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Summer 2003

A View from the Corner…
from the Most Rev. Francis P. Facione, Ph.D.

Recent events that placed Catholic bishops under scrutiny in the religious and secular press for their part in the crisis that gnaws at the sinews of the institutional Church raised questions pertinent to the very nature of the Church’s administration. Observers inside and outside of the Church, many quite sympathetic, called on the hierarchy to institute the changes necessary to repair its credibility that has suffered severely from what many term the worst public relations disaster to affect the Church in modern times. Laypersons, in particular, have pleaded with their bishops to not only open the books but also the doors to their offices and permit real participation by the laity in the decision-making process.

Inevitably, the publicity focused on the pastoral office of the bishop in the Church. Many persons, even life-long Catholics, seem unfamiliar with the bishop’s job description. For some, the image of the bishop is that of an almost mysterious personage in isolation from the folks in the local parish. He comes around every two or three years for Confirmations and wreaks havoc on the youngsters who have laboriously prepared to become “Soldiers of Christ”. Others may identify him as that inconsiderate, overbearing functionary who refused further financial assistance to the struggling parish school. On the other hand, perhaps, he is identified as the one responsible for re-assigning the assistant pastor who was such a good homilist. For an assessment of episcopal ministry, one must first turn to Scripture. The Pastoral Epistles provide a glimpse into the qualifications of a bishop and his role. In the First Letter to Timothy, the Apostle writes “...A bishop must be irreproachable, married only once, of even temper, self-controlled, modest, and hospitable. He should be a good teacher. He must not be addicted to drink. He ought not to be contentious but, rather, gentle, a man of peace. Nor can he be someone who loves money. He must be a good manager of his own household, keeping his children under control without sacrificing his dignity; for if a man does not know how to manage his own house, how can he take care of the church of God? He should not be a new convert, lest he become conceited and thus incur the punishment meted out to the devil. He must also be well thought of by those outside of the church, to ensure he does not fall into disgrace and the devil’s trap…” (3:2-7). In the Second Letter to Timothy, we read “… For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God bestowed when my hands were laid on you. The Spirit God has given us is no cowardly spirit, but rather one that makes us strong, loving, and wise. Therefore, never be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but with the strength which comes from God bear your share of the hardship which the gospel entails…” (1:6-8). Further on in the second letter, the Apostle instructs “…I charge you to preach the word, to stay with this task whether convenient or inconvenient—correcting, reproving, appealing—constantly teaching and never losing patience. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but following their own desires, will surround themselves with teachers who tickle their ears. They will stop listening to the truth and will wander off to fables. As for you, be steady and self-possessed; put up with hardship, perform your work as an evangelist, fulfill your ministry…” (4:2-5).

Episcopal ministry, then, is a gift of the Spirit, which our Lord gives His Church to ensure proclamation of the Word, celebration of the Sacraments and service on behalf of the Body of Christ in a coherent manner within the framework of unity. The episcopal charism must lead, watch over, exhort, advise, admonish, and comfort the Body of Christ in its universal mission of salvation. The episcopal ministry acknowledges the other charisms given the Church by its Lord, authenticates, and orients them toward unity in the Body of Christ in time and space. It leads the Church in freedom and obedience to Christ who gave us the perfect example of freedom and obedience to the Father. Subject to Scripture and Sacred Tradition, the ministry of the bishop exercises a regulatory authority in interpreting the evangelical message; it signifies the Church’s dependence upon Christ and reminds us of divine initiative. The bishop is fundamentally at the service of the Body of Christ and actualizes that service in the local church committed to his care. Just as there is no bishop without a local church, (community) there is no community without a bishop. His function within the community is essential. Consequently, the bishop lives his submission to Christ in relation to the other ministries of the local church animating the life of the People of God by his teaching and example. The Church is constantly called forth to serve humankind. The bishop, in communion with the people under his care, has concern for the society in which he lives. He proclaims the Gospel message in the midst of social conflict, reminding the people of the necessity and exigencies of justice, and is concerned with the defense of the poor and outcast in society.

The episcopal charism is eminently collegial. In the local church, the bishop and his presbyterate who exercise their ministry in a spirit of solidarity and fraternal working relationships actualize collegiality. More than one of the Church Fathers has commented upon the concept of collegiality as necessary for good church order. Throughout his seven epistles that have come down to us, St. Ignatius of Antioch (early second century) instructs the churches on the mutual relationship of the bishop, his clergy and the faithful. In his letter to the Ephesians, Ignatius admonishes the faithful “…So it becometh you to run in harmony with the mind of the bishop; which thing also ye do. For your honorable presbytery, which is worthy of God, is attuned to the bishop, even as its strings to a lyre. Therefore, in your concord and harmonious love Jesus Christ is sung…It is therefore profitable for you to be in blameless unity, that ye may also be partakers of God always..” (Epistle to the Ephesians Section 4 in The Apostolic Fathers, pg 64 J. P. Lightfoot Baker Book House Grand Rapids 1974) To the Christians at Magnesia, the saint instructs “…I advise you be ye zealous to do all things in godly concord, the bishop presiding after the likeness of God and the presbyters after the likeness of the council of the Apostles, with the deacons also who are most dear to me, having been entrusted with the diaconate of Jesus Christ…Therefore do ye all study conformity to God and pay reverence one to another; and let no man regard his neighbor after the flesh, but love ye one another in Jesus Christ always. Let there be nothing among you which shall have the power to divide you, but be ye united with the bishop and with them that preside over you as an ensample and a lesson of incorruptibility…” (Epistle to the Magnesians Section 6 J.P. Lightfoot pg 70)

St. Cyprian of Carthage, in the mid-third century, writes more directly on the subject of collegiality and the importance of the laity in the process. In a letter to his clergy, he instructs “…I have determined with myself to return no final answer, by my own single authority, to the case upon which Donatus, Fortunatus, Novatius, and Gordius, my brethren presbyters, have written to me; as having always resolved, from my first entrance upon the episcopal chair, to transact no matters of moment upon the foot of my own authority only, without taking along with it your advice, and the approbation of my people; and therefore, when it shall please God to permit me to come amongst you, we will consider and consult together upon such affairs as shall then be before us, with all those regards to each other, which our respective stations require us to receive and pay…” (From Epistle 14, Section 4 in Select Epistles of St. Cyprian Treating of the Episcopate pg 8 the Rev. Canon T.A. Lacey, Editor The Macmillan Co London undated)

The bishops also exercise their ministry within the episcopal college and assure there is communion among the local churches. This communion of the episcopate, enriched by the diversity of local churches, is an expression of a unity and catholicity that calls the Church to a complementary pluralism. Gatherings of the episcopate provide opportunities for the prelate to verify that the confession of faith of his community is in unanimity with the whole Church and fulfill his duty to announce the faith of the Church to his local church. Collegiality among the episcopate implies mutual accountability and fraternal working relationships and responsible behavior to preserve good church order.

There is a valuable lesson here for the Old Catholic episcopate outside of the Union of Utrecht. Its members must evaluate their performance and address the deficiencies particularly in terms of maintaining peace and concord and actualization of collegiality within their ranks. Looking across the spectrum of Old Catholicism in the United States, one sees an abundance of divisiveness, lack of sound ecclesiology and pretentiousness that cries for correction. There are numerous examples of such behavior. If I spotlighted each instance, I would run out of space in this column. Nevertheless, just as the Apostle instructs us always to speak the truth in charity, conscience compels me to highlight one or two of the most flagrant examples in the hope that those who arrogantly violate the principles of sound ecclesiology may reflect upon their errors and correct them. I rank at the top of this “hit-parade of shame”, the vicarious, ill-advised, unnecessary and pretentious proliferation of the episcopacy. Almost without exception this aberrant behavior results in further division within American Old Catholicism as those admitted to the episcopacy soon find spurious reasons to leave the ecclesial body that approbated their consecration to the episcopal order and create yet another schism. Of course, this outrageous conduct results directly from admission of unqualified individuals to Orders, which is next on the “hit-parade” of shame. In far too many instances, prelates endorse candidates who are poorly educated and lacking proper clerical formation. As I have commented in this Journal and other forums, clerical formation cannot occur via electronic mail and appropriate education implies accredited education from institutions of higher learning not diploma mills that issue specious “degrees”. These aberrations do great violence to the Old Catholic movement internally, subject it to ridicule and subvert all hope of true collegiality among the Old Catholic episcopate in this country.

Responsible exercise of their ministry dictates that Old Catholic prelates assume the mantle of humility and work to heal the breach and repair the disorder rampant across the face of the movement. It is imperative that they heed the admonition of St. Clement of Rome to the Christians of Corinth, circa A.D. 95, on the subject of peace and harmony in the church. He warns “…Your division hath perverted many; it had brought many to despair, many to doubting, and all of us to sorrow. And your sedition continueth…” The saint urges “…Learn to submit yourselves, laying aside the arrogant and proud stubbornness of your tongue. For it is better to be found little in the flock of Christ and to have your name on God’s roll, than to be had in exceeding honor and yet be cast out from the hope of Him…” (St. Clement of Rome to the Corinthians Sections 46 and 57 J.P.Lightfoot pg. 33 and pg 37)

Saint Clement speaks plainly to the Corinthian church—and—to each of us of the obligation to work tirelessly to heal the discord. He provides a stirring admonition that no one seriously committed to Old Catholic ministry can lightly dismiss. While the present generation of prelates may not be responsible for the schism and discord perpetrated by their ecclesiastical forbearers, they have a clear duty to rectify the present, shameful state of affairs rather than exacerbate it by their continued reckless behavior. The Old Catholic episcopate has the choice of either being part of the solution or continuing as the problem. If they choose the former, they still have time to bring credibility to their ministry. Should they obstinately refuse to recognize their frivolous behavior for what it is, the problems for which they must be accountable will continue.