Authority and Responsibility

The other day I was chatting with a Deacon friend of mine and we stumbled upon the topic of Limbo. You know, that place that never was, yet was where the unbaptized babies went? Limbo turned out to be a hypothesis regularly taught until the 1950's, but was thereafter quietly removed

from Catholic teaching as it was never an official doctrine. We discussed how upset mothers of miscarried children were, worried that in going to Limbo their children were denied the bliss of Heaven and the beatific vision. This unofficial hypothesis was nevertheless taught by many well-meaning priests and educators and was believed by these mothers, causing anguish and heartache. At this point, I stated that since a priest taught it, people believed it was true through their authority. He tilted his head and with a broad smile asked, "Do you want to get into it about authority? Clergy don't have authority, they have responsibility."

This took me aback, so I asked him what he meant. He went on to say that bishops, priests and deacons don't have authority in their own right. The authority Christ gives to the Church is delegated. For example, when a steward exercises his authority, he must act in light of his master's wishes. Any steward who makes decisions concerning his master's property of which the master would not approve, will not be steward long. There will be an accounting when the master returns and reclaims the authority given. The recounting of a steward in just this situation is told in Isaiah 22. Jesus himself delegates to Peter this same kind of authority in Matthew 16 using "the key" from Isaiah 22:22 as the symbol of that authority.

So, my friend concluded with a smile, this delegated authority given to Peter, down to today's bishops, is really "a responsibility." Bishops are responsible to teach the truth of the gospel, guide the people of God and administer the Sacraments.

I reflected on this and had to agree. Any bishop, priest or deacon that taught his own gospel or exercised his own authority in the name of Jesus Christ or His Church would place himself out of communion with them.

In the Sacrament of Holy Orders, a responsibility is laid upon these men to lead as Christ would lead, to speak as Christ would speak and to bring into the Church all "who labor and are burdened" (Matt 11:28) so that their master can give them rest.

My friend is acutely aware of his own shortcomings and how his words are taken very seriously given the fact his is an ordained minister of the Church. He has no desire to be an unfaithful steward, even inadvertently.


Therefore we must pray for our bishops, priest and deacons that they remain steadfast in this responsibility. There will be an accounting for every word and deed. For to whom much has been given, must will be demanded (see Luke 12:48).