Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Day 213: Bishops and the Episcopacy

"Amongst those various offices which have been exercised in the Church from the earliest times the chief place, according to the witness of tradition, is held by the function of those who, through their appointment to the dignity and responsibility of bishop, and in virtue consequently of the unbroken succession going back to the beginning, are regarded as transmitters of the apostolic line." CCC 1555 


In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the three degrees of the Sacrament of Holy Orders: episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate. The focus today is mostly on the first, the episcopate. Together with the presbyterate, the episcopate is the "ministerial participation in the priesthood of Christ," while the "diaconate is intended to help and serve them" (CCC 1554). Although they differ from one another, all three receive ordination, or the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

The Catechism Compendium gives a summary of the effect of episcopal ordination:
Episcopal ordination confers the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders. It makes the bishop a legitimate successor of the apostles and integrates him into the episcopal college to share with the Pope and the other bishops care for all the churches. It confers on him the offices of teaching, sanctifying, and ruling. (#325)

While the Pope as the Successor of St. Peter is the Vicar of Christ over the whole Church, and of course in his own Diocese of Rome, each bishop is the "Christ's vicar" over the particular church entrusted to them. He also "at the same time... bears collegially with all his brothers in the episcopacy the solicitude for all the Churches" and with his brother bishops is responsible "for the apostolic mission of the Church" (CCC 1560).

The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary on these important offices within the Church, especially the episcopate:

St. Ignatius of Antioch said, "Let everyone revere the deacons as Jesus Christ, the bishop as the image of the Father, and the presbyters as the senate of God and the assembly of the apostles. For without them, one cannot speak of the Church" (quoted in 1554). Bishops make holy by bringing the people of God to God and vice versa; they instruct by clearly communicating the Word and the mission attached to it; and they govern through their leadership in their own diocese. Bishops have an obligation to this trifold office, for the sake of the souls specifically entrusted to them. A bishop is responsible for every soul in his diocese - not only those who are Catholic. (p. 190)

Finally, Dr. John Bergsma has a pretty good video explaining why we need bishops in the Church:

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