25/08/2026
Did you know that many Catholic Bishops or superiors of religious congregations have more reliable evidence and their own side of the story and can hit the hammer anytime but sometimes they act as true fathers with compassion and great patience.
Some defaulters take advantage of their compassion and great patience and mistake them for weakness. I consider such compassion and great patience as strength and wisdom rather than weakness.
But it’s often unfair to bishops and superiors to be seen in the bad light when they eventually swing into action to save the face of the church and to help the defaulting persons get back to their senses. Outsiders who don’t know the whole story begin to see them as harsh and wicked without knowing anything about the years of compassion and great patience without any conversion on the part of the defaulters.
This is why it’s an extraordinary calling to be a bishop or to be elected a superior for the religious orders and congregations. The arduous task of a shepherd is a daily fight with ravenous wolves in order not to invade the sheepfold. Let’s continue to pray for our bishops and also superiors of religious orders and congregations for the grace of courage and firmness in responding to the challenges of having defaulting members in their sheepfold. Kyrie Eleison!
©️ Fra Francis Ezeh OFMCap