At 10:00am today, the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father, Pope Francis conferred Episcopal Ordination upon
Beloved brothers and sons,
It will do us good to reflect attentively on the great ecclesiastical responsibility that is being conferred upon these two brothers of ours.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was sent by the Father in order to prepare the men who he in turn sent out into the world - the twelve apostles - so that filled with the strength of the Holy Spirit, they could proclaim the gospel to al people and gather them together under one shepherd who would sanctify them and guide them to salvation.
In order to perpetuate this apostolic ministry from one generation to the next, through the imposition of hands, the Twelve increased their number by adding other collaborators to whom they passed on the gift of the Spirit that they themselves had received, conferring upon them the fullness of the Sacrament of Orders. In this way, through the uninterrupted succession of bishops in the living tradition of the Church this primary ministry is preserved and the work of Salvation continues and has been developed up to the present day. In the bishop, surrounded by his priests, our Lord Jesus Christ, the supreme and eternal priest is present among you.
In fact, it is Christ who, in the ministry of the bishop continues to preach the Gospel of salvation and to sanctify the believers, through the sacraments of faith. It is Christ who in the paternity of the bishop helps his body - the Church - to grow through the welcoming of new members. It is Christ who in the wisdom and prudence of the bishop guides the people of God along their earthly pilgrimage as it leads to eternal happiness. Christ preaches, Christ creates the Church, feeds the Church, Christ guides - this is what it means to be a bishop.
Welcome then with joy and gratitude these, our brothers, who we bishops, through the imposition of our hands today will incorporate into the Episcopal College. Render unto them the honour that is their due as ministers of Christ and dispensers of the mysteries of God, to whom is confided the testimony of the Gospel and the ministry of the Spirit for sanctification. Remind them of the words Jesus spoke to the Apostles: Whoever hears you hears me; whoever despises you despises me and whoever despises me despises the One who has sent me.
As for you, beloved brothers, chosen by God, reflect upon the fact that you have been chosen from among men and for men, you have been appointed to act in the name of God. In fact, Episcopate is the name of a service, not an honour. For this reason, a bishop must serve instead of dominating, according to the commandment of the Master: Let the greatest among you be as though he were the smallest. Let those who govern be like those who serve. Be servants in all things, from the greatest to the least, and those who govern like those who serve. Be servants of all people: from the greatest to the least: servants of everyone but always servants, at the service of others.
Proclaim the Word in every circumstance: in and out of season. Admonish, reprove and exhort with patience and doctrine. And through prayer and the offering of the sacrifice for your people, attain from the fullness of Christ's holiness the treasure of divine grace. Do not forget the seven deacons. Their second task is the proclamation of the Word ... and then came all the others, but first is prayer. If a bishop does not pray, he will not be able to do anything.
In the Church which is confided to you, be faithful custodians and dispensers of the mysteries of Christ, placed as a Father at the head of his family, always following the example of the Good Shepherd who knows his flock: behind every letter there is a person. Behind every letter that you will receive, there is a person. May that person be known by you and may you be able to know that person.
Love with the love of a father and a brother, all those who the Lord entrusts to you. Above all the priests and the deacons. It makes me cry when I hear about a priest who has asked to speak to his bishop and the secretary says: He has so many things to do, he cannot see you for at least three months. Those who are closest to a bishop are his priests, the closest ones. If you do not love those who are closest to you, you will not be able to love everyone. Be close to your priests, to your deacons, to your collaborators in ministry; be close to the poor, to the defenceless and to those who are in need of welcome and assistance. Look the faithful in their eyes! Do not look at them obscurely, look them in their eyes, in order to be able to look into their hearts, and so that your faithful, be they priest, deacon or lay person, may be able to look into your heart. But look them always in the eye.
Pay close attention to those who do not belong to the one fold of Christ, for they too have been confided to you by the Lord. Remember that in the Catholic Church, gathered together by a bond of charity, you are in union with the College of bishops and should bear within you the solicitude of the entire Church, generously assisting those who are most in need of your help.
And watch lovingly over the entire flock that the Holy Spirit calls you to rule over in the Church of God. Do this in the name of the Father, whose image you make present; in the name of Jesus Christ, his Son, in whose image you have been made teachers, priests and pastors. In the name of the Holy Spirit who gives life to the Church and through is power sustains us in our weakness.
May the Lord accompany you and be close to you on the path that you begin to walk today.
- Monsignor Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, MCCJ, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, a member of the Institute of Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus, born on June 17, 1952 in Seville (Spain), ordained a priest on September 20, 1980 and elected as Titular Bishop of Luperciana on January 29, 2016; and
- Monsignor Peter Bryan Wells, Apostolic Nuncio to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia, from the clergy of the Diocese of Tulsa (Oklahoma, USA), born on May 12, 1963 in Tulsa, ordained a priest on July 12, 1991 and elected Titular Archbishop of Marcianopoli on February 9, 2016.
The homily that the Holy Father spoke during the Eucharistic Celebration is based on the Ritual sermon provided in the Roman Pontifical, the ritual for the Ordination of Bishops, and His Holiness added a few other considerations, as he normally does.
Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the Episcopal Ordination of
Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, MCCJ and Peter Wells
Beloved brothers and sons,
It will do us good to reflect attentively on the great ecclesiastical responsibility that is being conferred upon these two brothers of ours.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was sent by the Father in order to prepare the men who he in turn sent out into the world - the twelve apostles - so that filled with the strength of the Holy Spirit, they could proclaim the gospel to al people and gather them together under one shepherd who would sanctify them and guide them to salvation.
In order to perpetuate this apostolic ministry from one generation to the next, through the imposition of hands, the Twelve increased their number by adding other collaborators to whom they passed on the gift of the Spirit that they themselves had received, conferring upon them the fullness of the Sacrament of Orders. In this way, through the uninterrupted succession of bishops in the living tradition of the Church this primary ministry is preserved and the work of Salvation continues and has been developed up to the present day. In the bishop, surrounded by his priests, our Lord Jesus Christ, the supreme and eternal priest is present among you.
In fact, it is Christ who, in the ministry of the bishop continues to preach the Gospel of salvation and to sanctify the believers, through the sacraments of faith. It is Christ who in the paternity of the bishop helps his body - the Church - to grow through the welcoming of new members. It is Christ who in the wisdom and prudence of the bishop guides the people of God along their earthly pilgrimage as it leads to eternal happiness. Christ preaches, Christ creates the Church, feeds the Church, Christ guides - this is what it means to be a bishop.
Welcome then with joy and gratitude these, our brothers, who we bishops, through the imposition of our hands today will incorporate into the Episcopal College. Render unto them the honour that is their due as ministers of Christ and dispensers of the mysteries of God, to whom is confided the testimony of the Gospel and the ministry of the Spirit for sanctification. Remind them of the words Jesus spoke to the Apostles: Whoever hears you hears me; whoever despises you despises me and whoever despises me despises the One who has sent me.
As for you, beloved brothers, chosen by God, reflect upon the fact that you have been chosen from among men and for men, you have been appointed to act in the name of God. In fact, Episcopate is the name of a service, not an honour. For this reason, a bishop must serve instead of dominating, according to the commandment of the Master: Let the greatest among you be as though he were the smallest. Let those who govern be like those who serve. Be servants in all things, from the greatest to the least, and those who govern like those who serve. Be servants of all people: from the greatest to the least: servants of everyone but always servants, at the service of others.
Proclaim the Word in every circumstance: in and out of season. Admonish, reprove and exhort with patience and doctrine. And through prayer and the offering of the sacrifice for your people, attain from the fullness of Christ's holiness the treasure of divine grace. Do not forget the seven deacons. Their second task is the proclamation of the Word ... and then came all the others, but first is prayer. If a bishop does not pray, he will not be able to do anything.
In the Church which is confided to you, be faithful custodians and dispensers of the mysteries of Christ, placed as a Father at the head of his family, always following the example of the Good Shepherd who knows his flock: behind every letter there is a person. Behind every letter that you will receive, there is a person. May that person be known by you and may you be able to know that person.
Love with the love of a father and a brother, all those who the Lord entrusts to you. Above all the priests and the deacons. It makes me cry when I hear about a priest who has asked to speak to his bishop and the secretary says: He has so many things to do, he cannot see you for at least three months. Those who are closest to a bishop are his priests, the closest ones. If you do not love those who are closest to you, you will not be able to love everyone. Be close to your priests, to your deacons, to your collaborators in ministry; be close to the poor, to the defenceless and to those who are in need of welcome and assistance. Look the faithful in their eyes! Do not look at them obscurely, look them in their eyes, in order to be able to look into their hearts, and so that your faithful, be they priest, deacon or lay person, may be able to look into your heart. But look them always in the eye.
Pay close attention to those who do not belong to the one fold of Christ, for they too have been confided to you by the Lord. Remember that in the Catholic Church, gathered together by a bond of charity, you are in union with the College of bishops and should bear within you the solicitude of the entire Church, generously assisting those who are most in need of your help.
And watch lovingly over the entire flock that the Holy Spirit calls you to rule over in the Church of God. Do this in the name of the Father, whose image you make present; in the name of Jesus Christ, his Son, in whose image you have been made teachers, priests and pastors. In the name of the Holy Spirit who gives life to the Church and through is power sustains us in our weakness.
May the Lord accompany you and be close to you on the path that you begin to walk today.
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