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Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Bishops are high priests, principle dispensers of the mysteries of God, moderators, promoters and custodians of the whole of the liturgical life of the Church entrusted to their care. Canon 835 of Canon Law affirms that bishops “sanctify” because they exercise the fullness of the priesthood, dispense the divine mysteries and safeguard liturgical life. “The Bishop and munus sanctificandi” was the subject of a conference given by Cardinal Carlo Caffarra Archbishop of Bologna, at the Study-Seminar for newly appointed Bishops, organised in Rome by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.
With regard to the expression that bishops are “high priests”, Card. Caffarra quoted two documents of Vatican II (SC 41,1; LG 26,1). “These documents reveal how the apostolic ministry of the Bishop and the life in Christ of the people entrusted to his care are connected principally by the celebration of the Eucharist. It is from the Eucharist celebrated by the Bishop that ‘in a way’ the life in Christ of his people depends” the Cardinal said. The Bishop’s celebration of the Eucharistic in his cathedral is a highly significant and incomparable sign. It must be a celebration of dignity and splendour and is most educational when celebrated with all his priests for example on Holy Thursday, or on the anniversary of the cathedral’s dedication.
The Bishop is the “principle dispenser of the mysteries of God first of all because in his local Church he is the apostle who preaches the Gospel, the authentic doctor of the mysteries of faith to be believed and practised”. The mysteries of God are dispensed to the people first of all through the ministry of the Word, Card. Caffarra continued: “The Bishop is the visible sign of the sanctification of the faithful and their life in Christ and in a sense the divine mysteries reach the people either directly through the ministry of the Bishop or through the ministers whom only the Bishop may ordain”.
Since Liturgical worship “is the greatest event here on earth, the most luminous sign of the mystery of the Church, the door through which we pilgrims on earth enter the heavenly Jerusalem”, this the greatest of the Church’s treasures, is entrusted to the Bishop, he has three main duties: to safeguard, promote and to govern. The first duty is to safeguard “the truth of liturgical worship”: “our liturgical celebrations are not always an epiphany of the mystery, they are not always an evident expression of the nature of divine worship. Liturgical celebration is not first of all an act of community coming together, it is first of all an act of worship of God, supplication, adoration”. The second aspect is connected with the participation of the people, the Bishop must ensure this participation is active and fruitful (cfr SC 11).
The treasure of the liturgy must be promoted “it must bear fruit in the life of individuals and communities”. The people must be led to proper understanding of liturgical worship by means of continual and progressive mystagogical catechesis. The Cardinal underlined two tasks: educate the younger generations to personal prayer to enable them to take part actively and consciously in the liturgical prayer, and promote the dignity and splendour of the places in which liturgy is celebrated.
Thirdly the responsibility to govern is exercised at two levels: the Bishop must ensure that in his local Church the Liturgy is always celebrated with respect for the universal norms and he must moderate liturgical celebrations in his diocese offering guidelines and norms to ensure that Liturgical life is safeguarded and promoted. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 16/9/2006; Righe 44 - Parole 624)
