Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that it is unlawful for a bishop, on account of some temporal persecution, to withdraw his bodily presence from the flock committed to his care. For our Lord said (Jn. 10:12) that he is a hireling and no true shepherd, who "seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep and flieth": and Gregory says (Hom. xiv in Ev.) that "the wolf comes upon the sheep when any man by his injustice and robbery oppresses the faithful and the humble." Therefore if, on account of the persecution of a tyrant, a bishop withdraws his bodily presence from the flock entrusted to his care, it would seem that he is a hireling and not a shepherd.

Objection 2: Further, it is written (Prov. 6:1): "My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, thou hast engaged fast thy hand to a stranger," and afterwards (Prov. 6:3): "Run about, make haste, stir up thy friend." Gregory expounds these words and says (Pastor. iii, 4): "To be surety for a friend, is to vouch for his good conduct by engaging oneself to a stranger. And whoever is put forward as an example to the lives of others, is warned not only to watch but even to rouse his friend." Now he cannot do this if he withdraw his bodily presence from his flock. Therefore it would seem that a bishop should not on account of persecution withdraw his bodily presence from his flock.

Objection 3: Further, it belongs to the perfection of the bishop's state that he devote himself to the care of his neighbor. Now it is unlawful for one who has professed the state of perfection to forsake altogether the things that pertain to perfection. Therefore it would seem unlawful for a bishop to withdraw his bodily presence from the execution of his office, except perhaps for the purpose of devoting himself to works of perfection in a monastery.

On the contrary, our Lord commanded the apostles, whose successors bishops are (Mt. 10:23): "When they shall persecute you in this city, flee into another."

I answer that, In any obligation the chief thing to be considered is the end of the obligation. Now bishops bind themselves to fulfil the pastoral office for the sake of the salvation of their subjects. Consequently when the salvation of his subjects demands the personal presence of the pastor, the pastor should not withdraw his personal presence from his flock, neither for the sake of some temporal advantage, nor even on account of some impending danger to his person, since the good shepherd is bound to lay down his life for his sheep.

On the other hand, if the salvation of his subjects can be sufficiently provided for by another person in the absence of the pastor, it is lawful for the pastor to withdraw his bodily presence from his flock, either for the sake of some advantage to the Church, or on account of some danger to his person. Hence Augustine says (Ep. ccxxviii ad Honorat.): "Christ's servants may flee from one city to another, when one of them is specially sought out by persecutors: in order that the Church be not abandoned by others who are not so sought for. When, however, the same danger threatens all, those who stand in need of others must not be abandoned by those whom they need." For "if it is dangerous for the helmsman to leave the ship when the sea is calm, how much more so when it is stormy," as Pope Nicholas I says (cf. VII, qu. i, can. Sciscitaris).

Reply to Objection 1: To flee as a hireling is to prefer temporal advantage or one's bodily welfare to the spiritual welfare of one's neighbor. Hence Gregory says (Hom. xiv in Ev.): "A man cannot endanger himself for the sake of his sheep, if he uses his authority over them not through love of them but for the sake of earthly gain: wherefore he fears to stand in the way of danger lest he lose what he loves." But he who, in order to avoid danger, leaves the flock without endangering the flock, does not flee as a hireling.

Reply to Objection 2: If he who is surety for another be unable to fulfil his engagement, it suffices that he fulfil it through another. Hence if a superior is hindered from attending personally to the care of his subjects, he fulfils his obligation if he do so through another.

Reply to Objection 3: When a man is appointed to a bishopric, he embraces the state of perfection as regards one kind of perfection; and if he be hindered from the practice thereof, he is not bound to another kind of perfection, so as to be obliged to enter the religious state. Yet he is under the obligation of retaining the intention of devoting himself to his neighbor's salvation, should an opportunity offer, and necessity require it of him.

Articulus 5

Argumentum 1

Ad quintum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non liceat episcopo, propter aliquam persecutionem, corporaliter deserere gregem sibi commissum.

Dicit enim dominus, Ioan. X, quod ille est mercenarius, et non vere pastor, qui videt lupum venientem, et dimittit oves et fugit.

Dicit autem Gregorius, in homilia, quod lupus super oves venit, cum quilibet iniustus et raptor fideles quosque atque humiles opprimit.

Si ergo propter persecutionem alicuius tyranni, episcopus gregem sibi commissum corporaliter deserat, videtur quod sit mercenarius, et non pastor.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, Prov. VI dicitur, fili, si sponderis pro amico tuo, defixisti apud extraneum manum tuam, et postea subdit, discurre, festina, suscita amicum tuum.

Quod exponens Gregorius, in pastoral., dicit, spondere pro amico est animam alienam in periculo suae conversationis accipere. Quisquis autem ad vivendum aliis in exemplum praeponitur, non solum ut ipse vigilet, sed etiam ut amicum suscitet, admonetur.

Sed hoc non potest facere si corporaliter deserat gregem.

Ergo videtur quod episcopus non debeat, causa persecutionis, corporaliter suum gregem deserere.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, ad perfectionem episcopalis status pertinet quod proximis curam impendat. Sed non licet ei qui est statum perfectionis professus, ut omnino deserat ea quae sunt perfectionis. Ergo videtur quod non licet episcopo se corporaliter subtrahere ab executione sui officii, nisi forte ut operibus perfectionis in monasterio vacet.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod dominus apostolis, quorum successores sunt episcopi, mandavit, Matth. X, si vos persecuti fuerint in una civitate, fugite in aliam.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod in qualibet obligatione praecipue attendi debet obligationis finis. Obligant autem se episcopi ad exequendum pastorale officium propter subditorum salutem.

Et ideo, ubi subditorum salus exigit personae pastoris praesentiam, non debet pastor personaliter suum gregem deserere, neque propter aliquod commodum temporale, neque etiam propter aliquod personale periculum imminens, cum bonus pastor animam suam ponere teneatur pro ovibus suis.

Si vero subditorum saluti possit sufficienter in absentia pastoris per alium provideri, tunc licet pastori, vel propter aliquod ecclesiae commodum, vel propter personae periculum, corporaliter gregem deserere.

Unde Augustinus dicit, in epistola ad honoratum, fugiant de civitate in civitatem servi christi, quando eorum quisque specialiter a persecutoribus quaeritur, ut ab aliis, qui non ita quaeruntur, non deseratur ecclesia.

Cum autem omnium est commune periculum, hi qui aliis indigent, non deserantur ab his quibus indigent.

Si enim perniciosum est nautam in tranquillitate navem deserere, quanto magis in fluctibus, ut dicit Nicolaus Papa, et habetur VII, qu. I.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod ille tanquam mercenarius fugit qui commodum temporale, vel etiam salutem corporalem, spirituali saluti proximorum praeponit.

Unde Gregorius dicit, in homilia, stare in periculo ovium non potest qui in eo quod ovibus praeest, non oves diligit, sed lucrum terrenum quaerit, et ideo opponere se contra periculum trepidat, ne hoc quod diligit amittat.

Ille autem qui ad evitandum periculum recedit absque detrimento gregis, non tanquam mercenarius fugit.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod ille qui spondet pro aliquo, si per se implere non possit, sufficit ut per alium impleat. Unde praelatus, si habet impedimentum propter quod non possit personaliter curae subditorum intendere, suae sponsioni satisfacit si per alium provideat.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod ille qui ad episcopatum assumitur, assumit statum perfectionis secundum aliquod perfectionis genus, a quo si impediatur, ad aliud genus perfectionis non tenetur, ut scilicet necesse sit eum ad statum religionis transire.

Imminet tamen sibi necessitas ut animum retineat intendendi proximorum saluti si opportunitas adsit et necessitas requirat.