Necessity of Residency

4. You know, brothers, that the divine precept commands all pastors to know their sheep and to nourish them by preaching, by the administration of the sacraments, and by the example of every good work. Those priests are by no means able to fulfill these or the other duties of the pastoral office who neither look after their flock nor assiduously guard the Lord's vineyard, over which they have been placed as watchmen. Therefore, you should remain at your post and maintain your personal residence in the church or diocese to which you have been bound by the duty of your office. The many decrees of the general councils and the constitutions of Our predecessors clearly commanded this.

Do not consider it appropriate for a bishop to be absent from his diocese for any reason for a period of three months each year. For this to be permitted to bishops, it is necessary that there be a compelling reason requiring such an absence. At the same time, it should be determined that no harm would come to the flock in the interim. Remember that He who sees and knows everything will be your judge. Therefore, see to it that your reason is truly one which can be judged worthy by the Prince of the shepherds who will demand an account of the sheep entrusted to you. Certainly a shepherd would try in vain to protect himself in that judgment with the excuse that the wolf captured and devoured the sheep while he was away and unaware. If we consider the matter carefully, it is apparent that the evil which besets a diocese abandoned by its bishop can be attributed to him whose duty it is to recall his subjects who stray from the right path with warnings, to entice them with examples, to strengthen them by word, and to keep them together by his authority and love. In addition, everyone understands that it is much better for others to take care of business elsewhere than for the bishop himself, tarrying outside his diocese, to do so. The bishop, and not administrators, should take care of the protecting and the governing of the flock. As suitable and upright as the priests may be, nevertheless the sheep are not accustomed to hearing the voice of the priests as the voice of the true shepherd. Nor can their vicarious work substitute for the vigilance and the work of the bishop, to whom the special grace of the Holy Spirit gives assistance for this matter, as experience clearly shows.