In deze tijden is
het misschien goed te herinneren aan enkele passages uit het Directorium voor
het pastorale ambt van bisschoppen uit 2004 vanwege de Congregatie voor de
Bisschoppen (waarvan ik nog geen Nederlandse vertaling gezien heb!):
Nr. 14: 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. (nr. 14)
Nr. 43: 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
Nr. 52: Conscious
of his responsibility for the entire ministry of the Word in his particular
Church, 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.
Nr. 117: The
pastoral ministry and the common good of society require that the Bishop
maintain direct or indirect relations with civil, political, socioeconomic,
military and other authorities. The Bishop should always accomplish this task
with respect and courtesy, but without ever compromising his proper spiritual
mission. While he nurtures in himself and encourages in the faithful a great
appreciation for public office, and while he prays for those charged with the
administration of temporal affairs (cf. 1 Pet 2:13-17), he should never consent
to any restriction of his apostolic freedom to proclaim the Gospel openly and
to enunciate moral and religious principles, including those affecting the life
of society. Ready to commend worthy efforts and genuine successes in the public
arena, he should be equally ready to condemn every public offence against God’s
law and against human dignity, taking care never to give the community the
least impression that he is meddling in affairs outside his competence or supporting
partisan interests. In these matters, the Bishop should set an example of
apostolic conduct for priests, consecrated persons and members of societies of
apostolic life, so that they too are able to maintain the same freedom in their
respective ministries or apostolates.
Nr. 120: The
Bishop has a personal obligation to preach often, proposing to the faithful, in
the first instance, what they are to believe and do for the glory of God and
for their eternal salvation. He proclaims the mystery of salvation accomplished
in Christ, so as to demonstrate that Our Lord is the one Saviour and the centre
of the lives of the faithful and of all human history (356).
It is also
the Bishop’s task to proclaim always and everywhere the moral principles of the
social order, in this way announcing man’s authentic liberation, brought about
through the Incarnation of the Word. When the rights of the human person or the
salvation of souls so demand, it is his duty to express a judgement based on
revelation about the concrete realities of human life: in particular, on
matters concerning the value of life, the meaning of freedom, the unity and
stability of the family, the procreation and education of children, the
contribution to the common good, human labour, the consequences of technical
progress, the use of material goods and the peaceful and fraternal co-existence
of all peoples (357). The Bishop should not fail to make known to his people
the teachings and guidelines that he receives from the Holy See.
