3. THE BISHOP

Within the great sacrament of the Church, the living sacrament is the bishop, the sign of unity with Christ and the Pope.  The Pope is the foundation of the Church, the bishops are her columns.  The bishop is the "pontiff," the representative of a merciful and just God.  His only concern is that of Christ, namely, the salvation of the world.

The bishop is the spouse of the Church, one of the unbreakable links in the chain of the Church hierarchy, the indispensable bridge between the Pope and the faithful of the diocese; a man endowed with authority from God, having received from the Spirit the fullness of sacred Orders, which is the fullness of love.  In his life of total service to people, he is the father and the servant of all: servant of the truth, father of unity.  He does not take sides, does not allow Christ's seamless garment to be torn.  Instead, he fights with the weapon of love, a prerequisite for that unity that is held together by obedience.

As a sentinel chosen to keep watch over a local Church, he considers silence a crime.  Since he is supposed to be solicitous for all the Churches, he has the right and the duty to speak out and enlighten even his superiors on local Church situations.  He claims the autonomy of one whom the Holy Spirit has chosen to rule over the Church in communion with the Roman Pontiff.