How powerful is a bishop?

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I only use Medjugorje as an example for my question, so please don’t delete:o Anyways, my question is how powerful is a bishop really? If he says don’t pilgrimage here, would it indeed be a sin to do so, or what? I’m halfway because people these days don’t seem to give bishops enough “credit”. thanks
 
My understanding is that a bishop is sovereign in his own dioscese and out to be respected as a successor of the apostles otherwise. If your bishop said not to pilgrimage somewere, dont. If another bishop says not to, you arent forbidden and arent obliged to obey (unless the bishop is the Pope) but do give his opinion greater weight than others when making your descision.
 
What happens if you belong to two different diosceses? Would one be required to obey both?
 
In the United States, bishops are the literal owners of every diocesan property, which includes practically everything that calls itself Catholic within their jurisdiction. The odd Catholic hospital or such that is not under their literal ownership usually has the the local ordinary as an ex officio member of its board of directors. I taught at an archdiocesan high school for ten years, and the only rason I did not come to work every day and find a “closed” sign over the door was that the ordinary did not wish to close the school. It is that absolute.

“What?” you say. “This makes bishops the most wealthy people in the United States.” That is excactly correct. The Archbishop of New York could sell the plot of land on which St. Patrick’s Cathedral stands tomorrow and reap wealth beyond the dreams of avarice. It is a matter of pure trust that our bishops have this power, that they do not abuse it, and that they willingly sign what I imagine is a simple signature card when the power passes to their successor, who is appointed by no one with any legal status in the United States.

The situation in much of the rest of the world is not the same, to say the least, but I won’t go there just now.
 
They can move diagnally making them great at taking out castles 🙂
 
in the matter of the local bishop’s authority over determing the authenticity of private revelations reported in his diocese, (which is what OP is really after) that matter has been covered extensively on these forums, with regard to M as well as other events, once on a still-active thread. do a search, please, and spare us another rehash of the topic.
 
🙂 Annie, I’m willing to wager that just about every topic that you can think of has been covered here at least once. The whole point of a discussion board is to discuss. Otherwise, instead of an INTERACTIVE discussion board, the staff could just shut the place down for people to use it as an INACTIVE source of reference. 😉
 
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