Editorial | Susan Hines-Brigger

By Susan Hines-Brigger

Bishops: Be Teachers, Not Judges

At their annual meeting this past November, the US bishops passed the statement “The Mystery of the Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States. The archbishop took a broader approach, focusing on the Eucharist in the Life of the Church.” The statement is concept of synodality, which comes from the Greek word meant to be a reflection on the transformative beauty of the synodos (to be on the journey together). While the word and Eucharist, which invites each of us into a deeper relation- concept of synodality might seem a little inside baseball for ship with Christ. many Catholics, the idea is simple: Don’t talk at us; talk with

Many were surprised by the document, considering the us. It is the antithesis of what has been happening. tone of the debate and rhetoric that had been taking place He encouraged the bishops to face the issues they would for the past year on the topic of whether or not to offer the be discussing in that same spirit. Doing so, he believes, “is Eucharist to politicians who support policies such as abor- an answer to the challenges of our time and to the contion rights. And while the bishops continually claimed that frontation, which is threatening to divide this country, and the topic was not politically which also has its echoes driven, it was hard to see it in the Church.” otherwise, seeing that the Speaking specifically to the debate began shortly after Eucharist issue, he told the the election of US President bishops: “We can become so Joe Biden, the second concentrated upon the sacralCatholic president. ity of forms of the liturgy that

In fact, on the day of we miss the true encounter President Biden’s elec- with His Real Presence. There tion, Archbishop José is the temptation to treat the Gómez, president of the Eucharist as something to be US Conference of Catholic offered to the privileged few Bishops, announced plans rather than to seek to walk for the formation of a work- with those whose theology or ing group to address the discipleship is falling short, issue. The group never came assisting them to understand to fruition, but the topic and appreciate the gift of the remained front and center. “The Eucharist is not the reward of Eucharist and helping them Some bishops said that they saints, but the bread of sinners.” to overcome their difficulties.” would deny President Biden —Pope Francis the Eucharist if he presented MOVING FORWARD himself for it during Mass. It was not the first time the Others said that the Eucharist was not something to be used archbishop had encouraged the bishops to walk the path of as a bargaining chip and should not be denied to anyone synodality. Last June, amid the tension caused by the discuswho is properly disposed. sion of the eucharistic document, he told them, “The starting

Pope Francis weighed in, saying that he had never denied point, therefore, cannot be to shame the weak but to propose anyone the Eucharist and that the sacrament “is not the the One who can strengthen us to overcome our weaknesses, reward of saints, but the bread of sinners.” The head of the especially through the sacraments of reconciliation and Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Luis the Eucharist.” Ladaria Ferrer, SJ, cautioned the bishops last June not to They didn’t listen then. Maybe they will this time, seemove ahead with a planned document on eucharistic “coher- ing as the document only subtly refers to the issue, noting, ence and consistency.” It seemed as if every time you turned “Laypeople who exercise some form of public authority have around, there was another twist in the ongoing dilemma. It a special responsibility to form their consciences in accord wasn’t completely clear what type of document the bishops with the Church’s faith and the moral law, and to serve the were going to be voting on at their November meeting or human family by upholding human life and dignity.” how the discussion was going to go. The bishops have every right to speak out on the importance of the Eucharist. They should. How they do it, though, WORDS OF WISDOM matters. Hopefully, in the spirit of Archbishop Pierre’s words, Before any of the discussions or voting took place, the they’ll use their newly passed statement on the Eucharist as a bishops heard their customary address from Archbishop conversation starter, not a litmus test.