Nor is it surprising that these are the priests who would be best known by the other bishops. A bishop is much more likely to know the chancellor of a neighboring diocese than the pastor of some inner-city parish. The list of candidates approved by the province bishops is sent to the pro-nuncio, the pope's representative in Washington, who keeps this list for reference when vacancies occur. If the vacancy is for an auxiliary bishop, the diocesan bishop draws up a list of three names that he submits to the pro-nuncio along with his reasons for nominating these priests. The pro-nuncio conducts his own investigation of the candidates without actually contacting them.
Information is collected on the candidates personal background, education, and previous assignments.
The pro-nuncio sends a confidential questionnaire to people who know the candidate and asks about his qualifications for being a bishop. The recipients are forbidden to tell the candidate about the questionnaire. The pope has numerous times made clear that he is seeking candidates who reflect his views on doctrine and church discipline. This is especially true in the appointment of archbishops who the Vatican hopes will then screen the candidates in their provinces. After the pro-nuncio completes his investigation, he sends his report with the three names to the Congregation for Bishops in Rome.