By Kelly McBride
Appleton Post-Crescent
July 19, 2007
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070719/APC0101/307190033/1979/frontpage
Green Bay's loss is Pittsburgh's gain, according to many area clergy and laypeople reacting Wednesday to the impending departure of Bishop David Zubik of the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay.
It was announced early Wednesday that Zubik has been named the 12th bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, an appointment that will take him home. He'll begin his new job on Sept. 28.
Zubik's relatively brief Green Bay tenure — he was installed here in December 2003 — has at times been marked by controversy, including outcry over the closing and consolidation of some area Catholic schools in 2006.
In addition, he's served as Green Bay bishop during a time of turmoil for the Catholic Church worldwide, including clergy sex abuse scandals and other controversies.
Zubik won't leave Green Bay having pleased everyone. But many in the Catholic and larger communities said he'll be missed.
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| Bishop David Zubik of the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay administers communion on Wednesday during his first Mass at Saint Mary of Mercy Church as bishop-designate of Pittsburgh. Zubik will leave the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay to lead the Pittsburgh diocese. Photo by Darrell Sapp |
Dealing with challenges
Zubik may not have been in Green Bay long, but he's made his mark, said Paul Wadell, professor of religious studies at St. Norbert College in De Pere.
"I think he's a very warm, good man," Wadell said. "He was humane; there was an evident goodness to him, holiness to him. He had a great way of connecting with people. ... He didn't come across as a high-ranking church official, but I think (as) a real pastor."
Rumors had been circulating for some time that Zubik might be a candidate for the Pittsburgh job, Wadell said. But it was a bit surprising that he got the job after fewer than four years in Green Bay.
Zubik was a leader in many ways, said Monsignor Jim Dillenburg, pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish on Green Bay's west side. He coped well with many of the challenges — including clergy abuse scandals — facing the Catholic Church, Dillenburg added. In 2006, Zubik held a prayer service of apology to offer reconciliation for those who have been hurt by the church.
"One of the things that he did was to invite people who had been wounded by the church, wounded by priests … to come for a reconciliation service," Dillenburg said. "I think a lot of people found healing in that. He was able to listen to people's problems."
The bishop also listened to public outcry when one Green Bay Catholic school was closed and another consolidated last year, said parochial school parent Cathy Zehms.
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| Zubik prays during the start of Mass on Wednesday in Pittsburgh. Photo by Darrell Sapp |
Her parish school, Holy Cross, was threatened with closure when St. Philip the Apostle School closed and St. Joseph and Trinity schools consolidated at the end of the 2005-06 school year.
Officials didn't move forward with the ill-fated Green Bay Regional Association of Catholic Education — or GRACE — proposal that would have closed the three schools, but neither St. Philip nor St. Joseph had the money to stay open on its own.
After GRACE was scrapped, the diocese worked with a consultant group to create a broader-based education plan known as Faith Alive. Many details of that plan — feared by some to substantially increase tuition — have yet to be worked out, but officials have said they don't anticipate any additional school closings.
"I will remember Bishop Zubik for being persistent in strengthening the Catholic school system in Green Bay," Zehms said. "Certainly there have been challenges along the way — but in the end, his commitment to the process and willingness to consider the feedback of the people in the diocese … has laid the groundwork for a vibrant Catholic school system."
New opportunity
Still, not everyone is pleased with how Zubik handled hot-button issues during his time in Green Bay.
The woman whose then-14-year-old son was molested by a Norbertine priest in 1988 says she's looking forward to a new bishop with a new perspective.
Alice Hodek is the Green Bay representative of SNAP — the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. She thinks Zubik has taken steps in the fight against clergy sex abuse, but she wishes she'd seen more.
More talk and openness surrounding the subject are crucial, Hodek said, and she hopes a new bishop can offer that.
"I'm very excited at the opportunity this creates in Green Bay, just to get some fresh perspective and new dialogue here," Hodek said.
The Catholic Diocese of Green Bay has lauded Zubik's efforts at healing in the wake of the priest sex abuse scandal, which included the reconciliation service and the creation of diocesan guidelines for the protection of children.
But Hodek said that wasn't enough. "He did the minimal. He did what was required," she said. "As a group, we hoped he would have done more."
Hodek hopes the diocese will release names of clergy who have been involved in sex scandals.
In the case involving Hodek's son, James Stein was sentenced in December 2004 to a year in jail and 10 years' probation and ordered to register as a sex offender. He pleaded no contest to second-degree sexual assault of a child in exchange for the dismissal of two identical charges.
Reaching the community
Zubik's reach in Green Bay extended beyond the diocese itself, many said. That has included playing a key role in area health-care ministry, said the chief executive officer of St. Mary's Hospital Medical Center.
From his engaging demeanor with patients to holding more frequent meetings with hospital administrators, Zubik will be missed, Jim Coller said.
"His pastoral nature, I think, has caused all of our Catholic hospitals and Catholic nursing homes to really enjoy his ministry," Coller said. "He's the guy out touching people and saying prayers with people and being among the people."
With a laugh, Coller recalled a time Zubik came to St. Mary's for a meeting. Staff there had set out beverages and cookies and were looking forward to meeting with the bishop. But after just a few minutes, Coller said, all Zubik wanted to do was go visit patients.
"I find him to be a very communicative guy, a joyful guy," Coller said. "He's been here too short of a time."
'His heart is in Pittsburgh'
Zubik's influence wasn't limited to the Catholic, or even religious, realm in Green Bay. He formed friendships with many, including non-Catholic clergy and Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt.
Schmitt said he'll miss Zubik, but is happy to see the Pittsburgh native returning home.
"I took him to his first Packer game," Schmitt said. "We worked on a number of issues together … (But) I'm happy for him. His heart is in Pittsburgh."
Although bishops are sometimes more removed from the people, Zubik made it a point to interact with Catholics and others in the community.
"Bishop Zubik was out there with everyone — Paul's Pantry, out in the neighborhood, at many events," Schmitt said.
"I used to jokingly say, 'I'm glad they don't allow bishops to run for political office, because I didn't want him running against me.'"
The Rev. Charles Mize, senior minister at Union Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Green Bay, formed a friendship with Zubik after meeting the bishop a couple of years ago.
Mize's bond with Zubik was deepened by an unfortunate experience the two shared, Mize said.
"One of the things I think has been a common link for us — that we've had some opportunity to share our thoughts and feelings is both of us have lost our mothers in recent years," Mize said.
Mize said he hopes to maintain some contact with Zubik.
"I've appreciated the way he personally lives out his faith," Mize said. "Clearly, he's a person of integrity and devotion to his calling."
Moving on
Area parishes will move forward despite the diocesan leadership change, Wadell said. But the transition won't necessarily be a seamless one.
"It can be a challenge, particularly if a bishop is well liked," Wadell said, "and I think Bishop Zubik has been. You get comfortable with a bishop — he's inspired people's confidence. My overall feeling (is) it's good for Pittsburgh, but it's a loss for Green Bay."
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