ST II-II, q. 185
Of Things Pertaining to the Episcopal State
We must now consider things pertaining to the episcopal state. Under this head there are eight points of inquiry:
(1) Whether it is lawful to desire the office of a bishop?
(2) Whether it is lawful to refuse the office of bishop definitively?
(3) Whether the better man should be chosen for the episcopal office?
(4) Whether a bishop may pass over to the religious state?
(5) Whether he may lawfully abandon his subjects in a bodily manner?
(6) Whether he can have anything of his own?
(7) Whether he sins mortally by not distributing ecclesiastical goods to the poor?
(8) Whether religious who are appointed to the episcopal office are bound to religious observances?
Articles
- a. 1Whether it is lawful to desire the office of a bishop?
- a. 2Whether it is lawful for a man to refuse absolutely an appointment to the episcopate?
- a. 3Whether he that is appointed to the episcopate ought to be better than others?
- a. 4Whether a bishop may lawfully forsake the episcopal cure, in order to enter religion?
- a. 5Whether it is lawful for a bishop on account of bodily persecution to abandon the flock committed to his care?
- a. 6Whether it is lawful for a bishop to have property of his own?
- a. 7Whether bishops sin mortally if they distribute not to the poor the ecclesiastical goods which accrue to them?
- a. 8Whether religious who are raised to the episcopate are bound to religious observances?