An Apologetical Explanation of the

Office of Bishop

What is the role of bishop?

A bishop, as God’s steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness, master of himself, upright, holy, and self-controlled; he must hold firm to the sure word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to confute those who contradict it.  (Ti 1:7-9)

A bishop is a successor to the Apostles and thus able to participate in the exercise of the Magisterium, the teaching authority of the Church.  A bishop heads a local church, or diocese, as part of his threefold office of teaching, sanctifying, and governing.

When Christ began his ministry, he chose the Twelve Apostles to help him spread the Good News.  He entrusted his Church to them and made St. Peter their leader.  In turn, the Twelve chose others among their followers to help them and to continue their mission.  (Cf. CCC 1555-1556)

First among these is the office of bishop, collectively called the episcopacy (from the Greek episkopos, meaning “overseer,” which is the root of the word “bishop”).  As the successors of the Apostles, a bishop of the Church possesses the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, for he has received the full authority that Christ gave to the Twelve.  Therefore, only those who have been validly ordained as bishops are able to confer the Sacrament of Holy Orders, whether to the episcopacy, the priesthood, or the diaconate.  (Cf. CCC 1313, 1538, 1557, 1576)

Generally, each bishop is entrusted with a “particular church,” i.e., a diocese (or archdiocese), in which he acts as Christ’s chosen representative and the legitimate pastor of all the faithful within that diocese.  “The individual bishops…are the visible principle and foundation of unity in their particular churches [and] exercise their pastoral government over the portion of the People of God committed to their care” [LG 23).  He is the visible source of unity within the diocese and is responsible for the celebration of the Sacraments—especially the Eucharist—as well as the teaching and governing of the flock entrusted to his care.  (Cf. CCC 833, 1516, 1594)

The bishops of a particular country or region are often organized in to a bishops’ conference, which schedules regular meetings at which they discuss and adopt pastoral polices, issue statements on moral and social issues of concern, and both implement and make recommendations on practices and polices for the portion of the universal Church, [bishops] are effectively contributing to the welfare of the whole Mystical Body, which is also the body of the churches” (LG 23).  (Cf. CCC 887)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 886.

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