The faithful in the Diocese of Providence have begun praying for a new bishop. For what kind of man should a Providence Catholic pray? One might ask for an apt administrator or someone well versed in diocesan or parish leadership. Others might insist the Lord send a naturally affable man who exudes warmth and kindness to diverse populations. Still others may petition the Good Shepherd to elect a priest or bishop of deep piety and prayer. All of these qualities are good and probably necessary. But if we’re honest, we can easily agree with Saint Paul that we are often ignorant about the things for which we ought to pray. The liturgical orations for the Mass “For the Election of a Pope or a Bishop” provide sound assistance to remedy any lacuna in our prayer. The Collect for this Mass invokes God the Father, the eternal shepherd, to “grant in your boundless fatherly love a pastor for your Church who will please you by his holiness and to us show watchful care.” When the priest utters the Prayer over the Offerings, he prays to God that “through the sacred offerings we reverently bring to you, we may come to rejoice that a pastor pleasing to your majesty presides over your holy Church.” Finally, at the conclusion of the liturgy, the president of the assembly asks that God might “gladden us with the gift of a shepherd who will instruct your people by his virtues and imbue the minds of the faithful with the truth of the Gospel.” Therein lies the answer to our query. We should pray for a man who pleases God by his holiness, who watches over and cares for the flock, and who is a good teacher whose love for the truth and the Gospel bears fruit in the witness of his life.
