I hear from other Bishops, he says, that there is a failure of Catechesis, that things are not sticking, that kids are going to Catholic Schools and then they are graduating from the Catholic Church, not just from school. It’s not a marketing question! It’s a question of how are we going to express the deep questions in their heart? How are we going to help them find answers?

The Congregation for Bishops, unlike the Congregation for Saints, deals with the pastoral profiles of candidates who are not yet perfect, but of men on the way of perfection. What certainly counts in a priest proposed for the episcopate are the theological and cardinal virtues, the so-called principal human virtues. Above all, what is most important for this office is prudence. This should not be understood as reticence or timidity, but as balance between action and reflection while exercising a responsibility that requires great dedication and courage.

With the joint effort of the priests, we will be able to do a good job in the Church and that we will be able to make our Church better. So I believe that this is one of the opportunities that our diocese - I hope - will take to heart. I also hope that our diocese, our faithful and our priests will take to heart the expectations of the Church, including the Pope and these authoritative Cardinals, and I hope that we can all work together to make our diocese better.

A good bishop must be a leader, a father, and a servant – all in one person. Therefore, it is not an easy ministry. People have different needs. In my opinion, a bishop can be compared to a juggler who throws many balls in the air at the same time. A bishop also has to do many different things and achieve a delicate balance in his ministry.

Sometimes the bishop risks focusing only on the local dimension. But a bishop should have a much broader vision of the Church and reality, and experience the universality of the Church. He also needs the ability to listen to his neighbour and seek advice, as well as psychological and spiritual maturity. A fundamental element of the portrait of a bishop is being a pastor, capable of being close to the members of the community.

I speak of the Bishops' need to hear the voice of the priests, even if simple answers cannot be found. I refer to some of the problems priests experience. I wish that the essential place of the priests in the Church be emphasised in the Synod and that discussion of their difficulties be open.

We are a family, the Church. We are not a business, but we are a family. The bishops are responsible for the health of the entire Church, especially in a time of crisis. And now we are in a crisis. And only a blind person – spiritually blind – could deny that we are experiencing a deep confusion currently in the Church, doctrinally, liturgically, and morally. And therefore, when bishops shall raise their voices to defend the truth, they are doing, in my opinion, a good work, and helping in some way the pope and their brothers in the episcopacy.

Bishops have a certain standing in the life of the life of the community, but when you're a sick person, then you're on par with everybody else, and that's a very good thing, I think, there's no privilege in that sense any longer, of status or office, or whatever it may be. You belong in the place where all human beings belong: in the hands of the Lord and waiting on his person and his love.

We Jesuits always have to remember that most Catholics are not Jesuits — a fact we tend to overlook sometimes. Our spirituality is not for everyone — perhaps hard to say, but so true. For me, becoming a bishop was a real change, for then I had to recognize the whole spectrum of theologies, spiritualties, ministries and charisms present in the diocese entrusted to me. Through this I came to realize what a great gift doctrine is for the Church, enabling it to be one, holy, and catholic.

We are diocesan bishops... and here a certain level of responsibility and institutional attention is required

The Scottish bishops can tell you that the vast majority of the Catholic people, many other Christians, and indeed people of other faiths respond positively and rejoice to hear religious and moral truth expounded clearly and simply and openly. Even in these highly secularised times, the thirst for authentic religion still asserts itself.

It would be best if all Bishops in America campaigned together so that Christian entrepreneurs and others who, even if not Christian would appreciate people's ethical views and undertook to withdraw their publicity regarding immoral programs or any other type of support of that nature.

The high demands of the episcopacy are truly fearsome, even beyond the normal standards of leadership. Thus, I propose that bishop-elects must be given sufficient opportunities to be informed, exposed, and formed prior to assuming the Episcopal office. There is a need to re-look at the practical and human needs of the bishop.

It’s not unreasonable that people are becoming angry because they’re seeing that the bishops are overreacting in certain circumstances, but what they need to do, they need to see, instead of being angry, that this is a sign that God’s calling us to pray for them, because being angry with them isn’t going to help them. Praying will.