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To: NYer

Scale matters—a bishop for slightly less than every 100,000 members and 48 bishops total makes personal interaction possible. Every bishop should know each of his priests and each of his brother bishops at least somewhat. This is, as your chart points out, the largest of the Eastern Churches in communion, but things are still manageable. The problem in the Latin Rite is that this Rite is over 98% if the 1.21 Billion Catholics. If things were scaled out, that would mean over 12,000 Latin Bishops—there is a big difference between 48 people getting together to discuss things and 12,000.

Only the Holy Spirit can keep a mess this big together.


5 posted on 12/04/2013 7:18:25 AM PST by Hieronymus ( (It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged. --G.K. Chesterton))
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To: Hieronymus; Jim Noble; Mrs. Don-o
Scale matters—a bishop for slightly less than every 100,000 members and 48 bishops total makes personal interaction possible.

Hieronymus makes an excellent point! The ratio of bishop to priests and parishioners in the Eastern Catholic Churches is much smaller; hence the bishop is more approachable. We enjoy a much closer and more personable relationship with our bishops and vice versa. My Maronite bishop was at this years USCCB Fall Meeting at the time of his birthday. I emailed him my best wishes, along with my prayers. He quickly responded with gratitude. He enjoys visiting our parish, usually during the Christmas novena. It's an open house event and he remembers all of our names. We pray for him as he does for us. He exemplifies a true shepherd.

7 posted on 12/04/2013 7:29:01 AM PST by NYer ("The wise man is the one who can save his soul. - St. Nimatullah Al-Hardini)
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