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The past few weeks, I’ve watched on YouTube many videos of episcopal ordinations of new Catholic bishops, both here and abroad. They are often full of ecclesiastical pomp and circumstance, sometimes with dozens of bishops, archbishops and cardinals in attendance.
The rites are fascinating to watch as priests are turned into bishops, which Catholics believe are the successors of the apostles.
All the episcopal ordinations I’ve managed to watch were held within a mass, with the actual rite of ordination happening after the Liturgy of the Word.
The rite opens with a prayer to the Holy Spirit.
What follows is the presentation of bishop-elect, to which the principal consecrator formally inquires: “Have you a mandate from the Apostolic See.”
In the United States, the papal nuncio himself or a representative from the nunciature would read an English translation of the bishop-elect’s letter of appointment signed by the Pope, which is written in Latin and on parchment.
All bishops receive appointment from the Pope who says in his letter that he is doing so “in the fullness of our Apostolic authority.”
After reading the Pope’s letter, the nuncio would hand over the parchment to the bishop-elect who then shows it to the other bishops, the priests and the people in church. In many instances, the bishop-elect goes around the church to show the parchment, to much applause.
In the Philippines, this is done by local priests, often the cathedral rector or the diocesan chancellor. The nuncio either presides as principal consecrator, or co-celebrant and co-consecrator. Often, the nuncio would speak and greet the new Filipino bishop after communion.
With an Apostolic mandate on hand, the principal consecrator, along with two co-consecrators, would carry out the ordination. They would then publicly question the bishop-elect on matters of faith and the role of a bishop.
Afterwards, the principal consecrator calls on the people to pray the Litany of Saints as the bishop-elect lies face down on the church floor.
To symbolize the passing of episcopal succession, the consecrator and co-consecrators lead the laying of hands on the head of the bishop-elect. The other bishops would also do the same.
What follows is the formal Prayer of Ordination, with the book of the Gospels held by deacons over the bishop-elect’s head, to symbolize the principal task of a bishop as preacher.
The bishop-elect is then anointed with sacred chrism, and invested with the symbols of the bishop: The Book of the Gospels, a ring, a miter, and a crosier.
The newly-ordained bishop, with miter and staff, is then seated alongside the other bishops. If he is the new presiding bishop of a diocese, he is seated on the cathedra, a throne-like chair symbolizing his leadership position.
All the bishops present would then give the new bishop a “kiss of peace,” as their way of welcoming him to the college of bishops.
If the new bishop is the head of a diocese, the priests and representatives of the Catholic faithful would also line up and greet the new bishop.
Aside from sharing the elaborate rites that are full of color and meanings, I have two observations that I hope would be relevant to the church in the Philippines and other countries.
First, I have never seen any episcopal ordination of Catholic bishops in Filipino or other Philippine national languages. I don’t know why. Perhaps there are no official translations yet.
I have also watched ordinations of priests, and I have seen them done entirely in Filipino, Kapampangan, Bicolano, and Cebuano. I suppose it would be more relevant, more moving and more understandable if the rite of ordination would have official translations in Philippine languages.
Second and perhaps more consequential, the immense power and responsibility of the Pope over bishops. He alone appoints them, and he alone can investigate, reassign, discipline and remove a bishop. True, a bishop may resign ahead of the mandatory retirement age of 75, but with the Pope’s consent.
The Pope can also ask a bishop to stay on in his post beyond retirement age, as in the case of Boston Archbishop Sean Cardinal O'Malley who is now 79.
The Pope's appointment letter that is read and shown during a bishop's ordination reminds us of where church accountability ultimate lies.
(Trivia: Jorge Barlin Imperial was the first Filipino bishop. He was ordained as Bishop of Nueva Caceres in 1906 by Apostolic Delegate Archbishop Ambrose Agius as principal consecrator, with Manila Archbishop Jeremiah Harty and Jaro Bishop Frederick Rooker as co-consecrators.)