On the Ministry of America's Bishops The Catholic Thing

By Bishop James D. Conley
But first a note: Be sure to tune in tomorrow, Thursday, May 16th at 8 PM Eastern to EWTN for a new episode of 'The World Over.' TCT Editor-in-Chief Robert Royal and contributor Father Gerald E. Murray will join host Raymond Arroyo to discuss the latest developments in the Church in Rome and in the U.S. Check your local listings for the channel in your area. Shows are usually available shortly after first airing on the EWTN YouTube channel. Now for the column...
Eleven years into his pontificate, Francis remains popular among Americans who identify as Catholic. Some 75 percent of self-described Catholics in this country have a positive view of the Holy Father. This shouldn't be a surprise. His care for the poor and marginalized, his concern for the environment, and his witness to peace have widespread appeal.
But as with all modern leaders, Francis is not without critics. His past comments about "backward-looking" and "reactionary" attitudes in American Catholic life have caused resentment among some faithful Catholics. And his view of Church leadership in the United States - often perceived as negative - has perplexed American bishops who, as a body, have a long record of loyalty and generosity to the Holy See.
A possible pastoral visit to the United States in the Fall, recently reported in a French Catholic newspaper, would be welcomed and could be an opportunity for the Holy Father to see the Catholic Church here in a different light.
On the matter of bishops, I have some experience. A Catholic con vert in my college years, I went on to be ordained a priest and served for a decade in Rome as an official in the Vatican's Congregation (now Dicastery) for Bishops, the office tasked with evaluating and recommending men for the episcopate. The work was largely bureaucratic. It consisted of research, reports, meetings, correspondence, and related staff duties. But it was a thorough education in the strengths and potential problems in the selection process for ministry as a bishop.
Based on what I saw and staffed, the process was and remains sound; not perfect, but nonetheless objective in essence, with plenty of checks and balances along the way. It's strictly confidential, which precludes public lobbying, campaigning, and political maneuvering - at least in the manner so common in the secular world. It's also highly consultative, involving 25-40 clergy, and consultations with lay men and women familiar with a candidate under consideration. All of this is governed by canon law and directed by the Apostolic Nuncio, the papal ambassador, in each country.
I've been away from Rome now for nearly two decades. I've experienced the selection process from its other end. I've served as a bishop in the United States for the past 16 years, both as an auxiliary and now as an Ordinary, the bishop in charge of a diocese.
No matter what a man knows in advance, the ministry of a local bishop is a surprise and a challenge. Whatever social prestige Catholic bishops once enjoyed is long gone. The clergy abuse crisis buried it. Today the reality can be quite the opposite. But this is not finally a loss, because true Christian leadership is a "privilege" only insofar as involves service to others in a spirit of humility.
In my case, life as a bishop has been a blessing, because my brother U.S. bishops have been overwhelmingly good, committed men. They have very different skills and personalities. All have strengths and weaknesses. None of them is close to perfect. But they're faithful to the Church and devoted to their people. They're also unquestionably loyal to Pope Francis, which makes his ambiguities and seeming criticisms difficult to understand.
So what's the point of these thoughts?
Simply this. Before the Holy Father makes his next visit to the United States, I'd ask him to spend a little time familiarizing himself with the real terrain of American Catholic life, because so much of it is hopeful and good despite t