As vicars and legates of Christ, the Bishops govern their Churches by counsel and persuasion, but also by authority and sacred power

At the General Audience of Wednesday, 18 November, the Holy Father continued his catechesis on the ministry of Bishops in the Church, this time focusing on their pastoral authority. Today's catechesis is the 44^th talk in the series the Pope has been conducting on the mystery of the Church. The Holy Father spoke in Italian.

1. In addition to the prophetic and sacramental service of Bishops, to which we devoted the previous catecheses, there is a pastoral service, regarding which the Second Vatican Council said: "The Bishops, as vicars and legates of Christ, govern the particular Churches assigned to them by their counsels, exhortations and example, but over and above that also by the authority and sacred power which indeed they exercise exclusively for the spiritual development of their flock in truth and holiness, keeping in mind that he who is greater should be come as the lesser, and who is the leader as the servant (cf. Lk 22:26-27)" (Lumen gentium, n. 27).

It is a wonderful teaching which hinges on this basic principle: in the Church authority is meant to be upbuilding. St Paul considered it as such when he wrote to the Corinthians, speaking of "our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down" (2 Cor 10:8). To the members of this Church that was very dear to him he always expressed the hope of not having to act harshly "in virtue of the authority that the Lord has given me to build up and not to tear down" (2 Cor l 3: l 0).

The aim of building up requires patience and leniency from Bishops. This means "the spiritual development of their flock in truth and holiness", as the Council says: the truth of the Gospel teaching and holiness as it was lived, willed and taught by Christ. 

Ecclesiastical ministry is one of service

2. It is necessary to insist on the concept of "service", which applies to every ecclesiastical "ministry", beginning with that of Bishops. Indeed, the Episcopate is more a service than an honour. And if it is also an honour, it is so when the Bishop, a successor of the Apostles, serves in a spirit of Gospel humility following the example of the Son of Man who admonished the Twelve: "Let the greatest among you be as the youngest, and the leader as the servant" (Lk 22:26). "Whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mk 10:44-45; cf. Mt 20:27-28).

3. In the Decree Christus Dominus the Council adds: "In exercising his office of father and pastor the Bishop should be with his people as one who serves, as a good shepherd who knows his sheep and whose sheep know him, as a true father who excels in his love and solicitude for all, to whose divinely conferred authority all readily submit. He should so unite and mould his flock into one family that all, conscious of their duties, may live and act in the communion of charity" ( Christus Dominus, n. l 6).

4. It is in the light of this service "as a good shepherd" that the authority which the Bishop possesses in proprio must be understood, although it is always subject to that of the Supreme Pontiff We read in the Consitution Lumen gentium: "This power, which [the Bishops] exercise personally in the name of Christ, is proper, ordinary and immediate, although its exercise is ultimately controlled by the supreme authority of the Church and can be confined within certain limits should the usefulness of the Church and the faithful require that. In virtue of this power Bishops have a sacred right and a duty before the Lord of legislating for and of passing judgement on their subjects, as well as of regulating everything that concerns the good order of divine worship and of the apostolate" (Lumen gentium, n. 27).

Certainly it is a question of a true authority, which must be treated with respect and to which both the clergy and the faithful should be docile and obedient in the area of Church governance. However, it is always an authority with a pastoral function.

5. In regard to this pastoral care for their flock, which entails a corresponding personal responsibility for developing the Christian life of the people entrusted to them, the Council says of Bishops: "The pastoral charge, that is, the permanent and daily care of their sheep, is entrusted to them fully; nor are they to be regarded as vicars of the Roman Pontiff; for they exercise the power which they possess in their own right and are called in the truest sense of the term prelates of the people whom they govern" (Lumen gentium, n. 27).

Ministry of Peter's Successor essential to every Church

Obviously, the Council does not hesitate to assert that every Bishop has true authority over his own Diocese, or local Church. But it forcefully underscored another point that is basic to the unity and catholicity of the Church, that is the communion of every Bishop and the whole corpus Episcoporum "cum Petro", which is also communion "sub Petro", in virtue of the ecclesiological principle (which tends to be overlooked sometimes) according to which the ministry of Peter's Successor belongs to the essence of every particular Church "from within", or as a requirement of the Church's very constitution, and not as something added on from without, for historical, sociological or practical reasons. It is not a question of adapting to the circumstances of the times, but of fidelity to Christ's will for his Church. The Church's foundation on Peter the rock the assigning of a primacy to Peter which continues in his Successors as Bishops of Rome, entails a connection with the universal Church and its centre in the Church of Rome as a constitutive element of the particular Church and a condition for its being a Church at all. This point is fundamental to a good theology of the local Church.

6. On the other hand, the power of Bishops is not threatened by that of the Roman Pontiff. As the Council says: "Their authority, far from being damaged by the supreme and universal power, is much rather defended, upheld and strengthened by it, since the Holy Spirit preserves unfailingly that form of government which was set up by Christ the Lord in his Church" (Lumen gentium, n. 27).

Consequently, the relationship between Bishops and the Pope cannot fail to be a relationship of cooperation and mutual aid, in an atmosphere of friendship and fraternal trust, as can be observed—and even experienced—in the Church's life today.

7. To the Bishop's authority there is the corresponding responsibility of a pastor, because of which he feels committed to giving his own life each day for the good of his flock, following the example of the Good Shepherd. Sharing in the cross of Christ, he is called to make many personal sacrifices for the Church. These sacrifices are the concrete expression of that commitment of perfect love to which he is called by the status he has received through episcopal consecration. Therein lies the specifically episcopal spirituality, as the supreme imitation of Christ, the Good Shepherd, and as the greatest sharing in his love.

Bishops must have special affection for their priests

The Bishop, then, is called to imitate Christ the Shepherd, allowing himself to be led by charity in regard to everyone. The Council particularly recommends a listening attitude: "He should not refuse to listen to his subjects whose welfare he promotes as of his very own children and whom he urges to collaborate readily with him" (Lumen gentium, n. 27). The Bishop should be distinguished by all the qualities necessary for communication and communion with his children and brethren: understanding and compassion for their spiritual and physical suffering; a desire to help and aid, to encourage and promote cooperation; and above all universal love, with no exceptions, restrictions or reservations.

8. According to the Council, all of the above should find special expression in the Bishop's attitude towards his brothers in the ministerial priesthood: "His priests, who assume a part of his duties and concerns, and who are ceaselessly devoted to their work, should be the objects of his particular affection. He should regard them as sons and friends. He should always be ready to listen to them and cultivate an atmosphere of easy familiarity with them, thus facilitating the pastoral work of the entire Diocese" (Christus Dominus, n. 16).

The Council, however, also mentions the duties of the pastor regarding the laity: "In exercising his ministry he should ensure that the faithful are duly involved in Church affairs, he should recognize their right and duty to play their part in building up the Mystical Body of Christ" (Christus Dominus, n. 16).

The Council also adds a note on the universal dimension of the love which should inspire the ministerium episcopale: "Bishops should show affectionate consideration in their relations with the separated brethren and should urge the faithful also to exercise all kindness and charity in their regard, encouraging ecumenism as it is understood by the Church. The non-baptized also should be the object of their solicitude so that on them too may shine the charity of Christ of whom Bishops are the witnesses before all" (Christus Dominus, n. 16).

Diocesans should show Bishop love and docility

9. The image of the Bishop that emerges from the Council's texts, then, shows that he is distinguished in the Church by the greatness of his ministry and the nobility of his spirit as a good shepherd. His status obliges him to demanding and arduous duties and to lofty sentiments of love for Christ and his brothers and sisters. It is a difficult mission and life, and so for this reason too all the Bishop's diocesans should show him love and docility, and work with him for the coming of God's kingdom. In this regard the Council concludes: "The faithful ... should be closely attached to the Bishop as the Church is to Jesus Christ and as Jesus Christ is to the Father, so that all things may conspire towards harmonious unity, and bring forth abundant fruit unto the glory of God (cf. 2 Cor 4:15)" (Lumen gentium, n. 27).