Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that one who is appointed to the episcopate ought to be better than others. For our Lord, when about to commit the pastoral office to Peter, asked him if he loved Him more than the others. Now a man is the better through loving God the more. Therefore it would seem that one ought not to be appointed to the episcopal office except he be better than others.

Objection 2: Further, Pope Symmachus says (can. Vilissimus I, qu. 1): "A man is of very little worth who though excelling in dignity, excels not in knowledge and holiness." Now he who excels in knowledge and holiness is better. Therefore a man ought not to be appointed to the episcopate unless he be better than others.

Objection 3: Further, in every genus the lesser are governed by the greater, as corporeal things are governed by things spiritual, and the lower bodies by the higher, as Augustine says (De Trin. iii, 3). Now a bishop is appointed to govern others. Therefore he should be better than others.

On the contrary, The Decretal says that "it suffices to choose a good man, nor is it necessary to choose the better man."

I answer that, In designating a man for the episcopal office, something has to be considered on the part of the person designate, and something on the part of the designator. For on the part of the designator, whether by election or by appointment, it is required that he choose such a one as will dispense the divine mysteries faithfully. These should be dispensed for the good of the Church, according to 1 Cor. 14:12, "Seek to abound unto the edifying of the Church"; and the divine mysteries are not committed to men for their own meed, which they should await in the life to come. Consequently he who has to choose or appoint one for a bishop is not bound to take one who is best simply, i.e. according to charity, but one who is best for governing the Church, one namely who is able to instruct, defend, and govern the Church peacefully. Hence Jerome, commenting on Titus 1:5, says against certain persons that "some seek to erect as pillars of the Church, not those whom they know to be more useful to the Church, but those whom they love more, or those by whose obsequiousness they have been cajoled or undone, or for whom some person in authority has spoken, and, not to say worse than this, have succeeded by means of gifts in being made clerics."

Now this pertains to the respect of persons, which in such matters is a grave sin. Wherefore a gloss of Augustine on James 2:1, "Brethren, have not . . . with respect of persons," says: "If this distinction of sitting and standing be referred to ecclesiastical honors, we must not deem it a slight sin to 'have the faith of the Lord of glory with respect of persons.' For who would suffer a rich man to be chosen for the Church's seat of honor, in despite of a poor man who is better instructed and holier?"

On the part of the person appointed, it is not required that he esteem himself better than others, for this would be proud and presumptuous; but it suffices that he perceive nothing in himself which would make it unlawful for him to take up the office of prelate. Hence although Peter was asked by our Lord if he loved Him more than the others, he did not, in his reply, set himself before the others, but answered simply that he loved Christ.

Reply to Objection 1: Our Lord knew that, by His own bestowal, Peter was in other respects fitted to govern the Church: wherefore He questioned him about his greater love, to show that when we find a man otherwise fitted for the government of the Church, we must look chiefly to his pre-eminence in the love of God.

Reply to Objection 2: This statement refers to the pursuits of the man who is placed in authority. For he should aim at showing himself to be more excellent than others in both knowledge and holiness. Wherefore Gregory says (Pastor. ii, 1) "the occupations of a prelate ought to excel those of the people, as much as the shepherd's life excels that of his flock." But he is not to be blamed and looked upon as worthless if he excelled not before being raised to the prelacy.

Reply to Objection 3: According to 1 Cor. 12:4 seqq., "there are diversities of graces . . . and . . . of ministries . . . and . . . of operations." Hence nothing hinders one from being more fitted for the office of governing, who does not excel in the grace of holiness. It is otherwise in the government of the natural order, where that which is higher in the natural order is for that very reason more fitted to dispose of those that are lower.

Articulus 3

Argumentum 1

Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod oporteat eum qui ad episcopatum assumitur, esse ceteris meliorem. Dominus enim Petrum, cui commissurus erat pastorale officium, examinavit si se diligeret plus ceteris. Sed ex hoc aliquis melior est quod deum plus diligit. Ergo videtur quod ad episcopatum non sit assumendus nisi ille qui est ceteris melior.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, symmachus Papa dicit, vilissimus computandus est, nisi scientia et sanctitate praecellat, qui est dignitate praestantior.

Sed ille qui praecellit scientia et sanctitate, est melior. Ergo non debet aliquis ad episcopatum assumi nisi sit ceteris melior.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, in quolibet genere minora per maiora reguntur, sicut corporalia reguntur per spiritualia, et inferiora corpora per superiora, ut Augustinus dicit, in III de Trin..

Sed episcopus assumitur ad regimen aliorum. Ergo debet esse ceteris melior.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod decretalis dicit quod sufficit eligere bonum, nec oportet eligere meliorem.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod circa assumptionem alicuius ad episcopatum, aliquid est considerandum ex parte eius qui assumitur, et aliquid ex parte eius qui assumit. Ex parte enim eius qui assumit, vel eligendo vel providendo, requiritur quod fideliter divina ministeria dispenset. Quae quidem dispensari debent ad utilitatem ecclesiae, secundum illud I ad Cor. XIV, ad aedificationem ecclesiae quaerite ut abundetis, non autem ministeria divina hominibus committuntur propter eorum remunerationem, quam expectare debent in futuro. Et ideo ille qui debet aliquem eligere in episcopum, vel de eo providere, non tenetur assumere meliorem simpliciter, quod est secundum caritatem, sed meliorem quoad regimen ecclesiae, qui scilicet possit ecclesiam et instruere et defendere et pacifice gubernare.

Unde contra quosdam Hieronymus dicit quod quidam non quaerunt eos in ecclesia columnas erigere quos plus cognoscant ecclesiae prodesse, sed quos vel ipsi amant, vel quorum sunt obsequiis deliniti, vel pro quibus maiorum quispiam rogaverit, et, ut deteriora taceam, qui ut clerici fierent muneribus impetrarunt.

Hoc autem pertinet ad acceptionem personarum, quae in talibus est grave peccatum.

Unde super illud Iac. II, fratres mei, nolite in personarum acceptione etc., dicit Glossa Augustini, si hanc distantiam sedendi et standi ad honores ecclesiasticos referamus, non est putandum leve esse peccatum in personarum acceptione habere fidem domini gloriae. Quis enim ferat eligi divitem ad sedem honoris ecclesiae, contempto paupere instructiore et sanctiore? ex parte autem eius qui assumitur, non requiritur quod reputet se aliis meliorem, hoc enim esset superbum et praesumptuosum, sed sufficit quod nihil in se inveniat per quod illicitum ei reddatur assumere praelationis officium. Unde licet Petrus interrogatus esset an dominum plus ceteris diligeret, in sua responsione non se praetulit ceteris, sed respondit simpliciter quod christum amaret.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod dominus in Petro sciebat ex suo munere esse idoneitatem etiam quantum ad alia, ecclesiam gubernandi. Et ideo eum de ampliori dilectione examinavit ad ostendendum quod, ubi alias invenitur homo idoneus ad ecclesiae regimen, praecipue attendi debet in ipso eminentia divinae dilectionis.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod auctoritas illa est intelligenda quantum ad studium illius qui in dignitate est constitutus, debet enim ad hoc intendere ut talem se exhibeat ut ceteros et scientia et sanctitate praecellat.

Unde Gregorius dicit, in pastoral., tantum debet actionem populi actio transcendere praesulis, quantum distare solet a grege vita pastoris.

Non autem sibi imputandum est si ante praelationem excellentior non fuit, ut ex hoc debeat vilissimus reputari.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod, sicut dicitur I ad Cor. XII, divisiones gratiarum et ministrationum et operationum sunt.

Unde nihil prohibet aliquem esse magis idoneum ad officium regiminis qui tamen non excellit in gratia sanctitatis. Secus autem est in regimine ordinis naturalis, in quo id quod est superius naturae ordine, ex hoc ipso habet maiorem idoneitatem ad hoc quod inferiora disponat.