A Closer Look At Vatican II
The “Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church,” among the 16 major documents produced by the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), was promulgated (e.g. published) on Oct. 28, 1965. Its Latin title, Christus Dominus (e.g. “Christ the Lord”), like all documents produced in the official language of the Church, comes from the very first words of the text itself. This decree did much to identify the role of bishops in their own respective dioceses as well as in regional conferences and the universal Church.
During the earliest centuries of Christianity, bishops possessed sole authority over those churches or communities entrusted to their care. Over time, that authority seemed to blur as role of the Bishop of Rome, as Supreme Pontiff, expanded throughout the regions and locales of the Church in various parts of the world. This particular decree, Christus Dominus, provided much needed clarity about the nature and role of a bishop’s authority in his particular Church (e.g. the diocese) as well as in his collegial relationship with the Holy Father and other bishops.
Christus Dominus affirmed the Church’s long-standing theological understanding of the bishops as being successors of the apostles. In its introduction, the decree states; “By virtue, therefore, of the Holy Spirit who has been given to them, bishops have been constituted true and authentic teachers of the faith and have been made pontiffs and pastors.” [CD, 2] The decree goes on to stress the unique way in which the bishop is to carry out the three-fold office of teaching, sanctifying and governance, noting that the bishops throughout the world, regardless of any disparities in language or experiences form a special body known as a college. It states; “The bishops, by virtue of their sacramental consecration and their hierarchical communion with the head of the college and its other members, are constituted members of the episcopal body. The order of bishops is the successor of the college of the apostles in their role as teachers and pastors, and in it the apostolic college is perpetuated. Together with their head, the Supreme Pontiff, and never apart from him, they have supreme and full authority over the universal Church…” [CD, 4] Complimenting this decree is the Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops, as published by the Holy See’s Congregation for Bishops, in 2004.
As the saying goes, “fences make for good neighbors.” As such, it is important to provide clarity for the boundaries of both rights and obligations associated with episcopal authority of any given bishop. Thus, a diocese is defined by the decree as “a section of the People of God entrusted to a bishop to be guided by him with the assistance of his clergy so that, loyal to its pastor and formed by him into one community in the Holy Spirit through the Gospel and the Eucharist, it constitutes one particular church in which the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church of Christ is truly present and active.” [11] In order to properly carry out his three-fold office of teaching, sanctifying and governance, within his respective diocese, a bishop possesses “all ordinary, special and immediate power which is necessary for the effective exercise of his pastoral office, but always without prejudice to the power which the Roman Pontiff possesses…” [8a]
Whereas the world considers authority as an expression or means of power, the Church’s primary focus is on responsibility. Thus, the decree addresses a number of key responsibilities for bishops to keep before them as they individually and collectively carry out their three-fold office of episcopal authority, such as the following: maintaining an appreciation for their close unity to each other in being solicitous for all the churches; ensuring that the activities of evangelization and the apostolate are zealously supported and promoted by the faithful; bearing in mind the needs not only for their own dioceses but of other individual churches with whom they form the one Church of Christ; devoting their energies wholeheartedly to all, including both those who profess belief in Jesus Christ and those who have strayed in any way from the path of truth or have no knowledge of the gospel of Christ; exercising their teaching role as one of their principle duties; demonstrating the proper ordering of worldly things and human institutions toward the salvific plan of God; explaining the high value placed on the human person (e.g. life, liberty, family, children, labor, leisure, arts, technology, poverty and abundance); presenting the doctrine of Christ in a relevant manner suited to the needs of the times; safeguarding the doctrine of the Church and defending the faith; promoting dialogue, endeavoring to use all means available for preaching and catechetical instruction; ensuring that catechists are adequately prepared and taking steps to reestablish the adult catechumenate; overseeing that the faithful know and live the paschal mystery, especially through the Eucharist, by means of prayer, the Word and charity; serving as spiritual guides; promoting the sanctity of clergy and religious; giving an example of sanctity charity, humility and simplicity of life; fostering vocations; exercising his office, following the good shepherd, as one who serves; being solicitous in his relationship as father and brother to his priests; encouraging various forms of the apostolate; and always keeping in mind that all is directed toward the salvation of souls. To this end, the decree also addresses the role of the various members of the diocesan curia who “cooperate” with the diocesan bishop in pastoral task, denoting particular offices (e.g. other bishops, vicar general), consultative bodies (e.g. priests’ council, college of consultors, pastoral council), the diocesan clergy, religious and laity.
Finally, the decree provides an understanding of each bishop’s relationship with the larger Church beyond his diocesan boundary; namely, as related to synods, councils, provincials, regional and episcopal conferences. This latter part, in essence, reminds the bishop that his duties and obligations do not end at his diocesan boundaries. While maintaining a particular focus on those faithful within the territory directly entrusted to his pastoral care, the bishop must also keep in mind his collegial bond with other bishops and their shared commitment to promoting the good of the Church at all levels of society (e.g. local, regional, nationally and universally).
As successors of the apostles, bishops must first and foremost be rooted in prayer, especially drawing from the Word of God and the Sacraments. Grounded in the doctrine of the Church, bishops must particularly be marked by their role as teachers of the faith and servants of charity. The decree essentially serves as a resource of clarity, challenge and inspiration for those who have accepted the call to serve as bishop. It also provides those who are not bishops with a greater understanding of what is expected of the episcopal role of servant-leadership in the Church. Thus, I beg you, pray for me!
