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Pastoral Office
Of The Bishop
Excerpts of Sermon at The Consecration of
Bishop Joseph L. Bernardin
By Bishop John J. Russell
It has been my privilege to
speak in this beloved and fa
miliar Cathedral on the occa
sion of the installaton of two
of my successors as Bishops
of Charleston. Today it is my
happy lot to address you, my
former flock, on this joyful
occasion when a native son,
whom I had the consolation of
ordaining to the Holy Priest
hood exactly fourteen years ago
today, is consecrated Bishop
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Consecration
As we witness these solemn
ceremonies of consecration, we
realize that we are witnessing
an event which traces back
through the centuries to Jesus
Christ and His Apostles. The
New Testament tells us how
the God-Man chose twelve men
to be his constant companions
and formed them into the apos
tolic band. He revealed eternal
truths to them. He gave them
powers which He alone, God,
possessed, the power to forgive
sins, “Whose sins you shall
forgive are forgiven them;” the
power to change bread and wine
into the Body, Blood, Soul and
Divinity of the God-Man as He
did at the Last Supper, “This
is My Body, this is My Blood,
do this in memory of Me.”
He placed Peter at their head.
Then, before He ascended into
heaven, He said to them, “All
power is given to Me in heaven
and on earth, going therefore
teach all nations whatsoever I
have taught you. I will be with
you until the consummation of
the world and he who hears you,
hears Me.”
They were fully confirmed in
this mission on the day of Pen
tecost in accordance with Our
Lord’s promise, "You shall re
ceive power when the Holy Spi
rit comes upon you and you
shall be witnesses of Me in
Jerusalem and all Judea and in
Samaria and even to the very
ends of the earth.” By every
where preaching the Gospel
which was accepted by their
hearers under the influence of
the Holy Spirit, the Apostles
gathered together the univer-
' sal Church.
Apostolic Tradition
In order that this mission
might continue after their death,
they passed onto their immediate
cooperators and authorized the
arrangement that when these
men should have died, other ap
proved men would take up their
ministry. Thus St. Irenaeus tes
tifies, through those who were
appointed Bishops by the A-
postles and through their suc
cessors, down to our own time,
the apostolic tradition is mani
fested and preserved through
out the world.
This, in brief, is the doctrine
concerning theestablishment of
the Apostolic College, as re
vealed to us in Sacred Scrip
ture. Down through the ages,
the substance of the Deposit of
Faith has remained unchanged,
but there has been a gradual,
steady growth and development
of doctrine culminating in two
documents promlugated by the
Vatican Council, the dogmatic
"Constitution on the Church”
and the decree concerning “the
Pastoral Office of Bishops in
the Church.”
These documens give us a
more complete and updated pre
sentation of the doctrinal and
pastoral concepts of the epis
copacy.
Shepherds
As the shepherds and guides
of the people of God, the Bis
hops are called upon to teach
and to sanctify. They should de
dicate themselves to their apos
tolic office as witnesses of
Christ before all men and an
nounce to all, to those outside
as well as to those in the fold,
the Gospel of Christ. They
should explain the truths essen
tial for salvation and point out
the way of eternal happiness.
They should also show how
earthly goods and human Insti
tutions can contribute to God’s
honor and man’s salvation,
pointing out with what serious
ness the Church believes these
realities should be regarded,
namely the human person with
his freedom and bodily life, the
family and its unity and sta
bility, the procreation and edu
cation of children, civil society
with its laws and professions,
labor and leisure, the arts and
technical inventions, poverty
and affluence.
Finally, they should set forth
the ways by which are to be
solved the very grave questions
concerning the ownership, in
crease and just distribution of
material goods, peace and war,
and brotherly relations among
all peoples.
They should present Chris
tian doctrine in a manner adapt
ed to the needs of the times
and in a manner corresponding
to the difficulties and problems
by which people are mostvexa-
tiously burdened and troubled
Fullness Of The Priesthood
Bishops enjoy the fullness of
the Sacrament of Orders and all
Priests, as well as Deacons, are
dependent upon them in the ex
ercise of authority. They are the
principal dispensers of the my
steries of God, just as they are
the governors, promoters and
guardians of the entire liturgi
cal life in the Church committ
ed to them.
HOLY CROSS PARISH
Rev. Leonard F. X. Mayhew
PASTOR
As those who lead others to
perfection, Bishops should be di
ligent in fostering holiness
among their clerics and reli
gious and laity, according to the
special vocation of each. They
should also be mindful of their
obligation to give an example of
holiness through charity, humi
lity and simplicity of life.
Since the Auxiliary Bishop is
called to share part of the bur
dens of the diocesan Bishop, he
must exercise his office in
single-minded agreement with
him and manifest obedience and
reverence toward the diocesan
Bishop.
Providential
For all these reasons, it
seems particularly fitting and
appropriate and indeed provi
dential that Bishop Bernardin
is appointed toassist Archbishop
Hallinan. They have already la
bored together in a congenial
apostolate serving the people of
God, ministering to the spiritual
welfare of the people of this
diocese. Between the former
Bishop and his Chancellor there
has existed that harmony and
unity of purpose which gives
assurance that the relationship
now of Ordinary and Auxiliary
Bishop will be one productive
of fruitfulness and blessing.
All of us who admire Bishop
Bernardin are aware of his
kindness, of his zeal, of his
devotion to the Church. At the
same time, we recognize that
he is a man of consideration,
thoughtfulness of others, a will
ing co-worker, a loyal friend,
a priestly Priest.
Today we congratulate Arch
bishop Hallinan upon receiving
as Auxiliary, his helper, a man
after his own heart, and we
thank God that the people of the
Archdiocese of Atlanta will be
doubly blessed through their
apostolate for souls.