Bishop's Statements

The Diocese of Pittsburgh is thrilled that another of our native sons and our former bishop, Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl, was named a Cardinal of the Catholic Church today by our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. This marks the fourth time that a priest-son of Pittsburgh has been named a Cardinal, following in the footsteps of Adam Cardinal Maida, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, and Sean Cardinal O'Malley.

Bishop McDowell was a giant of the Church, a national figure in Catholic education and an influential bishop in our national conference. It was his leadership that crafted one of the most important statements on religious education in the years after the Second Vatican Council, the United States bishops’ pastoral statement, “To Teach as Jesus Did.”

As with each of us, I was horrified at the pictures, images and news that have come out of Haiti. A massive earthquake in the poorest country in our hemisphere has left untold dead and injured. Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has called for an international response to the Haitian people. A voluntary, special collection will be taken up at each of our parishes within the next month. In our diocese and parishes, we will be working through Catholic Relief Services to provide the direct assistance necessary. For today, let us join together in prayer for the Haitian people.

The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has appointed Monsignor Bernard A. Hebda as the new Bishop of Gaylord, Michigan. Once again, the Church of Pittsburgh rejoices that one of our own has been called to be a bishop. While Monsignor Hebda was in Pittsburgh, he served our diocese well, and he remains a much beloved priest. During his 13 years of service in Rome, the Church Universal came to recognize the same dedication, deep faith and leadership that he gave to us.

The following statement was made today by Bishop David A. Zubik on the shootings in Collier on the evening of August 4, 2009:

The following is the reflection given by Bishop Zubik at the Service of Apology on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 at Saint Paul Cathedral, Pittsburgh

The appointment of Msgr. Burns as bishop of Juneau, Alaska, is a cause of celebration for the Church because it recognizes in him the same qualities of pastoral care and spiritual leadership in priestly vocations that we have known here for many years, and has been recognized nationally in his nearly decade-long service at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington. I join his many friends among the clergy, religious and faithful of our Diocese in wishing him well and asking God's blessing on him.