News

New bishop taking office at Mass on Friday

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

	LOOKING AROUND: Bp. David Zubik inspects food items at Paul's Pantry with Craig Robbins, pantry director, during Bp. Zubik's Oct. 10 visit to Green Bay. Bp. Zubik will be installed Friday. (Rick Evans photo)
	New bishop What: Installation of Bp. David Zubik as 11th Bishop of the Green Bay Diocese. When: 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12. Where: St. Agnes Church, Green Bay. Attending: Attendance is by invitation only, but the entire Mass will be broadcast live on WLUK-TV, channel 11, and WJOK radio (1050 AM). More: For more on Bp. Zubik, his installation and the diocese see the special 40-page supplement in this issue [full supplement available in print edition].

Bp. David Zubik will be installed as the 11th Bishop of Green Bay at a 2 p.m. Mass Friday, Dec. 12, in St. Agnes Church, Green Bay.

The installation portion of the Mass will take place immediately after the opening procession when Abp. Gabriel Montalvo, apostolic nuncio, and Abp. Timothy Dolan of Milwaukee lead Bp. Zubik to the cathedra - the bishop's chair, a symbol of his teaching authority - and present him with his crosier.

Some 50 bishops, most of the priests serving in the diocese, 300 friends of Bp. Zubik from the Pittsburgh Diocese, and representatives of the diocese's parishes and groups will participate in the Mass. Because of space concerns, admission is by invitation only. The entire Mass will be broadcast live on WLUK-TV, channel 11, and WJOK radio (1050 AM).

On the evening of Dec. 11, there is a vespers service in St. Francis Xavier Cathedral for priests, sisters, deacons and their spouses to welcome Bp. Zubik to the diocese.

Bp. Zubik, 54, comes to Green Bay from his native Pittsburgh, where he has served as an auxiliary bishop since 1997 and worked primarily in administration in a Catholic High School and the chancery, including as vicar general and general secretary of the Pittsburgh Diocese since 1996.

The Pittsburgh Diocese has nearly 800,000 Catholics - roughly twice as many as in the Green Bay Diocese - and more than 200 parishes, compared to 186 parishes in the Green Bay Diocese. Both dioceses have strong ethnic roots.

Conversations with various leaders in the Green Bay Diocese uncovered several areas of strength as well as areas of continuing concern as Bp. Zubik assumes leadership.

A shrinking number of priests has led to some creative pastoral solutions, including the merger and linkage of several parishes and more are anticipated in future years. Some of these newly formed parishes have built new, larger churches to meet the needs of the growing parish community.

Bp. Zubik has experience in this area. While he was director of Clergy Personnel, 1991-96, the diocese went through a major reorganization, going from 333 parishes to 214. As part of the reorganization, he met with each one of the more than 500 priests involved in active ministry. Of these, all but 54 received new assignments.

The Green Bay Diocese faces challenges that confront dioceses across the country as Sunday Mass attendance continues to decline, many Catholics question church teachings on contraception and the ordination of women, and wonder aloud about opening the priesthood to married men.

Bp. Zubik said he looks forward to discussions with people who question church teachings.

At the same time, the decline in the stock market hurt diocesan investments, which partially fund programs and services, forcing staff reductions in the last couple of years. At the same time, gifts to the Catholic Foundation, started under Bp. Robert Banks, continues to grow.

And the church continues to feel the shock waves from the two-year scandal over clerical sexual-abuse. Bp. Zubik has promised to follow the U.S. Bishops' charter and norm to the letter.

There are also pressures from the broader society over issues such as human cloning, stem-cell research, abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, single-sex marriage and social services for the needy.

Setting priorities Here are Bp. Zubik's priorities as he becomes Bishop of Green Bay: • Listening to people. • Supporting spirituality to meet the hunger and thirst people have for the presence of God and personal holiness both through the retreat centers in the diocese and through parish leaders. • Helping people of all ages learn more about God, Scripture, the church and who we are and what we believe as a church. • Supporting priests and encouraging vocations to the priesthood, while also encouraging the greater involvement of lay people in the church. • Following, to the letter, the charter and norms the U.S. Bishops established in 2002 in response to the clergy sexual abuse scandal.

In the midst of all this, the diocese itself continues to change along with the broader community as it evolves from virtually all-white working class communities of mill and factory workers and rural agri-business to a more diverse population, that includes being in the state with the third largest Hmong population in the country, plus a rapidly growing Hispanic population, both of whom need pastoral care and other services.

Here is a capsule view of other areas in the diocese:

Properties

The increasing number of parishes that merge and link will require an evaluation of churches, schools and other buildings to determine what needs to be maintained, expanded or replaced in an environmentally sensitive way. Similar evaluations are needed for the diocesan campus, the diocesan shrine at Robinsonville and diocesan cemeteries and mausoleums.

Diaconate

The diaconate program in the diocese is one of the oldest in the country and a growing number of permanent deacons are serving in parishes, institutions, and programs throughout the diocese.

Social concerns

Over the years, the parishes have shown a strong awareness of reaching out to assist those who need help. Many staff and volunteers in parishes provide charitable services and advocate for justice issues through parish programs and community outreach.

Education

• Many school and religious education administrators and youth and young adult leaders have been formed through funding from Lumen Christi grants.

• Enrollment in Catholic schools is decreasing slightly and almost 30 schools have enrollments of less than 150 - some less than 60 - which presents a financial challenge to parishes of maintaining quality schools while keeping tuition affordable.

• High school students have a high level of involvement in service programs. Most parishes have some type of summer programs where students serve and learn Catholic teachings of social justice. The number of paid youth ministers is decreasing, even as the number of people who have completed the Youth Ministry Certificate Program is the highest in Wisconsin. This year, more people from the Green Bay Diocese went through the training than the other four dioceses combined.

	Bishop David Zubik's Installation as 11th Bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay
	• Bp. Zubik's schedule for Dec. 11-24 • Bishop eager to start serving Green Bay church     Bp. David Zubik wants to work with priests,     laity to satisfy the hunger for God     • Sidebar: Getting to know him • Proud father: 'You're really going to like him'     Stanley Zubik says his son, the bishop, cares     about all people, rich, poor, young, old • How a bishop takes charge • Foundations of Faith -- The clothes don't make, but they explain, a bishop • Editorial -- New leader     Bp. David Zubik comes highly recommended     and he wants to get to know all of us Past coverage:    November 21, 2003 issue:      • Pittsburgh planning farewell Mass for Bishop Zubik Sunday    November 14, 2003 issue:      • Visits scheduled for bishop         Bp. Zubik planning visits to Manitowoc,         Antigo, Marinette, Green Bay and Appleton    November 7, 2003 issue:      • Bp. Zubik to be installed Dec. 12 at St. Agnes         The 2 p.m. Mass will be shown live on         Green Bay channel 11    Other coverage:      • Links to Oct. 10 and Oct. 17 Compass coverage of new Bishop

• Theology on Tap for young adults to learn about the faith is growing.

• Parishes have a strong commitment to religious education and formation, and many parishes have begun to emphasize intergenerational activities and instruction.

• More than half of the schools are accredited by either North Central or the Wisconsin Religious Independent School Accrediting Association; others are studying the issue. All the larger cities, except Green Bay have a Catholic system, where it has been studied.

• The Department of Total Catholic Education has completed a core curriculum for religion, but implementation is not complete.

• Adult education opportunities include The Compass and forums in four locations.

Vocations

• The diocese has 14 seminarians, with 12 of them in theology and one in pre-theology. This is the most enrolled in theology for many years, but college seminary enrollment is down to one.

• There is a need to continue a positive focus on vocations by inviting young men to consider priesthood and additional focus on youth and young adult events.

• Staffing in the vocations office is also a concern.

Pastoral Services

• Declining numbers of priests to serve our parishes - particularly those in small towns and rural areas - has led to creative responses such as mergers and linkages to ensure the continued presence of the church throughout the diocese.

• The declines in the numbers of priests available for special ministry in charities, education, cultural and special needs, hospital and pastoral care, diocesan offices, and other areas has led to a dramatic increase in the number of lay people and deacons serving in these areas and receiving training through the Silver Lake College Commissioned Ministry Program and St. Norbert College's master's program in theological studies.

• Renew 2000 continues to bear fruit, as numerous small faith-sharing groups continue to meet. In addition, four parishes have perpetual adoration chapels and several others offer perpetual adoration regularly.