Pope Francis has called for bishops who are genuine pastors and who will argue with God on behalf of their people.
He said this in an address to the Vatican’s Congregation of Bishops on February 27.
The Pope told the office they should not seek prelates who are mainly concerned with doctrinal matters.
Rather the Church needs “guardians of doctrine, not to measure how far the world lives from the truth it contains, but to fascinate the world, to enchant the world with the beauty of love, to seduce it with the free gift of the Gospel”.
“The Church does not need apologists of its causes nor crusaders of its battles, but sowers humble and confident of the truth, who . . . trust of its power,” the Pontiff continued.
Francis invited the congregation to review the teachings of the early Church to “look for some criteria” in choosing bishops.
The Pope asked them particularly to consider how the apostles chose a replacement for Judas, following his betrayal of Christ.
“The bishop is first and foremost a martyr of the risen one,” the Pope stated.
“His life and his ministry must make credible the Resurrection.”
“The courage to die, the generosity of offering their own lives and to be consumed by the flock are inscribed in the ‘DNA’ of the episcopate,” he continued.
Recounting the Old Testament story of Sodom, when Abraham negotiated with God not to destroy the city if there could be ten righteous people within its boundaries, Pope Francis said bishops must be “courageous in intercessory prayer as Abraham”.
“A man who lacks the courage to argue with God on behalf of his people cannot be bishop – I say this from the heart, I am convinced,” he stated.
Pope Francis listed several desirable virtues in potential bishops, including a “capacity for healthy, balanced relationships”, “upright behaviour”, “orthodoxy and fidelity” to Church doctrine and “transparency and detachment in administrating the goods of the community”.
“We don’t need a manager, the CEO of a business, nor someone who shares our pettiness or low aspirations,” the Pope said.
Sources
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