How does one learn to be a bishop?

Sep 30, 2022

By Arnaud Bevilacqua
While the “job” of being a bishop is particularly high-profile, the preparation for this ministry is quite limited. But the Vatican has been trying to address that.

One often hears cautious reactions from men whom the Pope has just appointed bishops, such as “I did not expect this” or “I will listen to the faithful to understand the problems of my diocese”... and so forth.

While priests go through a long and very regulated programme of formation before being ordained, the training period for bishops is limited, to say the least. A cleric who is selected for this particularly high-profile “job”, especially in the context of the Church’s crisis, quickly finds himself “thrown into the deep end” with only a brief preparation.

Theoretically, this preparation includes a joint six-day formation organised every year by the Vatican. The brief training course includes items such as synodality, presentation of the Roman Curia, more technical points such as “canonical experience for the administration of a diocese”, etc.

After an initial session brought together more than 150 “baby bishops” at the beginning of September — the first in three years because of the coronavirus pandemic — a second session with another group was concluded with a meeting with Pope Francis.

Among the French bishops who were in Rome for the training course was Bishop Gérard Le Stang, who in March was named head of the Diocese of Amiens, headquartered 163 kilometres north of Paris. The 59-year-old bishop also participated in a similar three-day session last January that was organised by the French Bishops' Conference (CEF). But in terms of practice, each bishop is discovering the job on the ground. “There is a certain solitude in the ministry of a bishop, which can be surprising at first,” says Bishop Le Stang, who adds he has taken up his new duties “in an unknown land”.

A very difficult ministry
Bishop Emmanuel Gobilliard, was asked by the CEF to train his new peers in the area of communications, says there is no doubt that the ministry of bishop is tough. The 54-year-old Gobilliard, who has been auxiliary bishop of Lyon since 2016, notes that one is expected “to be gifted in finance, in management, to be a good pastor, as well as an excellent communicator!” But he stresses that “it is not with ordination that the bishop acquires all the required skills”. This is particularly true since the bishop is on the front lines for crisis management, especially in the case of revelations of sexual abuse committed by one of his priests. These issues are addressed during the Roman formation programme. Moreover, a bishop may be a recognised theologian, but have only a vague notion of economics. Even if he has expert advisors, final decisions rest with him. “He is the one who decides, for example, whether to invest a million euros in such-and-such a project, which can be a bit dizzying in the current context,” admits Bishop Le Stang.

Drawing on earlier experience
Finally, in the governance of his diocese, the bishop draws on his previous responsibilities and experience. For instance, Bishop Le Stang served as deputy secretary general of the CEF from 2013-2016, years when he worked closely with all of France’s bishops.

Bishop Xavier Malle, who has led the Diocese of Gap-Embrun in southeastern France since February 2017, says he benefits greatly from his experience as chief of staff for the mayor of Cognac from 1989-1994. It’s a post he held before becoming a priest in 2000. He has had experience dealing with budgets and economic issues, and relations with elected officials do not scare him at all. But Bishop Malle confesses that it was initially difficult to know how to properly manage the priests of his diocese. The 57-year-old bishop has become aware of the importance of surrounding himself with the right people.

“The times I made mistakes were the times when I made decisions on my own,” he confesses. He does not hesitate to ask the bishops of his province for advice, starting with the Archbishop of Marseille, whom he calls a “big brother”.

Bishop Malle also readily admits that he’s called on a professional leadership coach at times when he’s been “in difficulty”.
Bishop Gobilliard, who is of the same generation, has also taken courses in management and communications. “Knowing how to accompany people is something you learn,” he explains. Gobilliard, who is also vicar general and moderator of the curia in Lyon, points out that a bishop can never be prepared for all contingencies: a pandemic, or more tragically, the suicide of a priest...

“What seems essential to me,” confides retired Bishop Michel Dubost, “is to know your limits and not to take yourself too seriously in order to remain yourself without being a prisoner of your role.” -- LCI (https:// international.la-croix.com/