Dicastery for Bishops prefect discusses selection of new bishops, challenges they face
Archbishop Filippo Iannone, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, explained the qualities the Pope seeks in bishops and the Dicastery’s role in selecting candidates. He emphasized that bishops must embody inner life, prayer, openness, collaboration, and care for the marginalized, with Christ the Good Shepherd as the model. Iannone highlighted the need for spiritual and human support for bishops, urging the faithful to pray for and assist them rather than merely criticize. He discussed synodality as a shared responsibility of all baptized, not a demand for rights, and noted the growing reluctance among priests to accept episcopal appointments.
2 months ago
The Dicastery for Bishops, led by Archbishop Filippo Iannone, outlines how bishops are chosen, the qualities the pope seeks, and the growing challenges they face, including limited priestly interest, the need for broader support, and the role of synodality and lay participation in episcopal discernment. 1
Archbishop Iannone says the pope emphasizes evangelization, care for creation, and pastoral challenges when meeting bishops daily. 1
Fundamental bishop qualities include a nurtured inner life, prayer, openness, collaborative spirit, and attentiveness to the marginalized, all modeled on Christ the Good Shepherd. 1
Iannone stresses that bishops require “spiritual and human support,” urging the faithful to pray earnestly for them. 1
He warns that criticism alone is insufficient; bishops also need practical assistance and encouragement during moments of discouragement. 1
Synodality is presented not as a “demand for rights” but as participation in the whole Church, giving voices greater weight when they arise from lived faith. 1
The faithful are called to assume responsibilities, while bishops must enable them, supported by pastoral and finance councils and canon‑law provisions for lay input. 1
Iannone notes an increasing number of priests decline episcopal appointments, attributing this to the expanding complexity of diocesan life, fewer vocations, and heightened ministry demands—not solely the abuse crisis. 1
The dicastery handles the creation, life, and activity of dioceses and identifies episcopal candidates for papal appointment. 1
It collaborates closely with other dicasteries—Clergy, Institutes of Consecrated Life, etc.—and its plenary assembly, composed of global members, makes key decisions under the prefect’s direction. 1
Pope Leo XIV’s Praedicate Evangelium emphasizes curial collaboration, allowing priests, religious, and laypeople (including women) to serve as dicastery members. 1
The dicastery reviews letters from the faithful, assessing concerns and intervening when warranted to restore diocesan serenity. 1
Iannone highlights diversity as a “richness when united with communion,” urging unity on essential matters while allowing liberty in doubtful issues, guided by charity. 1
Women currently serving on the dicastery—Sister Simona Brambilla, Sister Raffaella Petrini, and laywoman María Lía Zervino—provide distinct perspectives that enrich candidate evaluation. 1
He notes that consulting women is not new; apostolic nuncios have long sought input from women during episcopal investigations. 1*
What criteria shape episcopal selection per the Dicastery for Bishops?
The Dicastery for Bishops shapes episcopal selection by setting and applying selection criteria that are meant to be fit for the particular Church, taking account of cultural needs, and being periodically reviewed—all within a process of consultation and involvement of the local Church.
The Dicastery, in consultation with Episcopal Conferences and their groupings, “indicates the criteria for the selection of candidates” and these criteria must:
Before and during the selection process, the Dicastery proceeds by:
Even though the Dicastery determines the criteria (including cultural/local adaptation), the candidate must also meet objective suitability standards required by the Code of Canon Law, namely that a bishop must be:
And while proposals/consultations matter, the definitive judgment about suitability belongs to the Apostolic See.
The Dicastery is also responsible for the formation of new bishops, supporting them with:
Underlying all criteria is the principle that:
So, the Dicastery’s criteria and processes provide the structured discernment and preparation, while the final act and definitive suitability judgment remain with the Apostolic See.