be adequately addressed at the national level. For this reason, canon law has assigned certain areas to the joint attention of the Bishops, according to the particular circumstances. Among these, the following stand out: – the formation of sacred ministers, both candidates for the priesthood and for the permanent diaconate; Christian people (90). In each of these areas, the competence proper to the Conference must be consistent with the responsibility of each Bishop in his own diocese. Such harmony should arise naturally when there is respect for the canonical norms which regulate the matters under discussion. 31. The Juridical and Doctrinal Competence of the Episcopal Conference. Episcopal Conferences are intended to be instruments of mutual assistance for Bishops in fulfilling their pastoral responsibilities. Therefore, as indicated by the Second Vatican Council, the Apostolic See grants them the power to issue binding norms on certain matters (91), and to adopt particular decisions, which each Bishop should accept faithfully and apply in his diocese(92). The normative power of the Conference is exercised by the Bishops gathered in a plenary assembly, which makes it possible to engage in collegial dialogue and to exchange ideas; it requires the favourable vote of two thirds of the members who have a deliberative vote. These norms must be reviewed by the Holy See before they are promulgated, in order to guarantee their conformity with universal canon law (93). No other structure within the Conference may take to itself the competence of the plenary assembly (94). Under certain conditions established by law, the Bishops assembled in the Episcopal Conference also exercise a doctrinal function (95), since they are authoritative teachers and instructors in the faith for their people. In fulfilling this doctrinal role, especially when they have to address new questions or shed light on new problems emerging within society, the Bishops should be conscious of the limited scope of their pronouncements, inasmuch as their Magisterium is not universal, even though it is authoritative and official (96). The Bishops should bear in mind that doctrine is a bond of communion benefiting the whole People of God, which requires that they follow the universal Magisterium of the Church and take steps to ensure that it is communicated to the faithful. Doctrinal statements by the Episcopal Conference, if they are to constitute authentic Magisterium and be published in the name of the Conference, must be approved unanimously by the Bishop members or else by a two-thirds majority of the Bishops with a deliberative vote. In the latter case, these doctrinal statements must obtain the recognitio of the Holy See before they can be published. They must be sent to the Congregation for Bishops or the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, whichever has oversight of the territory concerned. These Dicasteries will proceed to grant the requested recognitio after consultation with other competent departments of the Holy See(97). When doctrinal statements by the Episcopal Conference are proposed for approval, non-episcopal members of the Conference do not have the right to vote in the plenary assembly(98). Should a number of Episcopal Conferences find it necessary to act in solidum, they must first seek the authorization of the Holy See, which will indicate the norms to be observed in each case. Prescinding from such cases, individual diocesan Bishops enjoy the personal authority to choose whether or not to adopt and enforce guidelines drawn up in agreement with other Bishops within the same region. Yet it would not be licit to extend the power of the Conference, transferring to it the jurisdiction and the responsibility of its members for their dioceses, since only the Roman Pontiff is competent to effect such a transfer (99). On his own initiative or at the request of the Conference, the Supreme Pontiff may issue a special mandate in those cases where he judges it opportune (100). 32. The Commissions of the Conference. Various agencies and commissions dependent on the Episcopal Conference have a specific competence to assist the Bishops and to prepare and put into effect the decisions of the Conference. Permanent or ad hoc commissions of the Conference which are designated “episcopal” must be composed of Bishop members or of those equivalent to them in law. If the number of Bishops is insufficient to form such Commissions, it is possible to create alternative structures such as councils, made up of priests, religious and laity with a Bishop presiding. These structures may not be designated “episcopal” (101). The members of these different commissions should realize that their competence is not to direct or coordinate some particular aspect of the Church’s pastoral work in their country, but something more modest, but no less effective: it is to assist the plenary assembly – that is the Conference itself – in attaining its objectives, and to provide the Bishops with sufficient resources for the fruitful exercise of their ministry in their particular Churches. This fundamental criterion should remind those in charge of the commissions to avoid any action based on a false sense of independence or autonomy, as for example the publication on their own initiative of guidelines in a particular pastoral area, or a way of dealing with diocesan structures and commissions that bypasses the essential role of the respective diocesan Bishop.
SPIRITUALITY AND ONGOING FORMATION OF THE BISHOP “Train yourself in godliness… set the believers an example in speech and conduct,
I. JESUS CHRIST, SOURCE OF THE BISHOP’S SPIRITUALITY 33. Jesus Christ, Source of the Bishop’s Spirituality. Through his episcopal ordination, the Bishop receives a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit which configures him in a singular way to Christ, Head and Shepherd. The same Lord, “good master” (cf. Mt 19:16), “high priest” (Heb 7:26), “good shepherd who offers his life for his sheep” (cf. Jn 10:11) has imprinted his human and divine face, his likeness, his power and his strength in the Bishop(102). Jesus is the sole and the permanent source of the Bishop’s spirituality. Therefore, the Bishop, sanctified in the sacrament through the gift of the Holy Spirit, is called to respond to the grace received through the laying on of hands, sanctifying himself and conforming his personal life to Christ in the exercise of the apostolic ministry. This configuration to Christ allows the Bishop to submit his whole being to the Holy Spirit in order to integrate within himself his different roles as member of the Church and simultaneously head and shepherd of the Christian people, as brother and as father, as disciple of Christ and teacher of faith, as son of the Church and, in some sense, father of the Church, as minister of the supernatural rebirth of Christians. The Bishop should always remember that the effect of his personal holiness is never limited to the purely subjective level, but redounds to the good of the faithful entrusted to his pastoral care. The Bishop must be a man of contemplation as well as a man of action, so that his apostolate can become contemplata aliis tradere. Fully convinced that nothing he can do serves any purpose unless he be with Christ, the Bishop must be in love with the Lord. Moreover, he should always remember that the credibility of his episcopal ministry depends on the moral authority and authenticity which arise from the holiness of life underlying his exercise of juridical power (103). 34. Typically Ecclesial Spirituality. Through his baptism and confirmation which unite him to all the faithful, and through his own sacramental ordination, the Bishop’s spirituality is typically ecclesial. It may aptly be described as a spirituality of communion (104), lived in union with all God’s children incorporated into Christ as his followers, in accordance with the demands of the Gospel. The Bishop’s spirituality also has its own specific quality: being shepherd, servant of the Gospel and bridegroom of the Church, he must relive, together with his priests, the spousal love of Christ for his bride the Church, in intimate prayer and in self-giving to his brothers and sisters, so that he may love the Church with a renewed heart, and through his love may preserve her unity in charity. Hence, with every means at his disposal, the Bishop should tirelessly promote the holiness of the faithful and he should take steps to enable the people of God to grow in grace through the celebration of the sacraments (105). By virtue of his communion with Christ the Head, the Bishop has the strict obligation to present himself as the perfecter of the faithful, that is, as teacher, promoter and example of Christian perfection for the clergy, for consecrated persons living the evangelical counsels, and for the laity, each according to his or her particular vocation. This should lead the Bishop to unite himself to Christ in discerning the will of the Father, so that “the mind of the Spirit” (1 Cor 2:16) may permeate his way of thinking, feeling and acting as he ministers among his flock. His goal must be to grow constantly in holiness, so that he can truly say: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). 35. Marian Spirituality. The Marian dimension of the Church gives the Bishop’s spirituality a Marian aspect. The icon of the nascent Church, which presents Mary together with the Apostles and the disciples of Jesus united in persevering prayer, waiting for the Holy Spirit, expresses the indissoluble bond between Mary and the successors of the Apostles (106). As a mother, both to the lay faithful and to the Pastors, as a model and a type of the Church (107), she sustains the Bishop in his interior task of configuration to Christ and in his ecclesial service. From Mary, the Bishop learns the art of contemplating the face of Christ, from her too he draws consolation for the exercise of his ecclesial mission and strength to proclaim the Gospel of salvation. The maternal intercession of Mary accompanies the confident prayer of the Bishop, enabling him to penetrate more profoundly the truths of the faith, and to preserve it pure and entire as she did in her heart (108); rekindling his fervent hope, which he sees already realized in the “Mother of Jesus in the glory which she possesses in body and soul” (109); and nourishing his charity so that the maternal love of Mary may animate the Bishop’s entire apostolic mission. In Mary, who “shines forth… to the pilgrim People of God” (110), the Bishop contemplates the Church in her mystery (111); he sees already attained in her the perfection of holiness for which he himself must strive with all his strength, and he proposes her to the faithful entrusted to his care as a model of intimate union with God. Mary, the “woman of the Eucharist” (112), teaches the Bishop to offer his life daily in the Mass. At the altar, he makes his own the fiat with which Our Lady offered herself at the joyful moment of the Annunciation and again in sorrow at the foot of the Cross. The Eucharist, “the source and the summit of all preaching of the Gospel” (113), is intimately linked with the other sacraments (114) and it points the Bishop’s Marian devotion firmly towards the Liturgy. The Virgin has a special presence in the celebration of the mysteries of salvation and is an exemplary model for the whole Church of listening and prayer, of self-offering and of spiritual maternity. 36. Prayer. The spiritual fruitfulness of the Bishop’s ministry depends on the intensity of his prayerful union with the Lord. It is from prayer that a Bishop draws light, strength and comfort for his pastoral activity. For a Bishop, prayer is like the staff which supports him as he makes his pilgrimage through daily life. The Bishop who prays is not discouraged by difficulties, however great, because he knows that God is at his side and he finds refuge, serenity and peace in God’s paternal embrace. In opening himself trustingly to God, he also opens himself with greater generosity towards his neighbour, and so is able to shape the course of events according to God’s plan. Conscious of this spiritual duty, the Bishop should celebrate the Eucharist and pray the Liturgy of the Hours every day, and should devote himself to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the tabernacle, to praying the Rosary, to frequent meditation on the Word of God and to lectio divina (115). These practices nourish his faith and his life in the Spirit, which he needs if he is to live pastoral charity to the full in the exercise of his day-to-day ministry, in communion with God and in fidelity to his mission. II. THE BISHOP’S VIRTUES 37. The Theological Virtues. Obviously, the holiness to which the Bishop is called requires the practice of the virtues, first and foremost the theological virtues, because by their nature they direct man towards God. The Bishop, as a man of faith, hope and charity, should order his life according to the evangelical counsels and the beatitudes (cf. Mt 5:1-12), so that he too, following the command given to the Apostles (cf. Acts 1:8), may be a witness to Christ before the world, a true, effective, faithful and credible sign of divine grace, of charity and of other supernatural gifts. 38. Pastoral Charity. The Bishop’s life, weighed down by so many cares, runs the risk of becoming fragmented through the sheer multiplicity of tasks. Its inner unity and energy is found through pastoral charity, which may rightly be called the bond of episcopal perfection: it is a fruit of the grace and the character of the sacrament of episcopal ordination (116). “Saint Augustine defines the entirety of this episcopal ministry as an office of love: amoris officium. This gives us the certainty that the pastoral charity of Jesus Christ will never be lacking in the Church” (117). The Bishop’s pastoral charity is the soul of his apostolate. “Here it is not only a matter of an existentia, but indeed of a pro-existentia, that is to say, of a way of living inspired by the supreme model of Christ the Lord and which is spent totally in worship of the Father and in service of neighbour” (118). Set on fire with this charity, the Bishop is moved to devout contemplation and imitation of Jesus Christ and his plan of salvation. Pastoral charity unites the Bishop to Jesus Christ, to the Church, and to the world which must be evangelized. It enables him to act as an ambassador for Christ (cf. 2 Cor 5:20) with decorum and competence, to spend himself every day for the clergy and the people entrusted to his care, and to offer himself as a sacrificial victim on behalf of his brothers and sisters (119). Having accepted the office of Pastor in the expectation not of tranquillity but of hard work (120), the Bishop should exercise his authority in a spirit of service and should consider it his vocation to serve the whole Church with the mind and heart of the Lord (121). The Bishop should set a fine example of fraternal charity and of a truly collegial spirit, offering loving care and support, both spiritual and material, to the coadjutor, the auxiliary and the Bishop Emeritus, to the diocesan presbyterate, the deacons and the faithful, and particularly to the poor and the needy. His home and his heart should be open to welcome, advise, encourage and console. The Bishop’s charity should extend to the Pastors of neighbouring dioceses, especially those of the same metropolitan province, and to any Bishops who are in particular need (122). 39. Faith and the Spirit of Faith. The Bishop is a man of faith, like Moses who, as Sacred Scripture attests, when leading the people from Egypt towards the promised land, “endured as seeing him who is invisible” (Heb 11:27). The Bishop should evaluate all things, accomplish all things and endure all things in the light of faith. He should read the signs of the times (cf. Mt 16:4) in order to discover what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Churches with regard to eternal salvation (cf. Rev 2:7). He will be able to do this if he nourishes his mind and heart with “the words of faith and good doctrine” (1 Tim 4:6), diligently cultivating his theological knowledge, enriching it with tested doctrines, old and new, always in total harmony with the Roman Pontiff and the Magisterium of the Church in matters of faith and morals. 40. Hope in God, ever Faithful to His Promises. Sustained by his faith in God, who is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb 11:1), the Bishop should expect to receive every good gift from God and should place the greatest trust in divine Providence. He should be able to say with Saint Paul: “I can do all things in him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13), mindful of the example of the holy Apostles and the numerous Bishops who, despite great difficulties and obstacles of every kind, nevertheless preached the Gospel of God with great candour (cf. Acts 4:29-31; 19:8; 28:31). Hope which “does not disappoint” (Rom 5:5) evokes the Bishop’s missionary spirit, which enables him to approach his apostolic undertakings creatively, to direct them firmly and to see them through to their conclusion. The Bishop knows that he has been sent by God, the King of ages (cf. 1 Tim 1:17), to build up the Church in the place and in the “times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority” (Acts 1:7). Hence that healthy optimism which the Bishop manifests personally and, so to speak, radiates to others, especially to his closest advisers. 41. Pastoral Prudence. As he tends the flock entrusted to him, the Bishop is greatly assisted by the virtue of prudence, which can be described as practical wisdom and the art of good government. Prudence enables him to act in fitting and appropriate ways to advance the divine plan of salvation, the good of souls and the good of the Church, setting aside all purely human considerations. So the Bishop should model his style of governance both on divine wisdom, which teaches him to consider the eternal dimension of things, and also on evangelical prudence, which enables him to keep ever in mind, with the skill of a master builder (1 Cor 3:10), the changing needs of the Body of Christ. As a prudent Pastor, the Bishop should show himself ready to assume the responsibilities of his office, to enter into dialogue with the faithful, to exercise his powers, but also to respect the rights of others in the Church. Prudence will prompt him to preserve the legitimate traditions of his particular Church, but it will also make him keen to encourage due progress, zealous in his search for new initiatives, while always safeguarding the unity that is needed. In this way, the diocesan community will move forward along the path of healthy continuity, adapting as necessary to new legitimate demands. Pastoral prudence will make the Bishop mindful of his public image and the impression that he gives through the media. It will help him to assess whether it is appropriate for him to be present in certain places or social gatherings. Conscious of his role, of the people’s expectations and the importance of his example, the Bishop should treat everyone with courtesy, good manners, cordiality, affability and kindness, as a sign of his paternal and brotherly love. 42. Fortitude and Humility. Since, as Saint Bernard has written, “prudence is the mother of fortitude (123) – Fortitudinis matrem esse prudentiam”, this is another virtue which a Bishop needs to practise. Ever patient in bearing adversity for the Kingdom of God, he should be no less courageous and firm in the decisions that he makes, always observing the proper norms. In this spirit of fortitude, the Bishop should not hesitate to say with the Apostles “we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20) and without the slightest fear of losing favour with men (124), he should always act courageously in the Lord to counter every form of dishonesty or arrogance. Fortitude needs to be tempered with meekness, following the model of him who is “meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29). In guiding the faithful, the Bishop should seek to harmonize the ministry of mercy with the authority of governance, meekness with strength, pardon with justice, conscious that “certain situations cannot be resolved with asperity or hardness, nor with highhanded methods, but with teaching rather than commands, with admonition rather than threats” (125). At the same time, the Bishop should cultivate the humility which comes from recognizing his own weakness, that humility which – as Saint Gregory the Great says – is the primary virtue (126). He knows he needs the compassion of his brethren, as all Christians do, and like them he is obliged to work out his own salvation “with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12). Moreover, because his daily pastoral concerns give the Bishop greater scope for personal decision-making, his scope for error is also greater, however good his intentions: this thought should encourage him to remain open to dialogue with others, always ready to learn, to seek and accept the advice of others. 43. Obedience to the Will of God. Christ, who became “obedient unto death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8), whose food is to do the will of the Father (cf. Jn 4:34), is ever present before the eyes of the Bishop as the supreme example of that obedience which was the cause of our justification (cf. Rom 5:19). Conforming himself to Christ, the Bishop offers an outstanding service to unity and to ecclesial communion: his conduct demonstrates that no one in the Church may legitimately command others if he does not first offer himself as an example of obedience to the Word of God and to the authority of the Church (127). 44. Celibacy and Perfect Continence. Celibacy, solemnly promised before receiving holy orders, requires the Bishop to live in continence “for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 19:12), following in the footsteps of the celibate Jesus. In this way he demonstrates before God and before the Church his undivided love and his total availability for service, offering the world a shining testimony to the future Kingdom (128). For this reason too, trusting in divine assistance, the Bishop should practise voluntary mortification of body and spirit, not merely as an exercise in ascetic discipline, but more as a way of carrying within himself “the death of Jesus” (2 Cor 4:10). Through word and example, through his paternal and watchful care, the Bishop cannot ignore or leave undone the task of holding up to the world the great truth of a holy and chaste Church, in her ministers and in her faithful. When situations of scandal arise, especially on the part of the Church’s ministers, the Bishop must act firmly and decisively, justly and serenely. In these lamentable cases, the Bishop is required to act promptly, according to the established canonical norms, for the spiritual good of the persons involved, for the reparation of scandal, and for the protection and assistance of the victims. By acting in this way and living in perfect chastity himself, the shepherd goes before his flock like Christ, the Bridegroom who gave his life for us and left us an example of pure, celibate, ever fruitful and universal love. 45. Affective and Effective Poverty. In order to bear witness to the Gospel before the world and before the Christian community, the Bishop, in his deeds and his words, should follow the eternal Shepherd, who “though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9) (129). He should be visibly poor, he should be tireless in giving alms and he should lead a modest life which, without detracting from the dignity of his office, nevertheless takes account of the socio-economic conditions of his flock. As the Council says, he should seek to avoid anything that might in any way alienate the poor, and even more than the other disciples of the Lord, he should seek to eliminate from his possessions every hint of vanity. He should furnish his home in such a way that it never appears unapproachable, so that no one, even the humblest, is ever afraid to visit it (130). Simple in his bearing, he should seek to be affable towards everyone, and should never indulge in favouritism on the basis of wealth or social standing. He should behave like a father towards everyone, especially towards those of lowly condition: he knows that he was anointed by the Holy Spirit, like Jesus (cf. Lk 4:18), and that he was sent first of all to proclaim the Gospel to the poor. “In this perspective of sharing and of simplicity of life, the Bishop will administer the goods of the Church like the ‘good head of a household’, and be careful to ensure that they are used for the Church’s own specific ends: the worship of God, the support of her ministers, the works of the apostolate and initiatives of charity towards the poor” (131). In due time he should draw up his last will and testament, ensuring that, if any goods have come to him from the service of the altar, they return entirely to the altar. 46. Example of Holiness. The call to holiness requires the Bishop to give serious attention to his interior life, through those means of sanctification which are useful and necessary to every Christian, but especially to a man consecrated by the Holy Spirit to govern the Church and to spread the Kingdom of God. Above all, he should seek to fulfil faithfully and tirelessly the duties of his episcopal ministry (132) as his personal path to holiness. The Bishop, as leader and model for priests and lay faithful, should receive the sacraments in an exemplary way. They bring necessary nourishment for his spiritual life, as they do for every member of the Church. Above all, the sacrament of the Eucharist, which the Bishop celebrates daily, preferably cum populo, should be the centre and source of his ministry and of his personal sanctification. He should have frequent recourse to the sacrament of penance as a means of reconciliation with God, and he himself should be a minister of reconciliation among the People of God (133). If he is ill and in danger of death, he should be prompt to receive the sacrament of the anointing of the sick and sacred Viaticum, with due solemnity and with the participation of clergy and faithful, for the edification of all. Each month the Bishop will try to set aside a suitable period for spiritual recollection, and once a year he will make a retreat. In this way, despite his manifold responsibilities and activities, the Bishop’s life will be solidly rooted in the Lord and he will find his path to holiness through the exercise of his episcopal ministry. 47. Human Gifts. In the exercise of sacred power, the Bishop must show himself to be rich in humanity in imitation of Jesus, the perfect man. To this end, his conduct should radiate those virtues and human gifts which arise from charity and are rightly valued in our society. These gifts and human virtues bear fruit in pastoral prudence, in wise care of souls and in good governance (134). Not least among these gifts are: a rich humanity, a good and loyal spirit, a constant and sincere character, an open, forward-looking mind, a sensitivity to the joys and sufferings of others, a thorough self-mastery, kindness, forbearance and discretion, a healthy readiness to engage in dialogue and to listen, an habitual attitude of service (135). The Bishop should always cultivate these qualities and seek to advance in them constantly. 48. The Example of Saintly Bishops. In the course of his ministry, the Bishop should look to the example of canonized Bishops whose lives, teaching and holiness can shed light on his own spiritual journey and offer him direction. For guidance he might look not only to the Apostles, but also to the great Bishops of the early Church, the founders of particular Churches, witnesses to the faith in times of persecution, those who were able to rebuild their dioceses after persecutions or other disasters, Bishops who gave themselves generously to the poor and the suffering by establishing hospices and hospitals, the founders of religious orders, and, not least, the Bishop’s own predecessors in the same See who have distinguished themselves by their holiness of life. In order to keep alive the memory of Bishops who were outstanding in the exercise of their ministry, the Bishop, together with his presbyterate or the Episcopal Conference, should take steps to make these figures known to the faithful through new biographies and, if appropriate, he should introduce the cause for their canonization (136). III. THE ONGOING FORMATION OF THE BISHOP 49. The Duty of Ongoing Formation. The Bishop will realize that he too has a duty to attend to his ongoing formation, a duty he shares with all the faithful whatever their age or condition in life, whatever their level of responsibility in the Church (137). The inner dynamism of the sacrament of orders, the Bishop’s own vocation and mission, and his duty to study closely the particular problems and issues of the society he has to evangelize, impel him to grow day by day towards the fullness of mature manhood in Christ (cf. Eph 4:13). In this way, the charity of Christ and the Church’s solicitude towards all people will shine forth ever more clearly through the testimony of the Bishop’s human, spiritual and intellectual maturity in pastoral charity: the key to his ongoing formation. 50. Human Formation. As a shepherd of the People of God, the Bishop should continually attend to his human formation, allowing his episcopal personality to be shaped by the gifts of grace, and cultivating the human virtues listed earlier. He needs to develop these virtues if he is to deepen his human sensitivity, to grow in his capacity to welcome, to listen, to engage in dialogue and personal encounter, and to expand his knowledge and his ability to lead others. In this way, his humanity will become richer, simpler, more authentic and more transparent, so as to reveal the mind and heart of the Good Shepherd. The Bishop, like Christ himself, should manifest the most genuine and perfect human qualities if he is to share the daily life of his people and to be one with them in times of joy and sorrow. This human and affective maturity is required of the Bishop if, like a good father, he is to exercise his episcopal authority as an authentic service to the unity and right ordering of the family of God’s children. In exercising his pastoral authority, the Bishop should constantly seek to achieve a good balance of all the facets of his personality as well as a healthy sense of realism, enabling him to discern and make decisions in serenity and freedom, aiming solely at the common good of persons. 51. Spiritual Formation. The Bishop’s path of human formation is intrinsically linked to his growth in personal and spiritual maturity. The sanctifying mission of the Bishop requires him to live deeply the new life of baptismal grace and the pastoral ministry to which he has been called by the Holy Spirit, conforming himself ever more closely, in a spirit of continual conversion, to the mind and heart of Jesus Christ. This constant spiritual formation enables the Bishop to animate his pastoral activity with an authentic spirit of holiness, tirelessly promoting and sustaining the universal call to holiness. 52. Intellectual and Doctrinal Formation. Conscious of his responsibility for the entire ministry of the Word in his particular Church (138), where he has been commissioned to proclaim the faith, to teach with authority and to bear witness to divine and catholic truth, the Bishop has an obligation to deepen his intellectual preparation through personal study, with a serious commitment to keeping abreast of cultural developments. In the light of the Word of God, the Bishop should be able to discern and evaluate currents of thought, as well as anthropological and scientific trends, so as to respond, with fidelity to the doctrine and discipline of the Church, to the new questions arising in society. Keeping up to date in theology is necessary if the Bishop is to explore the inexhaustible riches of revelation, faithfully to guard and expound the deposit of faith, and to establish a respectful and fruitful working relationship with theologians. Such dialogue can lead to new insights into the deepest truths of the Christian mystery, an ever greater understanding of the Word of God and the appropriation of suitable methods and language with which to present it to the modern world. Through his theological reading, the Bishop can give an ever firmer foundation to his magisterial task for the enlightenment of the People of God. His knowledge of current theology also enables him to monitor the conformity of new theological ideas with the content of Tradition, countering objections to sound doctrine and correcting any distortions. 53. Pastoral Formation. The Bishop’s ongoing formation also applies to the pastoral dimension, the goal towards which the other aspects of his formation are directed and a key factor in determining their content and particular character. The Church’s earthly pilgrimage requires the Bishop to be attentive to the signs of the times and to adapt his style and behaviour so as to ensure that his pastoral action responds effectively to the needs of society. Pastoral formation requires from the Bishop an evangelical discernment of the socio-cultural situation, a readiness to listen, to enter into communion and into dialogue with his priests, especially the parish priests whose mission renders them particularly sensitive to the changing needs of evangelization. It is most valuable for the Bishop and his priests to share their experiences, to consider different approaches and to evaluate new pastoral resources. Dialogue with experts in pastoral science and in socio-pedagogical fields further assists his pastoral formation; so too does in-depth study of the law, of liturgical texts and the spirit of the liturgy. Despite the inter-relatedness of the four aspects of ongoing formation – human, spiritual, intellectual-doctrinal and pastoral – the Bishop needs to pursue each of them individually. The whole of his formation is directed towards a deeper contemplation of the face of Christ and a true communion of life with the Good Shepherd. The faithful in turn can contemplate in the Bishop’s face those qualities given him through grace. When he proclaims the Beatitudes, they should shine out as if from Christ’s self-portrait: the face of poverty, of meekness and of passion for justice; the merciful face of the Father, of the peacelover and peacemaker; the face of purity which gazes solely upon God and which brings to life Jesus’ compassion for the afflicted; the face of fortitude expressing the interior joy of those persecuted for the cause of Gospel truth. 54. The Means of Ongoing Formation. Just as other members of the People of God are the ones primarily responsible for their own formation, so too the Bishop should consider it his duty to make a personal commitment to ongoing integral formation. By virtue of his mission in the Church, he has to offer the faithful an example in this area, since they look to him as a model disciple in the school of Christ. The Bishop follows him with daily fidelity in a life of truth and love, shaping his humanity by the grace of divine communion. For his ongoing formation, the Bishop should make use of those means which the Church has always proposed as indispensable elements of his spirituality, enabling him to trust in God’s grace. Communion with God in daily prayer leads to the serenity of spirit and the prudent intelligence which help the Bishop to relate to people with paternal openness and to evaluate carefully the various questions arising in pastoral governance. Proper attention to rest will allow the Bishop to nurture a profound humanity with wisdom, balance, joy and patience. Following the example of Jesus himself, who invited the Apostles to rest from the labours of their ministry (cf. Mk 6:31), the Bishop should ensure that he has sufficient time to rest each day, a regular day off, and a holiday every year, according to the norms established by the Church’s discipline (139). The Bishop should remember that Sacred Scripture speaks of the necessity for rest, when it indicates that God himself, on completing his work of creation, rested on the seventh day (cf. Gen 2:2). Among the means of ongoing formation, the Bishop should give particular attention to the study of doctrinal and pastoral documents issued by the Roman Pontiff, the Roman Curia, the Episcopal Conference and his brother Bishops. This not only allows him to live his communion with the Successor of Peter and with the universal Church, but also provides useful insights for his pastoral work, so that he may enlighten the faithful regarding the major questions repeatedly asked of Christians by modern society. Through study, the Bishop should follow developments in theology, so as to deepen his knowledge of the Christian mystery, to evaluate, discern and safeguard the purity and integrity of the faith. He should be equally assiduous in following cultural and social currents of thought, so as to recognize the “signs of the times” and to evaluate them in the light of the faith and the permanently valid heritage of Christian thought and philosophy. The Bishop should be particularly keen to participate, whenever possible, in formation gatherings arranged by various ecclesial bodies: the annual colloquium for newly ordained Bishops held by the Congregation for Bishops, meetings arranged by national or regional Episcopal Conferences or by continental Councils of Episcopal Conferences. Further opportunities for the Bishop’s ongoing formation are provided by those gatherings of the diocesan presbyterate that he himself arranges with the help of his diocesan advisers. So too are other cultural initiatives through which the seed of truth is sown in the field of the world. On certain more important topics, the Bishop should seek opportunities to listen at length, to enter into dialogue with experts, sharing experiences, methods and new resources for pastoral ministry and the spiritual life. The Bishop should always remember that his lived communion with other members of the People of God, through daily contact with priests and lay faithful, provides the setting in which the Spirit speaks to him, reminding him of his vocation and mission, and forming his heart through the vibrant life of the Church. Hence the Bishop should always adopt an attitude of careful listening to what the Spirit is saying to the Church and in the Church.
THE MINISTRY OF THE BISHOP IN THE “Tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint but willingly,
I. GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR THE PASTORAL GOVERNANCE OF THE BISHOP 55. Some Fundamental Principles. In fulfilling his episcopal ministry, the diocesan Bishop should be guided by certain fundamental principles which characterize his modus operandi and inform his life. These principles transcend time and place. They are the sign of the Bishop’s pastoral solicitude towards the particular Church entrusted to him and towards the universal Church for which, as a member of the College of Bishops led by the Roman Pontiff, he is also responsible. 56. The Trinitarian Principle. The Bishop should remember that he has been placed at the head of the Church of God in the name of the Father, whose image he makes present; in the name of Jesus Christ his Son, by whom he is constituted as teacher, priest and shepherd; and in the name of the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the Church (140). The Holy Spirit constantly sustains the Bishop’s pastoral mission (141), safeguarding the unique sovereignty of Christ. Making the Lord present, speaking his word and administering his grace and his law, the Bishop renders a service to the people which helps them to know and to follow the will of the one Lord of all. 57. The Principle of Truth. As an authoritative teacher of the faith, the Bishop sets revealed truth at the heart of his pastoral action as the primary criterion with which to evaluate opinions and ideas emerging from the Christian community and from civil society. At the same time he offers hope and certainty by shedding the light of truth upon the people’s journey through life. The Word of God and the Magisterium of the Church’s living tradition are essential points of reference not only for the Bishop’s teaching but also for his pastoral governance. Good government requires the Bishop to do all in his power to seek the truth and to make every effort to perfect his teaching, attentive not only to the quantity but also to the quality of his pronouncements. In this way he will avoid the risk of adopting pastoral solutions of a purely formal nature which fail to address the substance of the problems. His pastoral activity is authentic when it is anchored in truth. 58. The Principle of Communion. In exercising his pastoral ministry, the Bishop should act in the knowledge that he is the “visible principle and foundation” (142) of unity in his diocese, but always with a view also to the unity of the whole Catholic Church. He should promote unity in faith, in love and in discipline, so that the diocese is aware that it forms a vital part of the whole People of God. The unity which the Bishop seeks to promote is not proposed as sterile uniformity, but it encompasses legitimate diversity, which he is called to safeguard and to encourage. Ecclesial communion will lead the Bishop to work constantly for the common good of the diocese, mindful that this is subordinated to the good of the universal Church and that, in turn, the good of the diocese prevails over that of individual communities. So as not to hinder any legitimate particular good, the Bishop should make it his business to acquire accurate knowledge of the common good of the diocese. This knowledge should be continually updated and confirmed through frequent visits among the people of God entrusted to him – so that he comes to know them – and also through study, socio-religious research, the counsel of prudent persons and constant dialogue with the faithful, since modern life is subject to such rapid changes. 59. The Principle of Cooperation. The ecclesiology of communion requires the Bishop to involve all Christians in the one mission of the Church. In fact all Christians, individually and collectively, have the right and the duty to cooperate in the mission which Christ entrusted to his Church, each according to his own particular vocation and gifts received from the Holy Spirit (143). In those things not essential to the common good, the baptized justly enjoy freedom of opinion and of action. In governing the diocese the Bishop should willingly recognize and respect this healthy pluralism of responsibility and this just freedom, whether of persons or associations. He should gladly communicate to others a sense of responsibility, both individual and collective, and he should encourage this in those who hold office in the Church, showing them his full confidence; in this way they will accept and fulfil with zeal the tasks that fall to them by virtue of canon law or their vocation. 60. The Principle of Respecting the Competence of Others. In guiding his particular Church, the Bishop should follow the principle according to which he should not normally take to himself what others can accomplish well. On the contrary, he should show respect for the legitimate competence of others, granting appropriate faculties to his co-workers and encouraging healthy initiatives, individual or collective, among the faithful. The Bishop should consider it his duty not only to stimulate, encourage and increase the good work taking place in his diocese, but also to coordinate it, always respecting the freedom and the legitimate rights of the faithful, thus avoiding wasted efforts, unnecessary duplication of labour and harmful tensions. When other personal ecclesiastical jurisdictions exist within his diocesan territory, either of Latin rite (e.g. military ordinariates) or of another rite, the diocesan Bishop should show respect for the competence of other ecclesiastical authorities and place himself at their full disposal for fruitful cooperation, in a pastoral spirit of collegiality. 61. The Principle of the right Person for the right Post. In conferring offices within the diocese, the Bishop ought to be guided solely by supernatural criteria and the pastoral good of his particular Church. Therefore he should look first of all to the good of souls, respecting the dignity of persons and making use of their talents in the most appropriate and beneficial way, in the service of the community, always assigning the right person to the right post. 62. The Principles of Justice and Legality. The Bishop, in guiding his diocese, should observe the principles of justice and legality, knowing that respect for the rights of all in the Church requires that everyone, including himself, be subject to canon law. For the common good and the good of every baptized person, the faithful, in fact, are entitled to be guided in a way that takes account of the fundamental rights of the person, the rights of the faithful, and the general discipline of the Church. The example of the Bishop should lead the faithful to be more assiduous in fulfilling their duties towards one another and towards the Church. He should avoid governing according to an unduly personal interpretation of ecclesial life. II. EPISCOPAL POWER 63. The Bishop as Centre of Unity in his Particular Church. The diocese is entrusted to the pastoral care of the Bishop, assisted by his presbyterate; he presides over it with sacred power, as a teacher of doctrine, a priest of sacred worship and a minister of governance(144). The diocesan Bishop (145), in exercising his sacred power, should keep always before him the example of Christ and should assume an authentic spirit of evangelical service towards the portion of the People of God entrusted to his care (146). In fulfilling his mission, the diocesan Bishop should always remember that the community over which he presides is a community of faith, needing to be nourished by the Word of God. It is a community of grace, continually built up by the eucharistic sacrifice and by the celebration of the other sacraments, through which the priestly people offers to God the Church’s sacrifice of praise. It is a community of charity, spiritual and material, issuing forth from the fountain of th |