News

Bp. David A. Zubik to return to Pittsburgh
as its twelfth bishop

	Bp. David A. Zubik Parents: Stanley Zubik and the late Susan (Raskosky) Zubik Date of birth: Sept. 4, 1949, Sewickley, Penn. Baptism: Sept. 18, 1949, St. Stanislaus Church, Ambridge, Penn. First Communion: June 1, 1958, St. Stanislaus Confirmation: April 30, 1960, St. Stanislaus Education: St. Stanislaus Grade School, Ambridge, Penn. St. Veronica High School, Ambridge St. Paul Seminary, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, 1967-1971 (BA 1971) St. Mary Seminary, Baltimore, Md. 1971-1975 (M.Div. 1975) Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, 1980-1982 (M.S.Ed. 1982) Ordination to priesthood: May 3, 1975, St. Paul Cathedral, Pittsburgh Episcopal ordination: April 6, 1997, St. Paul's, Pittsburgh Episcopal appointment as Bishop of Green Bay: October 10, 2003 Episcopal installation: Dec. 12, 2003, St. Agnes Church, Green Bay Episcopal appointment: July 18, 2007, Bishop of Pittsburgh, PA Episcopal installation: Sept. 28, 2007, St. Paul Cathedral, Pittsburgh Home Parish: Good Samaritan Parish, Ambridge Pastorate curriculum vitae: 1975-1980 -- Parochial Vicar, Sacred Heart Parish, Pittsburgh 1977-1980 -- CCD Deanery Director, Central Deanery, Pittsburgh 1978-1980 -- Deanery Youth Director, Central Deanery, Pittsburgh 1975-1980 -- East End Cooperative Ministry Board 1980-1987 -- Vice principal, Quigley High School, Baden, PA 1980-1987 -- Chaplain, Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse, Baden 1980-1982 -- Graduate studies in conjunction with assignment to Quigley High School, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, (M.S.Ed.) 1984-1991 -- Associate Spiritual Director to St. Paul Seminary, Pittsburgh 1987-1988 -- Administrative Secretary to Bishop Bevilacqua, Diocese of Pittsburgh 1988-1991 -- Administrative Secretary to Bishop Wuerl, Diocese of Pittsburgh 1988-1989 -- Master of Ceremonies to Bishop Wuerl, Diocese of Pittsburgh 1988-1993 -- Chaplain, Legatus Pittsburgh Chapter 1989-1996 -- Associate Spiritual Director to St. Vincent Seminary, Latrobe, PA 1991-1995 -- Priest Benefit Plan Board, Diocese of Pittsburgh 1991-1996 -- Board of Delegates, Christian Associates of Southwestern Pennsylvania 1991-1996 -- Director, Department of Clergy Personnel, Diocese of Pittsburgh 1992-1996 -- Treasurer, Christian Associates of Southwestern Pennsylvania 1992-1996 -- Board of Directors, Pittsburgh Pastoral Institute 1993-1996 -- Chaplain, Catholic Business Alliance, Pittsburgh 1995-1996 -- Associate General Secretary & Chancellor, Diocese of Pittsburgh 1996-2003 -- Vicar General and General Secretary, Diocese of Pittsburgh 1996-2003 -- Chaplain, Holy Spirit Motherhouse, Pittsburgh 1996-2003 -- Board of Directors, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh 1996-2003 -- Administrative Board and Executive Committee, Pennsylvania Catholic Conference 1996-2003 -- President, Diocesan Finance Council 1997-2003 -- Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh 1999-2002 -- U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Priestly Formation 2000-2003 -- Duquesne University Academic Affairs Committee 2000-2003 -- USCCB Bishops' Committee on Priestly Life and Ministry 2004-present -- Board of Advisors, University of St. Mary of the Lake Mundelein Seminary, Chicago 2005-2008 -- Chairman, USCCB Laity Committee 2005-2008 -- USCCB Audit Sub-Committee 2005-2008 -- USCCB Administrative Committee 2005-2008 -- USCCB National Advisory Council
	Previous articles on Bishop Zubik: from Dec. 10, 2004 issue: • Special Section: Bishop Zubik's First Anniversary from Jan. 2, 2004 issue: • True to his word: New bishop on road again • New shepherd visits the Valley • Bridging the Gap column: Taking role of bridge builder coverage of Bishop Zubik's installation as Bishop of Green Bay: • Dec. 19, 2003 Web issue • Dec. 12, 2003 Web issue coverage of Bishop Zubik being named 11th bishop of Green Bay: • Nov. 7-21, 2003 coverage • Oct. 10-17, 2003 coverage

GREEN BAY, Wis. (July 18) -- Pope Benedict XVI has named the Most Reverend David A. Zubik, Bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay, as the twelfth bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Bishop David Zubik

"Words cannot express how surprised and humbled I am by this appointment," said Bishop Zubik. "When I was named Bishop of Green Bay three and a half years ago, I fully expected to serve here until my retirement, so it is an enormous surprise to be named to another Diocese, particularly the Diocese of my birthplace. I have always said that I will go wherever God wants me to be. Now God is calling me back to serve the faithful of Pittsburgh.

"I am honored to have the Holy Father's trust in leading the Church of Pittsburgh. Like Green Bay, the people are deeply committed to their faith, in part, because of the fine leaders they have had through the generations. It is humbling to think of the footsteps of the Bishops I have followed in Green Bay, especially Cardinal Adam Maida, our late Bishop Aloysius Wycislo, Bishop Robert Banks and Bishop Robert Morneau, and the four most recent Bishops of Pittsburgh: Cardinal John Wright who accepted me into the seminary; Bishop Vincent Leonard who ordained me a priest; Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua who assigned me to diocesan administration; and Archbishop Donald Wuerl who ordained me a Bishop and who particularly taught me what it means to be a servant leader."

Bishop Zubik will be installed as the Bishop of Pittsburgh at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, at St. Paul Cathedral, where he was also ordained a priest in 1975 and consecrated a bishop in 1997. The date is particularly special to Bishop Zubik since on this date in 1958 Pope John Paul II was consecrated a Bishop. It was Pope John Paul who named then-Father Zubik a Bishop and later appointed him to Green Bay.

Today, Bishop Zubik is in Pittsburgh to meet with diocesan staff and many of the faithful. He will return to Green Bay on Thursday to lead a prayer service with diocesan staff members. A farewell Mass and reception for him will be planned at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Green Bay at a date to be determined.

Until the Mass of Installation, Bishop Zubik will remain Bishop of Green Bay and intends to continue to lead here with enthusiasm. In Pittsburgh, Auxiliary Bishop Paul J. Bradley will continue to be the diocesan administrator as he has been since June 2006 when then-Bishop Wuerl was installed as Archbishop of Washington, D.C.

Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop Zubik to Green Bay on Oct. 10, 2003, making him the eleventh Bishop of this Diocese. His Mass of Installation was on Dec. 12, 2003. Since that time, Catholics of Northeastern Wisconsin have become familiar with a man who approaches everything in life with great prayer and enthusiasm.

"Bishop Zubik has tremendous energy and a great love of the Lord," said Bishop Emeritus Robert J. Banks. "He will do very well in the Diocese of Pittsburgh."

And his closest advisors have words of admiration.

"Bishop Zubik has served the Diocese well through the initiatives in the field of education, in stewardship, and in evangelization. We will benefit from those initiatives for years to come," said Auxiliary Bishop Robert F. Morneau, pastor of Resurrection Parish in Allouez.

"The two and a half years that I have worked with Bishop Zubik have been the most fulfilling years of my ministry and my career," said Deacon Tim Reilly, Diocesan Director of Administration. "As I got to know Bishop Zubik, I recognized in him that he is a man of deep faith and fervent prayer, an individual with boundless energy and a person of great love for others. In his leadership of the Diocese of Green Bay, he worked tirelessly to grow our church, he responded to pastoral and administrative challenges with justice and compassion, and he always took time to meet with people who felt they were hurt by the church. While Bishop Zubik will be greatly missed, I am thankful that God called him to serve the people of our Diocese as our shepherd."

"Bishop Zubik is first and foremost a man of prayer, one who really strives to bring others closer to God," said Doris Vincent, Diocesan Associate Director of Administration. "Daily celebration of the Eucharist and praying the Liturgy of the Hours are so important to him. Praying with him are my most memorable times."

When Bishop Zubik arrived in Northeastern Wisconsin in 2003, he outlined four goals for his episcopacy:

1. To create a safe environment for all people of all ages. Highlights of working toward this effort include:

• Within his first month in office, Bishop Zubik met with representatives of a sexual abuse advocacy group. Both agreed to work together.
• On Feb. 18, 2004, the Diocese launched its "Protecting Our Children" web site (www.gbdioc.org/pg/dioceseProtectingOurChildren.tpl). It includes the diocesan policies and procedures as well as information on how to report abuse and when abuse prevention education training sessions are held.
• In April 2004, he publicly supported new state laws that strengthened sexual abuse reporting and prosecution.
• On Sept. 1, 2005, he promulgated "Policy on Maintaining Safe Environments" which requires background checks and sexual abuse awareness training for all priests, deacons, employees and adult volunteers who work with children, youth and vulnerable adults at the diocese, its schools and parishes.
• In October 2006, Bishop led a Prayer Service of Apology at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Green Bay. The purpose of the evening was to offer healing to anyone who has ever been hurt by the Church in any way.
• In 2004, 2005 and 2006, independent auditors judged the Diocese to be in full compliance with the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," the national framework for preventing sexual abuse of youth and vulnerable adults.
• On a quarterly basis, all parishes have been asked to publish an announcement on how people can report abuse. This same announcement has been published in the diocesan newspaper, The Compass, and has been a mainstay on the diocesan web site.
• During Bishop's Zubik's three-and-one-half-year tenure, the Diocese has trained approximately 14,000 parish, school and diocesan staff/volunteers on how to prevent abuse.
• He has openly offered to meet with victims and has welcomed those to whom he extended an invitation.

2. To call forth more happy vocations. Highlights of working toward this effort include:

• Increased the number of seminarians from 14 in 2003 to 16 in 2007.
• Ordained 10 priests and 27 deacons.
• Started the Seminarian Collection, an annual fund-raiser to help seminarians with the cost of their education and other expenses.
• Hosted a number of events for men who are considering the priesthood.
• Supported seminarians by making numerous visits to their respective seminaries.

3. To call people to a deeper spirituality. Highlights of working toward this effort include:

• Promoted days of prayer such as Green Bay's Eucharist Procession, annual events at the Chapel of Our Lady of Good Help in Robinsonville, and several chapels of Perpetual Adoration.
• Encouraged people to participate in spiritual enrichment opportunities available at the Diocese's Holy Name Retreat House in Door County, the Chapel of Our Lady of Good Help in Robinsonville, and Camp Tekawitha in Shawano.
• Commissioned 49 laypeople who completed the Commissioned Ministry Leadership Formation Program, a nationally accredited joint effort of the Diocese and Silver Lake College in Manitowoc. The program offers spiritual and academic formation as well as leadership training in five fields: Pastoral Ministry, Liturgy, Religious Education, Youth Ministry or Church Business Management.
• Established an annual Day of Recollection for diocesan employees.

4. To evangelize people. Highlights of working toward this effort include:

• Strengthened Catholic education by formalizing a three-prong approach (Catholic schools, religious education and adult-faith formation) to life-long catechesis and has endorsed a three-year strategic education plan that is well under way.
• Commenced a diocesan-wide stewardship campaign called Advancing the Mission, which is emphasizing prayer, service and sharing.
• Wrote a bi-weekly column for The Compass newspaper; conducted countless media interviews; and recorded numerous messages, interviews, and talks for Relevant Radio, a national Catholic radio network.
• Created the diocesan Evangelization and Worship Department.

"While it is my responsibility as Bishop to teach, sanctify and lead, none of these goals could have been achieved without the skill and dedication of the priests and people of this Diocese," said Bishop Zubik. "Credit for any success belongs to them."

In addition to these four emphases, Bishop Zubik also has visited nearly all 160 parishes in the Diocese; has formalized the collaborative relationships with the Diocese's Catholic health care leaders and both the women and men religious communities; and strengthened dialogue about religious studies with Catholic college presidents and faculties.

When asked if his goals will be as expansive and vigorous in Pittsburgh, the 57-year-old Bishop didn't miss a beat.

"Yes," he said. "Scripture tells us God's work is plenty and I certainly believe that. The Church as a whole has to continue to be diligent in bringing the message of Jesus Christ to all who may or may not know him. We live in a world where change is happening at an ever-increasing rate, so we must meet people where they are. While there are days when any one of us could feel discouraged, there are far more days when I see hope. It astounds me that halfway through our Advancing the Mission stewardship campaign that more than 10,000 of our faithful have signed up to get more involved in their parishes, in our Church. Nothing brings me greater joy than to celebrate Eucharist - the center of our faith - and to see new people in the pews. I love being a priest and I love being a Bishop."

And what does he think of his time in Green Bay, the place he often referred to as his new home?

"It has been a wonderful experience. The faith of this Church is so strong. I will always cherish the fact that the great people of the Diocese of Green Bay have taught me what it means to be a Shepherd. And now they send me off to share those skills with the Church of Pittsburgh. Lastly, I have developed some tremendous friendships that, God willing, I will have with me the rest of my life."