Selection of a Bishop for a Dioscese

[scaron]

Folks,

Our Bishop will shortly be turning 72, and must retire at age 75, I believe. He is one of the longest serving Bishops in the US (maybe the world - more than 25 years in this diocese), so we have not been through the selection process since I was a small child!

Can those who have been through this process shed some light on how it works? There have only been two bishops of my diocese since I was born, and both of them were priests of the diocese before episcopal ordination. Is that common? “Promote from within”?

Or is it possible someone from the outside would be selected?

How does the process work? is it entirely secret?

Thanks.

 

[chicago]

From your standpoint, the process is essentially pray and wait. You don’t get any involvement. The pope appoints a bishop. He comes to the diocese and gets ordained (if he isn’t already a bishop)/installed.

The larger process is one of general periodic consultation among the episcopacy and via the papal nuncio, where names are offered as to priests who make suitable bishops. It is known by the Congregation For Bishops in Rome when there will be a vacancy. They look at the situation of a diocese and what is needed. Men (who are either already bishops in other dioceses or who are priests either in one’s own diocese or another) are vetted and a short list of recommendations is provided to the pope. He, then, makes his selection and the man is asked to accept. If he does, then the announcement is made and shortly thereafter he gets formally installed.

 

[Bataar]

Here in Seattle, they just send one over from Montana.

 

[kage_ar]

Here in Arkansas, we have been praying and awaiting a new Biship for almost 2 years (I believe we now are “winners” in who-in-the-US-has-been-without-a-Bishop-longest).

Thank GOD we have a wonderful Msgr in the position of Administrator.

 

[bilop]

Folks,

Our Bishop will shortly be turning 72, and must retire at age 75, I believe.

He must submit his resignation at 75, but the Pope does not have to accept it.

If he is in good health and faithful to the magesterium, it is very likely that he will be asked to stay on.

God Bless

 

[chicago]

He must submit his resignation at 75, but the Pope does not have to accept it.

If he is in good health and faithful to the magesterium, it is very likely that he will be asked to stay on.

God Bless

Actually, less so it seems under the present pontiff. John Paul II more frequently allowed a bishop to continue until the age of 80. But Benedict appears pleased to accept resignations sooner.

 

[Thomas63116]

I believe that when the diocese in question is a “suffragan see” (a diocese rather than an Archdiocese) the Archbishop in the Metropolitan See (the Archdiocese) is also consulted, along with the Papal Nuncio.

 

[bilop]

Actually, less so it seems under the present pontiff. John Paul II more frequently allowed a bishop to continue until the age of 80. But Benedict appears pleased to accept resignations sooner.

I think this has a lot to do with cleaning out some Bishops he doesn’t like.

In NY, Cardinal Egan desperately wants to retire, but hasn’t been allowed to yet.

God Bless

 

[Sister_J]

Regarding Little Rock, they have yet to beat Birmingham which was without a Bishop (retired bishop acting administrator) for 27 months. Arkansas will be 23 months April 16th.