Baltimore, Md., Nov 12, 2018 / 08:52 am
Bishops in the United States need to work hard to regain the trust of their flocks and combat a culture of clericalism, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, told those present at the USCCB's Fall General Assembly in Baltimore, Md.
After acknowledging that the past year has been "challenging and sobering," Pierre spoke sternly to his brother bishops and told them that they need to accept their responsibility as "spiritual fathers" of their dioceses.
While the Church is "always" in need of renewal, Pierre said that that this task will be impossible without rebuilding the trust of their community. It is a task that demands time, effort sacrifice, and reform on the part of the bishop.
"The only way of reforming the Church is to suffer for her," he said, and this reform needs to come from the mission of the Church. In creating reform, bishops must show that they are capable of solving problems that are placed before them, "rather than simply delegating them to others."