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From the Greek word meaning "overseer," a bishop is a supreme,
divinely instituted member of the Church hierarchy. He has received the highest
of the holy orders, is invested with the authority to govern a diocese, and is a
successor of the Apostles. Bishops are responsible directly to the Holy Father
for the affairs of their diocese (cf. Hierarchy; Jurisdiction). The sacrament of
holy orders confers on a bishop spiritual power in its fullness, and he may
administer confirmation and holy orders, and ordain other bishops. Besides
administration of the temporal and spiritual affairs of a diocese, it is the
bishop's duty (1) to teach, that is to guard the purity of doctrine and see that
it is given to others; (2) to guard the morals of the faithful under his care,
to maintain discipline, and to provide that the faithful receive the sacraments,
and ensure divine worship; (3) to reside in his jurisdiction; (4) to visit the
parishes of his diocese regularly. The Second Vatican Council devoted an entire
decree on the Bishop's Pastoral Office in the Church (Chistus Dominus). Among
its many statements concerning the apostolate of bishops it declared: "As
successors of the apostles, bishops automatically enjoy in the dioceses
entrusted to them all the ordinary, proper, and immediate authority required for
the exercise of their pastoral office. But this authority never in any instance
infringes upon the power which the Roman Pontiff has, by virtue of his office,
of reserving cases to himself or to some other authority."Except when it is
a question of matters reserved to the supreme authority of the Church, the
general law of the Church gives each diocesan bishop the faculty to grant
dispensations in particular cases to the faithful over whom he exercises
authority according to the norm of law, provided he judges it helpful for their
spiritual welfare."