Saint Augustine, in his role as the bishop of Hippo, would frequently note that he understood his primary responsibility to be the preaching and exposition of Scripture. But on the anniversary of his ordination, he preached a sermon that gave a little more insight into his other pastoral responsibilites as bishop. He asked for their prayers, for the work of a bishop and a pastor was no small calling:

The turbulent have to be corrected, the faint-hearted cheered up, the weary supported; the gospel's opponents need to be refuted, its insiduous enemies guarded against; the unlearned need to be taught, the indolent stirred up, the argumentative checked; the proud must be put in their place, the desperate set on their feet, those engaged in quarrels reconciled; the needy have to be helped, the oppressed to be liberated, the good to be given your backing, the bad to be tolerated; all must be loved.

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