Vacant Dioceses
Vacant Dioceses¹
By God’s will, His Holiness the Pope will travel to Upper Egypt in the early days of Great Lent. He will go to Aswan and to El-Balyana, to personally ascertain the opinion of the people in each diocese regarding the new bishop.
Written recommendations alone are not relied upon. Signatures may be invalid, or some may have signed the recommendation without knowledge, or under pressure, or in submission to incorrect or malicious guidance, or as a courtesy to some, or out of embarrassment, or fear…
Likewise, those who come from the town to Cairo to give recommendations may not represent the entire people. They may not be delegated by the people to express a particular opinion. There may be a strong opinion in the town opposing them, and that opinion may not have reached the Papal headquarters.
Therefore, His Holiness the Pope saw that the best means is to go to the people himself and listen to all their bodies: the priestly fathers, the servants, the members of societies and lay councils, and all bodies and individuals.
The outcome of this visit and these meetings is an agreement between the shepherd and the flock regarding the nature and the choice of the new bishop, and most often this occurs by the consensus of all.
The people are the primary and final stakeholders in the choice of their bishop.
The tradition established by His Holiness the Pope in visiting vacant dioceses to agree on the selection of their bishops is a tradition of profound benefit. It also carries many pastoral meanings: among them respect for the opinion of the people, caring for them, giving everyone an opportunity to express their opinions, and not relying merely on listening. Also included is studying the vacant diocese and knowing its circumstances and needs.
The previous experience that the Church has observed in choosing new bishops by this method has been a successful experience. In it, the laws of the Church were implemented in their entirety, in spirit and in text.
The bishops of the vacant dioceses will be ordained in two batches.
In the first batch, the Church will celebrate the ordination of two of them: the Bishop of Aswan and the Bishop of El-Balyana.
As for the remaining dioceses, they will wait until the new geographical distribution is completed.
The new Bishop of El-Balyana will not have the Abu Tisht district under him, as it will be joined to the Diocese of Nag‘ Hammadi.
A Proposal to Register Clerical Vestments
Anyone who wears clerical vestments at present is treated by people as a priest even if he is not a priest.
These vestments may open for him a door of trust that he does not deserve. He may pray in churches where he is not permitted to pray. He may collect donations for churches without right…
He may have been a priest long ago and was deposed from his rank, and thus became unworthy of wearing clerical vestments, nor the clerical name, nor its title, nor its function.
Why are clerical vestments not registered, and anyone who wears them without right is treated as one who wears the uniform of an officer or a soldier by false claim, without possessing military status?
This matter brings comfort to the state and society, as it also brings comfort to the Church. It confines priestly dignity and the trust that surrounds it to those who deserve it…
The past years have given us a profound experience in the importance of this proposal, which we hope the responsible bodies will give the attention it deserves.
¹ An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III – Al-Keraza Magazine – Sixth Year – Issue Eight – 21-2-1975.
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