The Cardinal who selects Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Marc Ouellet has revealed that more regularly than he would have expected, priests chosen to be bishop do not accept the appointment.
Reasons for refusing to become a bishop include the growing difficulty of fulfilling the role, in a society in which the bishops are under public attack, in part as a result of the scandals and charges concerning sexual abuse.
The cardinal cautioned about priests and bishops who have career ambitions.
If a priest or bishop aspires and manoeuvres to be promoted to a prominent diocese, “it is better for him to stay where he is.”
The cardinal said that in these times, the Church needs bishops who are theologians and who can explain, and if necessary publicly defend, the faith.
“Today, especially in the context of our secularised societies, we need bishops who are the first evangelisers, and not mere administrators of dioceses. Who are capable of proclaiming the Gospel. Who are not only theologically faithful to the magisterium and the pope, but are also capable of expounding and, if need be, of defending the faith publicly.”
Ouellet was being interviewed at the end of the first year as Prefect of the congregation of bishops.
Sources
- Expressonline.it
- Image: National Post