By Stephen P. White, The Catholic Thing - As the number of bishops emeritus increases, it is worth considering how the perception, if not the theology, of the episcopate might change with it. Episcopal consecration is indelible. Bishops are “fathers in Christ,” as Lumen Gentium has it. A bishop is “chosen for the fullness of the priesthood.”... What does it mean for a father to “retire”? More to the point, how might it subtly change a man’s understanding of his calling when he can “look forward” to laying down the burdens of his office in retirement?