Sunday, May 15, 2016

Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 142 - Part II.



YOUCAT Question n. 142 - Part II. Can bishops act and teach against the Pope, or the Pope against the bishops?


(Youcat answer - repeated) Bishops cannot act and teach against the Pope, but only with him. In contrast, the Pope can make decisions in clearly defined cases even without the approval of the bishops.        

A deepening through CCC

(CCC  886 a) "The individual bishops are the visible source and foundation of unity in their own particular Churches" (LG 23). As such, they "exercise their pastoral office over the portion of the People of God assigned to them" (LG 23), assisted by priests and deacons. But, as a member of the episcopal college, each bishop shares in the concern for all the Churches (Cf. CD 3).     

Reflecting and meditating 

(Youcat comment) Of course the Pope in all his decisions is bound by the Church’s faith. There is something like a general sense of the faith in the Church, a fundamental conviction in matters of faith that is brought about by the Holy Spirit and present throughout the Church, the Church’s “common sense”, so to speak, which recognizes “what has always and everywhere been believed by all” (Vincent of Lerins).

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 886 b) The bishops exercise this care first "by ruling well their own Churches as portions of the universal Church," and so contributing "to the welfare of the whole Mystical Body, which, from another point of view, is a corporate body of Churches" (LG 23). They extend it especially to the poor (Cf. Gal 2:10), to those persecuted for the faith, as well as to missionaries who are working throughout the world.    
 
(This question: Can bishops act and teach against the Pope, or the Pope against the bishops? is continued)  

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