Pope tells 3 new bishops: no politicking, no high society

BY Patrick Garcia
Mar 20, 2018 08:33 AM

By the Associated Press

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis is cautioning bishops to avoid politicking, business and high society.

Pope Francis ordains bishop José Avelino Bettencourt, as he celebrates a mass during which he conferred the ordination to 3 bishops in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, March 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia/Manila Bulletin) Pope Francis ordains bishop José Avelino Bettencourt, as he celebrates a mass during which he conferred the ordination to 3 bishops in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, March 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia/Manila Bulletin)

Francis elevated to bishops' rank three priests during a ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica on Monday evening.

He said bishops should "abandon the temptation to become princes," and that they are tasked "more with serving than dominating." He told them to be available to priests in their jurisdiction "the same day, or at most, the next day" after being sought.

Francis told the three they were chosen "not for business, not for high society, not for politics." In his five years as pope, Francis has insisted clerics must serve the rank-and-file and avoid seeking glory.

The new bishops are: Monsignors Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag from Pelplin diocese, Poland; Alfred Xuereb, Gozo diocese, Malta; and Jose Avelino Bettencourt, Ottawa archdiocese in Canada.