What was the responsibility of the Bishops?

Answer 1

In the Catholic Church a Diocesan Bishop confirms, ordains Priests, administers a diocese, preaches the Holy Gospel, performs visitations of monasteries, convents, and seminaries, instructs the faithful in sound doctrine, and performs other Priestly duties as well.

An auxiliary Bishop of a diocese does whatever work he is instructed to do by his diocesan ordinary (the Bishop of the Diocese).

Bishops directly in the service of the Holy See serve in the offices of the Roman Curia, oversee certain Apostolic works, or can be employed in diplomatic service, such as Nuncios of the Holy See to various countries.

AnswerA bishop is a common judge in Israel. It is his right to have the gift of discernment. The power to discern all other spirital gifts. He has the reponsibitiy to all of his flock, not only to those who attend the church over which he presides, but to all who are within the bounds of his durestiction. He assignes others to help him in his responsibilities so that he is not worn out by all that is required of him. He assigns people to oversee the youth, the single older women and male members and sees that all are visited regularly. He has the responsiblity of all of the finances. There are many responsibilities that he can asign to others, while others he alone must take responsiblity for. He feeds his flock with the words of Christ, and may assign others to speak at services. He may hold a Bishops court and sit in judgment with the aid of his assistants, or hand over the responsiblity to a higher authority.

In the Catholic Church a Diocesan Bishop confirms, ordains Priests, administers a diocese, preaches the Holy Gospel, performs visitations of monasteries, convents, and seminaries, instructs the faithful in sound doctrine, and performs other Priestly duties as well.

An auxiliary Bishop of a diocese does whatever work he is instructed to do by his diocesan ordinary (the Bishop of the Diocese).

Bishops directly in the service of the Holy See serve in the offices of the Roman Curia, oversee certain Apostolic works, or can be employed in diplomatic service, such as Nuncios of the Holy See to various countries.

In the Catholic Church a Diocesan Bishop confirms, ordains Priests, administers a diocese, preaches the Holy Gospel, performs visitations of monasteries, convents, and seminaries, instructs the faithful in sound doctrine, and performs other Priestly duties as well.

An auxiliary Bishop of a diocese does whatever work he is instructed to do by his diocesan ordinary (the Bishop of the Diocese).

Bishops directly in the service of the Holy See serve in the offices of the Roman Curia, oversee certain Apostolic works, or can be employed in diplomatic service, such as Nuncios of the Holy See to various countries.

Roman Catholic AnswerBishops are successors of the Apostles, it is a permanent office established of Our

Blessed Lord on the Apostles, and handed down through Episcopal Consecration (Ordination). "The bishops have by divine instituion taken the place of the apostles as pastors of the Church, in such wise that whoever listens to them is listening to Christ and whoever despises them despises Christ and him who sent Christ." (Lumen Gentium 20, section 2)

Answer 2

In Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy,and Anglicanism only a bishop can ordain other bishops, priests, and deacons. In the Eastern liturgical tradition, a priest can celebrate the Divine Liturgy only with the blessing of a bishop. In Byzantine usage, an antimension signed by the bishop is kept on the altar partly as a reminder of whose altar it is and under whose omophorion the priest at a local parish is serving. In Syriac Church usage, a consecrated wooden block called a tablitho is kept for the same reasons. The pope, in addition to being the Bishop of Rome and spiritual head of the Catholic Church, is also the Patriarch of the Latin Rite. Each bishop within the Latin Rite is answerable directly to the Pope and not any other bishop except to metropolitans in certain oversight instances. The pope previously used the title Patriarch of the West, but this title was dropped from use in 2006 a move which caused some concern within the Orthodox Communion as, to them, it implied wider papal jurisdiction. In Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Anglican cathedrals there is a special chair set aside for the exclusive use of the bishop. This is the bishop's cathedraand is often called the throne. In some Christian denominations e.g. the Anglican Communion, parish churches may maintain a chair for the use of the bishop when he visits; this is to signify the parish's union with the bishop. The bishop is also the proper minister of the sacrament of confirmation, and in the Anglican Communion and Liberal Catholic communion only a bishop may administer this sacrament. However, in Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches chrismation is always done at the same time as baptism, and thus the priest is the one who confirms. Within Catholicism, it is invariably the priest who confirms those being received as adults into the Church. Also, a Catholic bishop may delegate a priest to administer the sacrament in his place; these men are called episcopal vicars and are usually responsible for a particular area of the diocese.

Answer 3

The proclamation and transmission of the Gospel is central to the Bishop's ministry. The Second Vatican Council teaches that by virtue of his Episcopal Ordination, three munera or offices are conferred upon a Bishop. These offices of sanctifying, teaching, and governing are essential to the way a Bishop carries out his responsibilities. Lumen Gentium teaches, "… by means of the imposition of hands and the words of consecration, the grace of the Holy Spirit is so conferred, and the sacred character so impressed, that bishops in an eminent and visible way sustain the roles of Christ Himself as Teacher, Shepherd and High Priest, and that they act in His person."

Consequently, the Bishop holds the primary responsibility for catechesis in his diocese and accepts the role of chief catechist there while being responsible for the nature of its catechetical mission.

In the Gospel of Saint John we are told that after washing his disciples' feet, Jesus describes to them their role as true and authentic teachers, "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me." (John 13:20) The Bishop, with the collaboration and support of priests, deacons and properly formed lay leaders, is commissioned to teach, preach and fill the role as a true and authentic teacher by articulating the faith to the local Church entrusted to his care in the name of Christ.

In his role as pastor of a community and under the authority of the Bishop, the priest likewise holds the primary responsibility in the parish to proclaim the Gospel through homilies and catechetical instruction. As stated in Canon 528 §1, the pastor is "… to have particular care for the Catholic education of children and youth. He is to make every effort, even with the collaboration of the Christian faithful, so that the message of the gospel comes also to those who have ceased the practice of their religion or do not profess the true faith."

In light of this important role held by the pastor, I direct that all pastors evaluate the current parish faith formation programs. This evaluation should include the assessment of both content and methodology. Lay and religious faith formation staff should be included in this process. When the Office for Evangelization and Faith Formation publishes the revised diocesan norms, each pastor and his catechetical staff will be expected to bring their current faith formation programs and catechetical methodologies into compliance with diocesan norms. The Office for Evangelization and Faith Formation will assist pastors and their staffs in establishing an ongoing evaluation or outcomes assessment process to guarantee consistency across the Diocese in the transmission of the faith and to evaluate its results.