By Chris Eckl

What is it like to be a 39-year-old bishop with one year’s seniority?

Bishop Joseph L. Bernardin did not answer the question in one sentence, but he did discuss his role as bishop and pastor and some of his work during his first year as a prelate. He was consecrated bishop last April 26 and was ordained a priest on April 26, 1952.

“I think it is essential today that a bishop establish a good rapport with his priests in this era of change and renewal,” he said in an interview.

“The role of the priest is being reevaluated, and while this is good, it can have an unsettling effect on many priests. It has resulted in what many call the ‘identity crisis’ for priests.”

Bishop Bernardin said the situation demands that a bishop be close to priests so they will look upon him as more of a father than administrator. “It is especially important that a bishop be a good listener so he can establish true collegiality among bishop and priests.”

He said serving as pastor of the Cathedral of Christ the King has brought him into personal contact with people. “It has served to give my administrative work a new dimension and has kept me from operating within a vacuum.

“I have been very happy in the past year,” he said. “In a sense, except for my pastoral duties, my work is not substantially different from what I was doing as vicar general in the Dioceses of Charleston.”

His most recent work as a bishop was serving on the Commission for Canonical Affairs, headed by Bishop Ernest J. Primeau of Manchester, N.H.

The commission, at the meeting of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in Chicago, recommended that prior censorship of books be restricted to a small category. The request has been sent to the Holy See for approval.

Bishop Bernardin spent two months polling the American bishops and also sought opinions form the Theological Society of America, the Canon Law Society as well as individual canonists. His report submitted to the commission was adopted.

The five major points which were covered by the bishops were:

1. That prior approval be required for the actual text of Sacred Scripture, books of prayer or devotion, liturgical and ceremonial books, and textbooks used in religious education programs, especially at the primary and secondary levels.
2. That prior approval not be required for books or articles dealing with the Scriptures, theology, canon law, ecclesiastical history, etc. In the event that a publication did contain dangerous teaching, a warning in a pastoral tone should be issued. This warning would have the effect of informing the people what was wrong with the book.
3. That an effective liaison be established between the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and professional societies, such as the Theological Society of America and the Catholic Press Association, so that they can effectively assist the bishops in evaluating publications. Together they could encourage the writing of worthwhile books and discourage publications which are inaccurate or of inferior scholarship.
4. That English words or phrases be substituted for the Nihil Obstat and the Imprimatur which will be more meaningful to the public at large.
5. That, if and when these changes take place, the explanation be given in a totally positive context to avoid some of the more unfavorable impressions created by the notion of censorship.

Bishop Bernardin pointed out that these recommendations will not become operative until they are made a part of canon law.

Will prior censorship be revised? “I am confident that significant changes will be made in the present law,” he said.

Asked why the proposed changes were studied and then recommended, Bishop Bernardin said, “There was discussion at the bishops’ November meeting about the publication of books on theology, etc., which contained strange and erroneous ideas.

“The concern was that some of these books had received imprimaturs and were, therefore, considered to be approved by the Church.

“Prior censorship is ineffective because there are not ground rules. A lot depends on the individual appointed to act as censor. As a result one man might be more strict in evaluating a book than another, the bishop commented.

Bishop Bernardin said the proposed procedure—to issue a pastoral warning against a book after it has been published—would be more effective and would avoid the unfavorable notion of prior censorship.

The bishop served on the committee which drafted the bishops’ statement on war and peace. In developing the actual text of the statement, the pastoral issued earlier by him and Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan on war and peace was used. Bishop Bernardin has also been appointed a member of the bishops’ committees on Latin American and on World Justice and Peace.