Office of the Bishop

Bishop Zubik's letter of farewell and blessing

(en Español)

To my sisters and brothers of the Church of Green Bay,

Four years ago a week from this coming Sunday, I came to know about you for the first time. That day, Sept. 30, 2003, I received the news that Pope John Paul II had chosen me to be your bishop, the eleventh since the birth of the diocese of Green Bay on March 3, 1868. I said yes! I was frightened! I was excited! I was unsure! I was trusting!

I was frightened! I was being entrusted to a serious responsibility! Could I fulfill it?

I was excited! I was itching to grow as a leader. But would I?

I was unsure! I would be moving to a part of the country where I had never been. Would it become my home and would I be accepted?

	S p e c i a l   S e c t i o n: Shepherding God's People A Farewell to Bishop Zubik
	• Photo slideshow with audio: Bishop Zubik farewell Mass   (best viewed with a high-speed Internet connection; requires Flash plug-in) • Other articles from this special section • Previous coverage of Bishop Zubik's appointment to Pittsburgh
	Only in the Print Edition ... Articles found only in the special section of the Sept. 21, 2007 Compass print edition: • Friends from bishop's hometown recall ties • Bishop addressed four main goals while here • Farewell reflections from other bishops, community leaders     and readers • Profiles of the 11 men who have served as bishop of the     Diocese of Green Bay • Bishop David A. Zubik biography • Subscribe to print edition

I was trusting! After all, God had asked countless other people throughout generations to share in His work of salvation and he didn't let them down. But would I let Him down!

Four years later, I am once again feeling those same feelings - frightened and unsure on the one hand and excited and trusting on the other. I find myself once again stunned by the power of God's surprise. I clearly believed that I would be with you until reaching the retirement age of 75. I am surprised that I am going back to my first "home" in Pittsburgh to be its Shepherd.

There are lots of stories in the Bible which God shares with us - with you and me - which speak of His trust in our continuing His work: stories about Abraham and Sarah; stories about David; Esther; Ezekiel, Ruth, and especially Joseph and Mary. He trusted them to be leaders and they celebrated their faith with, for and among the people of their day.

As I look back upon my four years with you, I no longer simply know about you; I have come to know you and most especially to love you! I hope that my words and deeds have reflected the landscape of my heart - for you but especially for Jesus and His Church.

There is so much for which I am grateful to God about you.

Since the announcement of my appointment to Bishop of Pittsburgh some weeks ago I have told others, publicly and privately, that while Pittsburgh will always be my first home, Green Bay will always be my second.

The Church of Green Bay was God's way of teaching me how to shepherd. You have challenged me to be courageous in speaking out and up for the truth of the Gospel, whether that was widely appreciated or roundly denounced.

The Church of Green Bay was God's way of teaching me how to listen carefully - not simply to words from your lips or sentiments on printed page or messages fired off in an e-mail, but from your particular love of the Church. You have challenged me to listen especially when what you had to say didn't ring true with my own thoughts, opinions or experiences.

The Church of Green Bay was God's way of bringing me to my knees more often, showing me how much more I need to pray for God's direction; for your patience with me; for your understanding of me; for your needs; for your pleas; for your intentions and most especially that you and I embrace God's Will. You have challenged me to be a man of God's Word and a man of my word.

As I leave you, thank you for calming my fears of God's call; for encouraging my excitement about ministry; for easing my uncertainties about my abilities and for affirming and confirming God's trust in me.

As I leave you, please pray for me as I do for you that together we may never take for granted God's unconditional love nor our need to be loyal to the Church nor any and all opportunities to grow in grace nor God's own hunger that we witness to His love through Christ-like service to each other, especially the most forgotten and ignored amongst us.

And most tenderly, as I leave you like the prodigal son of God's love letter to us, please forgive me for: any ways I may have hurt you; any ways I may have disappointed you; any ways I may have failed you; any ways I may have forgotten you; any ways I may not have served you as God wanted and as you needed.

Finally, as I leave you, may God bless you, protect you, keep you, encourage you, enthuse you to be more of whom God wants you and me to be.

Grateful for our belief that "Nothing is Impossible with God," I am

Truly your brother in Christ, [signed] Most Reverend David A. Zubik Bishop of Green Bay