Pope Leo: Through God’s grace, bishops can be men of faith, hope, charity

Bishops must give witness to hope through their words and deeds, Pope Leo XIV said in an address he made to them June 25 at Saint Peter’s Basilica for the Jubilee of Bishops.

Pope Leo first praised the bishops for making a pilgrimage to Rome, noting that while each faces urgent demands of their ministry, they, too, are sheep in the Lord’s flock, so they too must experience spiritual renewal.

Bishops, he added, must demonstrate to the Church through their words and how they live that they have hope, thanks to God’s grace. Like Saint Paul said and Pope Francis often called to mind, “Spes non confundit,” “Hope does not disappoint” (Rom 5:5), but preaching that message may be contrary to human instinct, Pope Leo noted.

“Yet it is precisely at those times when it becomes all the more apparent that our faith and our hope do not come from ourselves, but from God,” he said. “If we are truly close to those who suffer, the Holy Spirit can revive in their hearts even a flame that has all but died out (cf. Bull Spes Non Confundit, 3).”

To be a witness to the hope God provides, a bishop must be dedicated to serving the Church, which means conforming his personal life and apostolic ministry to Christ, according to the Pontiff.

The Pope said bishops’ duties include visibly building unity in their respective sees and the universal Church, relying on the grace they received when they were ordained bishops to strengthen their ability to lead.

The bishop also must be “completely docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit,” Who instills in him faith, hope, and love. 

The Pontiff said that bishops are called to be men of faith, hope and pastoral charity. They are intercessors to God on behalf of the people and help people avoid despair.

“When families are greatly burdened and public institutions fail to provide adequate support; when young people are disillusioned and fed up with empty promises; when the elderly and those with grave disabilities feel abandoned, the Bishop is close to them, not offering easy solutions, but rather the experience of communities that strive to live the Gospel in simplicity and solidarity,” the Pontiff said.

According to the Pope, the theological role of bishops also, through the Holy Spirit, also involves pastoral prudence (through dialogue), poverty (through their rejection of the lure of wealth), perfect continence in celibacy, and human virtues, such as fairness, self-control, patience, and the ability to share in both the joys and the sorrows of the people of their sees.

A bishop must have a simple lifestyle that reflects those of most of his people, the Pontiff added.

“The poor must find in him a father and a brother, and never feel uncomfortable in meeting him or entering his home,” the Pontiff said.

In addition to living as a celibate, bishops must practice chastity, and Christian discipleship.

“He must be firm and decisive in dealing with situations that can cause scandal and with every case of abuse, especially involving minors, and fully respect the legislation currently in force,” he said.

The Pontiff said that he hopes every bishop can be like a father, brother, and friend to the priests in their sees, because that will both support the pastoral outreach of priests and the unity of the Church.

The post Pope Leo: Through God’s grace, bishops can be men of faith, hope, charity appeared first on CatholicVote org.