Cardinal Prevost spoke of the pastoral duties of bishops who are not ‘business managers devoted solely to organisations, structural and ceremonial matters’.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, president of the Dicastery of Bishops, on Wednesday touched upon some of the “gifts” that candidate bishops must have; This decision remains reserved for the Holy Father, but the selection process will increasingly involve the participation of “God’s people.” .”

At the beginning of his speech to reporters at the daily briefing on Synodality in Rome on October 23, the cardinal said that in every episcopal conference, the question of the election process of bishops and how it is carried out is one of the most important issues on the agenda. Topics discussed during the synod.

“The question is: How can this process of searching for candidates be made more synodal and include the greatest participation not only of bishops but also of priests, religious and lay people?” Cardinal Prevost said.

One of the most important functions of the apostolic nuncios is to participate in this selection process. The Vatican’s “ambassadors” play a crucial role in the selection of candidates.

According to the cardinal, this new approach towards the “synodal” style requires the nuncio to “know the people well” during pastoral visits and not just “get accepted by the parish priest” and participate in the ceremonies.

It is also necessary to “engage in neighborhood groups” to listen to their problems and reflect on how the Church can be strengthened.

Bishop Selection Criteria

When asked about the necessary “criteria” for the election of bishops, Prevost emphasized both their universal character and their specificity depending on the particular areas in which they are carried out.

“We ask the nuncios to prepare reports containing a number of issues regarding the candidate, which will then be sent to the presbytery and then presented to the Holy Father.”

The abbot also mentioned that some of these conditions include investigating the candidate’s “worthiness” as well as whether he has “serious problems that no one knows about,” whether he has some health problems or other aspects of his past. “That doesn’t make him a good candidate.”

“But we also look at specific dioceses and their needs. Therefore, the apostolic nuncio is charged with giving news not only about bishops, but also about priests, lay people and religious. “Knowing what the diocese is like, what its needs are, and what bishops they need,” he added.

The cardinal pointed out that this closeness to God’s people should continue as long as the apostolic nuncio “does his job right,” that is, studies the local situation, speaks to the people and looks for ways to find the best candidate.

He noted that Pope Francis has spoken repeatedly about these criteria, emphasizing the “smell of sheep” that bishops must have as a result of walking alongside God’s people and even “suffering with them.”

In addition, he noted that a candidate must also have leadership ability, sometimes even “in communities where there are many good priests,” but without a good leader “they can’t go anywhere.”

‘Shepherds Walking with God’s People’

Cardinal Prevost spoke of the pastoral duties of bishops who are not “business managers devoted solely to organizations, structural and ceremonial matters.”

“They should be shepherds walking joyfully with God’s people,” he said.

The prefect of the Bishops’ Dicastery, which is responsible for everything related to the constitution and provisions of certain Churches and the exercise of the episcopal function in the Church, emphasized that bishops should also be “judged and evaluated” for their actions. and attitudes. For the cardinal, “the meaning of being a bishop is the tension of being a priest and being evaluated.”

Quoting the Holy Father in this context, he reminded that the sole authority of bishops is “to serve” and insisted on the importance of “changing the entire dynamic and paradigm of the power structure” with a focus on service. A bishop is required to exercise towards all members of his diocese.