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Pope Francis has criticised bishops who strut around “like a peacock” and live only for their “vanity”.
In a general audience on Wednesday, the Pope spoke about the role of bishops and collegiality.
He departed from his script to say: “The bishop is not an honorary role, it is a service.”
“A worldly mentality speaks of a man who has an ‘ecclesiastical career and has become a bishop’.
“There should be no place for such a mentality in the Church. The bishop serves; it is not a position of honour, to boast about.”
The Pope added: “It is sad when we see a man who seeks this office and does all he can to get it and when he gets it does not serve, instead goes around like a peacock and lives only for his vanity.”
One does not ask for the office, the Pope said, rather one accepts it in obedience, not to become higher, but to lower oneself, as Jesus did on the cross.
Francis also said that bishops were called “to express one single college, gathered around the Pope, who is the guardian and guarantor of this profound communion that was so dear to Jesus and His apostles themselves”.
Pope Francis called the hierarchical Church, “our holy mother”.
And in the presence and ministry of bishops, priests and deacons, the true maternal face of the hierarchical Church is recognised, he said.
The Pope concluded by calling upon the faithful, beginning with the clergy, to be united with, and pray for, their bishops.
“There is no healthy Church if the faithful priests, deacons are not united around their bishop,” he said.
“This Church not united around their bishop is a sick Church.”
Meanwhile, a document authorised by the Pope has decreed that non-cardinal heads of Vatican departments and officials automatically lose office when they reach 75.
It states that cardinals who lead a curial department and diocesan bishops must offer their resignation on turning 75.
It also points out that the Pope may ask a bishop to resign after a “fraternal dialogue”.
Sources
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News category: World.
