A few people in recent days have asked me how Catholic bishops get chosen. I am going to try to give a thread breakdown of the process, with a few notes at the end.
An important point to make at the outset is that while there is a process, ultimately, the Roman Pontiff, the Vicar of Christ, chooses bishops.
While he prays about the process and seeks to do God’s will, those appointments are not infallible acts; they are acts of governance.
While he prays about the process and seeks to do God’s will, those appointments are not infallible acts; they are acts of governance.
On a more or less annual basis, the bps of an ecclesiastical province (an archd and its suffragan dioceses) meet together, and discuss local priests who might make good bps.
They make a list, and send it to the apostolic nuncio in DC.
They make a list, and send it to the apostolic nuncio in DC.
When a diocese is vacant or about to be vacant, the nuncio consults with bps in the province, and with other officials and Catholic leaders in the area, about what the diocese’s needs are. This consultation is secret.
From the outset, the metropolitan and other bps might suggest particular names to the nuncio. And once the nuncio gets a sense of certain potential candidates, he often consults again, with a smaller group, about whether a particular candidate is good for a particular job.
All of that is confidential.
The nuncio consults with others too- epsiscopal conference leadership, retired bps, priests and laity in certain Church positions, etc.
After his consultation, he prepares a report discussing the needs of the diocese, and listing three potential candidates, along with a dossier on each one. He sends that report to the Congregation for Bishops at the Vatican.
In many cases, the staff and prefect of the Congregation review the dossier on their own, and add any necessary information from their own files.
In the case of priests becoming bishops, and for certain major sees, the cardinal members of the Congregation become involved.
In the case of priests becoming bishops, and for certain major sees, the cardinal members of the Congregation become involved.
Eventually, the terna is sent to the pope, who may seek consultation from others. Eventually he either picks a name on the list, or, if he so desires, picks someone else entirely.
The selection is communicated to the nuncio, who calls the guy and asks him if he accepts the job. If he does, it is announced. If not, they back the process up until they have the next candidate.
Here’s one interesting point of information. In theory, anyone can suggest names to the apostolic nuncio. It’s not very common, but according to c. 212, 3, any Catholic could suggest names of good candidates to his bishop, metropolitan, or the nuncio, by letter.
These are the qualifications a person must have, according to canon law, to be considered for the office of bishop:
(Cont)
(Cont)
1/ outstanding in solid faith, good morals, piety, zeal for souls, wisdom, prudence, and human virtues, and endowed with other qualities which make him suitable to fulfill the office in question;
2/ of good reputation;
3/ at least thirty-Five years old;
(Cont)
2/ of good reputation;
3/ at least thirty-Five years old;
(Cont)
4/ ordained to the presbyterate for at least Five years;
5/ in possession of a doctorate or at least a licentiate in sacred scripture, theology, or canon law from an institute of higher studies approved by the Apostolic See, or at least truly expert in the same disciplines.
5/ in possession of a doctorate or at least a licentiate in sacred scripture, theology, or canon law from an institute of higher studies approved by the Apostolic See, or at least truly expert in the same disciplines.
I know a layman who has sent a nuncio reports like that, and owing to his maturity, well-reasoned and cogent arguments, and his understanding of his local Church, I know they’ve been taken seriously.
