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This month has seen over 330 new Catholic bishops taking part in a formation course in Rome.
Among them was Archbishop Coadjutor Paul Martin, appointed the tenth Catholic Bishop of Christchurch in December 2017. He was consecrated in March 2018 (pictured).
There isn’t usually such a time lag between being appointed bishop and attending the annual formation course.
The COVID-19 pandemic, however saw these cancelled until this year.
“It is clear the call of Pope Francis for the Church to act in a synodal way is being embedded in the manner of every dicastery,” one of the bishops said.
The course offers practical information to the bishops and a chance to pray and meet with their peers from around the world and with top Vatican officials.
It also offers bishops a chance to respond to the Pope’s desire for them to undertake “an intense spiritual reading of the call to the episcopate, first and foremost as a path of grace and sanctification, for the pastor and, through him, for his people,” a statement from the Dicastery for Bishops says.
“No one can carry out a pastoral ministry in the church without a profound experience of being saved and of knowing how, beginning with Him, such mercy is truly offered, constantly and without discrimination, to every man and woman.”
This year’s course themes include:
- the meaning of “a synodal church”
- crisis management with special attention to handling situations and allegations of abuse
- the post-pandemic church
- a review of what canon law says about administering a diocese
- communication and use of the media, ministry to families with special attention to “Amoris Laetitia”
- promoting care for all people and for the environment with special attention to “Laudato Si’” and “Fratelli Tutti”
“There is clearly a process of renewal underway at every level which reflects the vision and mission of the Second Vatican Council,” said one of the new bishops.
“The Church is listening more clearly to the joys, hopes, aspirations and anxieties of her people and this dialogue enhances her missionary stance to the world.”
The 2022 courses are now being held in multiple sessions. The first groups of bishops — more than 150 of them — met Pope Francis in early September.
The second batch of bishops – from mission territories like New Zealand – met him on Saturday.
One bishop commented about the “wonderful experience to gather with bishops from so many countries, whose experience is shaped by the culture and context of their local Church.
“Among the bishops, nearly a third represented the Eastern-Oriental Catholics which further enriched the perspective of the universality of the Catholic Church in terms of liturgy, theology and pastoral practice.”
The Dicastery for Bishops, the Dicastery for Evangelisation and the Dicastery for Eastern Churches organised the courses.
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