Spiritual advice
Spiritual advice is an honorary title that is bestowed in the Old Catholic , Protestant and Roman Catholic Church by a superior person or institution, usually a bishop .
origin
In terms of its origins, the title belongs in the same category as Hofrat or Privy Councilor . It has its origins in the custom of forming a council of particularly competent people around a sovereign . However, this was not a governing body in the current sense, but the continuation of the medieval practice of obliging the faithful to auxilium et consilium on the part of the faithful to their master.
practice
The title is usually given to deserving clergymen , often pastors after retirement . In the Roman Catholic Church, priests honored by the bishop bear the title of Episcopal Spiritual Council (BGR). In the Archdiocese of Paderborn , deserving clergymen who receive the title as an honorary title are appointed clergy ad honorem . In various countries it was customary for the sovereign to also appoint ecclesiastical councilors. B. in the Kingdom of Bavaria, where these priests were dubbed the Royal Spiritual Council .
