Het pastorale ambt van de bisschop

 

 

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.