Article I. On the Obligations of Bishops

The obligations of Bishops, besides those by which on the day of consecration they bind themselves by oath, are reduced to residence, prayer, preaching, and visitation of the diocese. Of each one something will be said briefly.

I. As Regards Residence. §1. Even if Bishops have a Coadjutor, they are held by a personal law of residence in the diocese.

§2. Apart from the cause of the visitation of the Sacred Thresholds, of Councils at which they must be present, or of a civil office legitimately joined to their churches, they can be absent for a fair cause not beyond two, or at most three, months within the year, whether continuous or interrupted, provided that care is taken lest from their absence the diocese suffer any detriment; which time, however, cannot be joined either with the time granted to them on the occasion of their promotion, or of the visitation of the Sacred Thresholds, or of attendance at a Council, or with the vacation time of the following year.

§3. Let them not be absent from the cathedral church during the time of Advent and Lent, on the days of the Nativity, the Resurrection of the Lord, Pentecost, and Corpus Christi, unless from a grave and urgent cause.

§4. If they have been unlawfully absent from the diocese beyond six months, let the Metropolitan denounce the Bishop to the Apostolic See according to the norm of can. 274, n. 4; and if it is the Metropolitan, let the older resident Suffragan denounce him (Can. 338).

Bishops, even though they be Cardinals, are held to reside in their episcopal see or diocese; but because to be absent for some little time is not properly to be absent, they can each year remain outside the diocese for a space of two or at most three months, either continuously or at intervals, provided however that this be done from a fair cause and without any detriment to the flock; whether it is so is left to their conscience. - This is established from the Council of Trent, sess. 6, cap. 1, de Reform.; and sess. 23, cap. 1, de Reform.

Yet other causes can easily be given which require a longer absence. The Holy Synod mentions these in the cited chapter, and they are: 1st, Christian charity, if one's neighbor is to be helped, if disputes are to be settled; 2nd, urgent necessity, for example, because of bodily infirmity, because of the persecution of a tyrant; 3rd, due obedience, namely to be rendered to the Pope; 4th, evident utility of the Church or of the Republic. - Nevertheless, because there would still be danger lest someone more readily think that causes of this sort are present, the Council no longer leaves the judgment of this matter to the conscience of Bishops, but remits it to the Roman Pontiff, or to the Metropolitan, or, he being absent, to the older suffragan, without whose permission, to be given in writing, it is not lawful to be absent. From the new decree of Urban VIII, Sancta Synodus, 12 Dec. 1634, the competent superior in this matter is the Roman Pontiff alone.

II. As Regards Preaching. §1. The office of preaching the Catholic faith has been committed principally to the Roman Pontiff for the universal Church, and to Bishops for their dioceses.

§2. Bishops are held by the duty of preaching the Gospel themselves in person, unless they are prevented by a legitimate impediment; and moreover, besides parish priests, they must also take other suitable men to assist in executing salutarily an office of preaching of this sort (Can. 1327).

It is lawful for no one to exercise the ministry of preaching unless he has received a mission from a legitimate Superior, by a faculty peculiarly given, or by an office conferred to which, from the sacred canons, the office of preaching adheres (Can. 1328).

III. As Regards Prayer. Bishops, after the likeness of the Apostles, must often give themselves to prayer, and exercise themselves in the contemplation of divine things, and continually beg divine light for themselves, for the clergy, and for the whole people. Wherefore frequently, and at least on Sundays and feast days, they must offer the Sacrifice for the whole diocese. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, Hom. Ap., tract. 7, nn. 65 and 66.

IV. As Regards Episcopal Visitation. §1. For preserving sound and orthodox doctrine, protecting good morals, correcting evil ones, promoting peace, innocence, piety, and discipline among the people and clergy, and establishing other things, according to the nature of the circumstances, for the good of religion, Bishops are held by the obligation of visiting the diocese each year, either in whole or in part, in such a way that at least every five years they go through the whole of it, either themselves in person or, if they have been legitimately impeded, through the Vicar General or another.

§2. It is lawful for the Bishop to associate with himself two clerics, even from the cathedral or collegiate Chapter, as companions and assistants of visitation; and to choose those whom he prefers, any contrary privilege or custom being reprobated.

§3. If the Bishop has gravely failed in the obligation of which in §1, let the prescription of can. 274, nn. 4, 5, be observed (Can. 343).

On the other obligations of Bishops consult the Second Plenary Council of Baltimore, tit. 2, cap. 3, 4 and 5; and tit. 3, cap. 1, 2 and 3. Consult also the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore, tit. 2, cap. 1.

§1. The office of preaching the Catholic faith has been committed principally to the Roman Pontiff for the universal Church, and to Bishops for their dioceses (Can. 1327).

Question 1. Is it lawful for anyone of either clergy to preach at pleasure?

Resp. It is lawful for no one to exercise the ministry of preaching unless he has received a mission from a legitimate Superior, by a faculty peculiarly given, or by an office conferred to which, from the sacred canons, the office of preaching adheres (Can. 1328).

Question 2. Who grants the faculty of preaching?

Resp. For clerics of the secular clergy as well as for non-exempt religious, the local Ordinary alone grants the faculty of preaching for his territory. If a sermon is to be held for exempt religious or others dwelling day and night in a religious house, the Superior grants the faculty in a clerical religion; and he can give it to persons from the secular clergy or from another religion who have been judged suitable by their own Ordinary or Superior. But if there is to be preaching to others, or even to nuns subject to regulars, the Ordinary of the place imparts the faculty; in the case of a sermon to be given to nuns, the preacher needs the permission of the regular Superior. The Ordinary of the place gives the faculty also when a sermon is to be held for members of a lay religion, even an exempt one. - Cf. Can. 1337, 1338.

Question 3. Is it lawful for Ordinaries of places to deny the faculty of preaching to religious presented by their Superior?

Resp. §1. Let Ordinaries of places not deny the faculty of preaching, without grave cause, to religious who are presented by their own Superior, and let them not revoke one granted, especially at one and the same time for all the priests of a religious house, while the prescription of can. 1340 remains firm.

§2. For religious preachers, in order that it may be lawful to use the faculty received, there is need moreover of the permission of their Superior (Can. 1339).

Question 4. What things are to be set forth in sermons?

Resp. §1. In sacred sermons those things are first of all to be set forth which the faithful must believe and do for salvation.

§2. Let preachers of the divine word abstain from profane or abstruse arguments exceeding the common grasp of the hearers; and let them exercise the evangelical ministry not in persuasive words of human wisdom, not in the profane display and enticement of empty and ambitious eloquence, but in the showing of spirit and power, preaching not themselves, but Christ crucified.

§3. If, which may God avert, a preacher disseminates errors or scandals, let the prescription of can. 2317 be observed; if heresies, let action moreover be taken against him according to the norm of law (Can. 1347).