David Zubik

The Most Reverend
David Allen Zubik
Bishop of Pittsburgh
Other posts Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh
(1997–2003)
Bishop of Green Bay
(2003–2007)
Orders
Ordination May 3, 1975
by Vincent Leonard
Consecration April 6, 1997
by Donald Wuerl, Nicholas Dattilo, and Thomas Tobin
Personal details
Born September 4, 1949
Sewickley, Pennsylvania
Alma mater Duquesne University (B.A., 1971, M.S.Ed., 1982)
St. Mary's Seminary and University (M.Div., 1975)
Coat of arms {{{coat_of_arms_alt}}}
Styles of
David Allen Zubik
Reference style The Most Reverend
Spoken style Your Excellency
Religious style Bishop

David Allen Zubik (/ˈzuːbɪk/ ZOO-bik; born September 4, 1949) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who serves as the twelfth and current bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Bishop Zubik perviously served as the bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay from 2003 to 2007.

Biography

Early life and education

David Zubik was born in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, to Stanley (b. 1927) and Susan Zubik (née Raskosky, d. 2006).[1] The grandson of Polish and Slovak immigrants, he is an only child.[2] He was raised in Ambridge, and attended St. Stanislaus Church.[1] His parents would take him to a local amusement park after Mass on Sundays.[3]

Zubik first considered pursuing Holy Orders in the first grade, later contemplating a career in law before returning to his priestly aspirations after attending a retreat in 1965 on the South Side.[4] After graduating from St. Veronica High School in 1967, he entered St. Paul Seminary in Pittsburgh. He earned an undergraduate degree from Duquesne University in 1971 and continued his studies at St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore, Maryland, from where he obtained a Master's in Divinity in 1975.

Ordination and ministry

Zubik was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Vincent Leonard on May 3, 1975. He then served as parochial vicar of Sacred Heart Church in Shadyside until 1980, and as Vice-Principal of Quigley Catholic High School and chaplain to the Sisters of St. Joseph in Baden until 1987. He received a Master's degree in Education Administration from Duquesne University in 1982. From 1987 to 1991, he was secretary to Bishop Anthony Bevilacqua.

Zubik became an associate spiritual director of St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe in 1989, and served as Diocesan Director of Clergy Personnel from 1991 to 1996. He also became President of the Diocesan Finance Council in 1995. Zubik was named Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1996. He also served as chaplain of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit Motherhouse in Pittsburgh.

Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh

On February 18, 1997, Zubik was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh and Titular Bishop of Jamestown by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following April 6 from then-Bishop Donald Wuerl, with Bishops Nicholas Dattilo and Thomas Tobin serving as co-consecrators, at St. Paul Cathedral. He selected as his episcopal motto: "Nothing is Impossible with God" (Luke 1:37).[5]

Bishop of Green Bay

Zubik was later named the eleventh Bishop of Green Bay, Wisconsin, on October 10, 2003. Replacing the retiring Bishop Robert Banks, he was formally installed on December 12 of that year.

In address to sexual abuse scandals, Zubik met with representatives of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, but was criticized by the group for not disclosing the names of priests who were accused of sexual abuse but never sued or charged with a crime.[2]

During the 2004 presidential election, he urged Catholics to consider the Church's teachings on abortion and same-sex marriage before casting their votes. Although he has said that pro-choice Catholic politicians should refrain from receiving Communion, Zubik has also stated he would not refuse Communion to those figures.[2] He opposes capital punishment, and supports immigration reform.[2]

Bishop of Pittsburgh

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Zubik the twelfth Bishop of Pittsburgh on July 18, 2007, ending a 14-month-long vacancy. He received the call of appointment from the chargé d'affaires at the office of the then-Apostolic Nuncio (Papal Ambassador) to the U.S., the late Archbishop Pietro Sambi, at 3:35 PM on July 9, the exact time of his birth. He was installed on September 28, 2007.[1]

Bishop Zubik declined to take up residence at the episcopal mansion on Warwick Terrace, which had been the home of the bishops of Pittsburgh since 1949, and instead settled at Saint Paul Seminary, saying that the Church needed to move away from being "attached to buildings."[6][7] The residence was later sold to a private buyer for several million dollars. In April 2009, he held a widely publicized Service of Apology at St. Paul Cathedral, where he begged the "forgiveness of anyone hurt by the Church... in any way."[8][9]

Bishop Zubik described the University of Notre Dame's decision to have President Barack Obama deliver its commencement speech and receive an honorary degree as "painful" and "embarrassing," noting that Obama is "the single most outspoken pro-abortion president since the issue was foisted upon the country by the Supreme Court."[10] Zubik is a proponent of comprehensive immigration reform' stating: "We need to give the immigrants of our century the same latitude that we gave the immigrants of the last century."[11]

Within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishop Zubik sits on the National Advisory Council, Administrative Committee, Committee on the Laity, and Audit Sub-Committee.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Office of the Diocesan Bishop". Diocese of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Rodgers, Ann (18 July 2007). "Zubik named bishop of Diocese of Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  3. ↑ "Dads have their say on Father's Day". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. 15 June 2008. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  4. ↑ Widmer, Jeffrey (25 December 2008). "Bishop David Zubik feels at home in St. Paul Seminary". Your North Hills (Trib Total Media). Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  5. ↑ "Coat of Arms of Bishop David A. Zubik". Diocese of Pittsburgh. 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  6. ↑ Levin, Steve (27 September 2007). "A bishop settles for a humbler abode". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  7. ↑ Palmo, Rocco (27 September 2007). "Bye-Bye, Bishop's House". Whispers in the Loggia. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  8. ↑ Zubik, David. "I Am Sorry". Bridging the Gap by Bishop David A. Zubik. Diocese of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  9. ↑ Schaarsmith, Amy McConnell (8 April 2009). "Bishop Zubik leads service of apology". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  10. ↑ Zubik, David (23 April 2009). "Our Lady embarrassed". Pittsburgh Catholic. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  11. ↑ Pittsburgh Tribune: "Catholic Bishop Zubik prays for immigration reform" By Matthew Santoni November 24, 2013

External links

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Donald Wuerl		 Bishop of Pittsburgh
2007–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
Robert Banks		 Bishop of Green Bay
2003–2007 		Succeeded by
David Laurin Ricken
Preceded by
–		 Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh
1997–2003 		Succeeded by
–
Preceded by
Created		 Titular Bishop of Jamestown
1997–2003 		Succeeded by
Gaetano Aldo Donato