Bishop: Pope shows he's pastoral

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

	RIGHT UP FRONT: Bp. David Zubik and Mike Brummond were in the front row when Pope Benedict XVI on the balcony was introduced to the crowd in St. Peter's Square soon after his election on April 19. (Joel Sember photo)

The hallmarks of Pope Benedict XVI's papacy will be carrying on the work of his predecessor, an emphasis on education and his role as pastor.

That's the verdict of Green Bay Bp. David Zubik, who was in St. Peter's Square when the new pope was elected and presented to the world.

Pope Benedict XVI
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In a meeting with the press April 21 at Austin Straubel International Airport, Green Bay, after returning from Rome, Bp. Zubik said:

• "First of all, I think there's no question about it: He was Pope John Paul II's closest advisor. So you can know for sure that he will be continuing on the good work of Pope John Paul II." Bp. Zubik met the then Card. Joseph Ratzinger twice at the Vatican along with other bishops.

• "Second of all, he is a brilliant scholar and so I think that what you're probably going to see is a great deal of emphasis on education as far as his trying to educate the world." As pope, the former head of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith will challenge relativism and invite people to be open to Christ's love, the bishop said.

• Third, "I think what we're going to see also is the emergence of a great pastor. Many people haven't seen him in that role because he's been the protector of the church's teaching and as a scholar has done a great deal."

Though Pope Benedict is much shyer than Pope John Paul, his metamorphosis into a pastor has begun, Bp. Zubik said. He told of watching the new pope smile broadly at the cheering crowds as he left his former apartment near the Vatican on April 21.

"People, I think, are influencing him to maybe come out of his shell a little bit more, but I think he's going to be a great leader for the church."

As for being in front row seats in St. Peter's Square for the election, that is "one of those experiences I could never forget," Bp. Zubik said.

Before he left for Rome on April 18, he had prayed that the new pope would not be elected before he arrived.

"The fact that it was the very first ballot after I arrived, I said 'Well, Dear Lord thank you very much for granting me my request' and I'm grateful for that."

"I pinched myself to know that I was there," he said. "I felt so blessed to be part of the throng that was there and felt the excitement of that very large crowd of hundreds of thousands of people."

He said it was an incredible experience to watch the excitement mount as the observers struggled to decide if the smoke was black or white. It had to be white, he said, because the smoke would have come later if the voting had been inconclusive. Then they waited for the bells to start ringing, he said.

News spread rapidly that a pope had been elected and people ran out of the shops, which were quickly closed. In 15-20 minutes, the area was full of people, Bp. Zubik said.

"There was a great deal of praying going on in the Square too and it confirmed once again what an important figure the pope is, not only for the Catholic Church, but for believers and nonbelievers alike," Bp. Zubik said.

Eventually the doors onto the balcony of St. Peter's opened and they heard the announcement. "I felt I had all of the faithful from Green Bay there because I prayed for the people in our diocese," he said.

Bp. Zubik said it was particularly important for him to be in the Square with the diocese's three seminarians studying in Rome: Ben and Joel Sember and Mike Brummond.

"I said, 'This is great. We'll be working together for years to come and we'll have wonderful memories of being there when the announcement was made about the new pope.'"

Bp. Zubik, who on May 3 will celebrate the 30th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, said his parents had given him money for a present and he decided to buy a pectoral cross to wear at ceremonies.

"Fortunately I got that right before I went to the Square not knowing, of course, that he was going to be elected right then. I took it out, so when he gave the blessing I felt that cross was really blessed by him. So it will be a memory of a gift from my parents, but it also will be a memory of the new pope blessing it on the day he was elected as the pope. So I think that will be a powerful recollection of the day."