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The ultimate decision in appointing bishops rests with the pope.The Holy See follows the appointment of Bishops with special care since this touches the very heart of the life of the Church, inasmuch as the appointment of Bishops by the Pope is the guarantee of the unity of the Church.The choice of candidates for the episcopate they should be worthy priests,respected and loved by the faithful,models of life in the faith and that they should possess a certain experience in the pastoral ministry so that they are equipped to address the burdensome responsibility of a Pastor of the Church.The process for selecting candidates for the episcopacy normally begins at the diocesan level and works its way through consultations until it reaches Rome.It is bound by strict confidentiality and involves a number of important players.It can be a time consuming process, often taking eight months or more to complete. While there are distinctions between the first appointment of a priest as a bishop and a bishop´s later transfer to another diocese or his promotion to archbishop,the basic outlines of the process remain the same.The Book is good for clergy and Religious during and after formation.

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Dr Kasomo Daniel is A Roman Catholic Bishop and the Leader of The Society of St Peter and Paul in Kenya. A Senior Lecturer in Maseno University. Former Dean of Students and Student Counsellor in Egerton University. Former Chairperson of Religious Studies Department in Catholic University. He has published widely on Pastoral Counselling and Religion

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