The bishop is not supposed to be a little prince

One of the things I have certainly learned the most during the Synod process is, so to speak, the wide variety of ways in which the ministry of the bishop is understood—sometimes shaped by cultural factors, and sometimes, of course, by personal issues such as the bishop’s personality and character.

But above and beneath all of that, there must be a foundation: who is called to be a bishop. And as Pope Francis has reminded us many times, the bishop is called to serve. His authority is service. That is why seeking different ways in which a bishop can serve—in any society, in any church—is, I believe, very important.

A bishop should not be a little prince seated in his kingdom, but rather is truly called to be humble, to be close to the people he serves, to walk with them, to suffer with them, and to seek ways to live out the Gospel message more fully in the midst of his people.