By Father Louis Naughton

Habemus episcopum! We have a new diocesan bishop, an archbishop in fact.

Without taking away from his role in the Church at large, this seems a good time to think about the special and unique role of the bishop in his diocese.

A diocese is sometimes referred to as the “local” church. It is that particular portion of the people of God which is entrusted to the pastoral care of the diocesan bishop. As we are in an archdiocese our bishop is called an archbishop. The archbishop must have the cooperation of the laity, religious women and men, deacons as well as the presbyterate, that is, the collegium of diocesan priests and the religious order priests who have been assigned by their own proper superiors to minister in the archdiocese. Adhering to the archbishop as chief pastor of the archdiocese and gathered in him in the Holy Spirit through the Gospel and the Eucharist the archdiocese makes up a particular church in which the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church of Christ is truly present and operative.

The archbishop’s role is the pastoral one of teaching, ruling and sanctifying. With regard to the spiritual welfare of the archdiocese, before God, the buck stops with him. He is a successor of the apostles. Hence his is not just any apostolic role but the role of one of the twelve apostles, sent out by Christ to proclaim in a formal, authoritative manner all that Christ has taught and to proclaim it to the ends of the earth. As a diocesan bishop, Archbishop Lyke’s primary role is focused on the particular church which is the archdiocese of Atlanta.

The English word “bishop” is a translation of its latin counterpart episcopus which is rooted in the Greek word EPISKOPE which means overseer. As apostolic overseer of the particular or local church, the archbishop is to ensure that the teachings of Christ, as authentically interpreted by the apostolic or episcopal college in union with the Holy Father, the successor of Peter, and his brother bishops throughout the world, are faithfully and accurately transmitted and propagated throughout the archdioceses. If there is a problem he must intervene with the loving care of a concerned parent to correct or redirect whatever needs to be rectified.

As teacher the archbishop is bound to present to the faithful the truths of the faith which are to be believed and applied to moral issues. He is responsible before God for transmitting accurately in all its dimensions the Gospel message as it applies to the particular matter(s) in questions.

As ruler, he may find it necessary to take certain measures because of the dictates of the Gospel and of his apostolic role. As an apostolic teacher his role is clearly that of being the mouthpiece of Christ for the people entrusted to his apostolic care.

As sanctifier, the archbishop is the chief liturgist of the archdiocese. Each Sunday and Holyday the bishop is to celebrate the Missa pro popula, that is, a Mass the primary prayerful intention and focus of which is directed to all of the people within his diocese. This is a formal and concrete expression of the concern which he must have not only for all the faithful entrusted to his care whether on a permanent or temporary basis but also for those Christians not in full communion with the Catholic Church as well as for the non-baptized and those who are non-believers.

An archbishop has other roles in addition to diocesan responsibilities. He functions as a kind of chairman when the bishops of the metropolitan province of Atlanta convene to discuss matters of mutual ecclesiastical interest and concern. The province of Atlanta encompasses the five dioceses of Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina: Atlanta, Savannah, Charlotte, Raleigh and Charleston. Within the province the archbishop is given the first place in ecclesiastical protocol. When officiating in an official capacity throughout the province the archbishop is recognizable by the pallium – a woolen scarflike piece – which is placed over his shoulders. Not only does the pallium serve as a symbol of an archbishop’s special role with in the metropolitan province but it also functions as a vital reminder of his communion with the successor of Peter and living head of the Apostolic College of the bishops of the Church universal.

Let us keep our new archbishop constantly in our prayers, asking the Lord to help him to discern accurately the will and the way of the Lord. Following is a prayer from the liturgy of the ordination of a bishop.

Almighty God and Father, enrich our archbishop with abundant blessings. Grant him the peace which comes from Christ. Strengthen him to preach the Gospel with unfailing patience and sound teaching. Protect him with faith, hope and love as he cares for the bride of Christ, His holy Church. Enable him to keep watch over the whole flock of this archdiocese in which the Holy Spirit has appointed him to shepherd this portion of the Church. United with Mary, the mother of the Church, and with the communion of saints, we make this prayer through Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord.

(Father Naughton is a vice officialis of Metropolitan Tribunal.)