(Edited) Question about Fransciscan to be bishop

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I’ve read how Fr. Gregory John Hartmayer, OFM Conv. is going to be installed as Bishop of Savannah GA.

I was wondering how does that work with his dealings with his own Franciscan community? How does a religious Bishop navigate being a religious with being a bishop? Does he still have duties to his community?

Thanks.
 
Hello Marie, I am in the Diocese of Savannah too. St. Matthews Parish 😛 … ANYWAYS. I have absolutely no idea, just though I would share it with you. I thought Franciscans took vows to poverty and diocesan bishops needs cars and many more things. How can a Franciscan take NEW vows? :confused:
 
JD27076 said:
Hello Marie, I am in the Diocese of Savannah too. St. Matthews Parish 😛 … ANYWAYS. I have absolutely no idea, just though I would share it with you. I thought Franciscans took vows to poverty and diocesan bishops needs cars and many more things. How can a Franciscan take NEW vows? :confused:
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I know Bro Jay will be able to explain how this will work.
God bless your diocese with it’s new shephard! prayers for all.
 
He is not alone. Cardinal Sean O’malley, Archbishop of Boston :
From a story in the St. Anthony’s Messenger americancatholic.org/Messenger/Mar2004/Feature1.asp
In three of his four episcopal assignments, Archbishop O’Malley has opted for downward mobility. In the Virgin Islands and Palm Beach, as in Boston, he chose to move from the bishop’s mansion to simpler living quarters in the cathedral rectory. One of the reasons was to be closer to the people of the cathedral parishes. “I realize that this is not always practical. In Fall River, for example, it was not practical and the cathedral was within walking distance of his residence,” he explains.
Another reason behind Archbishop O’Malley’s search for simpler living conditions is his Franciscan vow of poverty. When a friar is appointed to be bishop or archbishop, he could reasonably justify a more upscale kind of residence and the material conveniences needed to carry out his responsibilities. How does O’Malley, as a Capuchin Franciscan, look at the ideal of poverty?
“I think this ideal is very central in our spirituality. For Francis, as for the friars, it’s an expression of the way we love God. We make ourselves poor for God’s sake. It’s not that material things are bad, or that we must automatically reject the finer things of life. Rather, we seek to be more closely identified with Christ who emptied himself, took on the form of a slave and became poor for our sake as an act of love. We try to get rid of those things that clutter our lives and impinge on our freedom—a freedom to be closer to people, and to serve them well.”
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Marie5890 said:
I’ve read how Fr. Gregory John Hartmayer, OFM Conv. is going to be installed as Bishop of Savannah GA.

I was wondering how does that work with his dealings with his own Franciscan community? How does a religious Bishop navigate being a religious with being a bishop? Does he still have duties to his community?

Thanks.
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This is not the first time this has happened. Bishop Chaput in Colorado is a Franciscan Capuchin, and he’s a really great Bishop too. He is relieved of his community duties until his reign as Bishop is over. After he is done, he goes back to his community like nothing happened. He is not treated special nor does he get a retirement. He’s treated just like the novices.
 
ATeutonicKnight said:
This is not the first time this has happened. Bishop Chaput in Colorado is a Franciscan Capuchin, and he’s a really great Bishop too. He is relieved of his community duties until his reign as Bishop is over. After he is done, he goes back to his community like nothing happened. He is not treated special nor does he get a retirement. He’s treated just like the novices.
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Thanks TeutonicKnight. 🙂
 
Marie5890 said:
I’ve read how Fr. Gregory John Hartmayer, OFM Conv. is going to be installed as Bishop of Savannah GA.

I was wondering how does that work with his dealings with his own Franciscan community? How does a religious Bishop navigate being a religious with being a bishop? Does he still have duties to his community?

Thanks.
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According to Brother JR, "A Franciscan remains a brother his entire life, even if he’s a bishop. Therefore, he must comply with the Rule of St. Francis in all things, except that which may interfere with his duties as bishop. He also has the right to participate in community life like any other brother, this includes the right to wear the brother’s habit. It will be up to him to decide what his pastorally appropriate. Most Franciscans wear their habit with the pectoral cross over it.

As to his stipend, he has to pay his bills like anyone else. The order does not cover them.

A bishop who belongs to a religious order can choose to return to live in one of their houses or he can live in another house to which other friars are assigned to form some community. He does get to pick the religious house, as long as it’s in the province from which he came. For example, Cardinal Sean of Boston belongs to the PA Province of Capuchin Franciscans. Boston belongs to the New England Capuchin Franciscans. When the Cardinal retires, if he wants to live at a Capuchin house, he goes back to the PA Province and lives in one of their houses. He can accept the house that the diocese may provide for him and ask the Provincial to give him one or two friars for community life."

According to one of the priests in the diocese, Bishop-elect Hartmayer will answer only to the Holy Father and no longer has a voice in his community, no voting priviledges, etc. This information was discussed during the annual clergy retreat in September which the Bishop-elect attended.
 
JD27076 said:
Hello Marie, I am in the Diocese of Savannah too. St. Matthews Parish 😛 … ANYWAYS. I have absolutely no idea, just though I would share it with you. I thought Franciscans took vows to poverty and diocesan bishops needs cars and many more things. How can a Franciscan take NEW vows? :confused:
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Statesboro?
 
A religious who becomes a bishop also looses passive and active voice while he is a bishop.

That is he does not get a vote at the chapters nor can he be elected to office within the order.

They are also released from obedience to the superior as they become an ordinary just like their superior.
 
Marie5890 said:
I’ve read how Fr. Gregory John Hartmayer, OFM Conv. is going to be installed as Bishop of Savannah GA.

I was wondering how does that work with his dealings with his own Franciscan community? How does a religious Bishop navigate being a religious with being a bishop? Does he still have duties to his community?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Canons 705 and 707 deal with this matter: religious raised to the episcopate.
 
Since according to Ordinary Law of the Franciscan family, friars may not own anything individually or as a community, the Franciscan bishop has use, but not ownership of those goods that may come his way, as is stated in Canon Law.

"he now has the use and enjoyment and the administration of the goods which he acquires."

As to obedience, Canon Law is clear. His major superior is the pope. As far as obedience to the rule and constitutions, he must use prudence. In other words, he is not bound to obey what may create a conflict between his vocation as a friar and his duties as bishop. He is not dispensed from obeying the rule and constitutions, as many beleive. That’s not what the Canon is saying.

"He is not bound by obligations which he prudently judges are not compatible with his condition. "

Everything else remains in force.

In the case of Franciscans, the community picks up their men when they retire or become ill. This is a moral obligation of the community.

"A religious Bishop ‘emeritus’ may choose to reside outside the house of his institute,"

Not every bishop is a Bishop emeritus, since not every bishop is an Ordinary. Many are auxiliaries or they may occupy some administrative post such as a nuncio or a post at the Holy See.

The canon is specific about bishop emeritus is because these bishops are provided for by the diocese. This is not the case of a retired or sick auxiliary or one who has been in the service of the Holy See. These men have no diocese. They are titular bishops…

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
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