Thomas Zinkula installed as ninth bishop of Diocese of Davenport

BETTENDORF - In a ceremony filled with pomp and circumstance and lasting two and a half hours, Mount Vernon native Thomas Zinkula was installed as the ninth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport on Thursday.

With a crowd of roughly 1,000 on hand at St. John Vianney Parish Church in Bettendorf, a miter - a liturgical headdress adorned by bishops - was placed on Zinkula's head after the bishop-to-be received the Episcopal ring on the third finger of his right hand, signifying his spousal love and fidelity to the Bride of God, the Church and for the diocese.

Finally, a crosier - a hooked staff carried by bishops - was placed in Zinkula's hand before he was guided to the cathedra - a red, velvet chair to represent a bishop's teaching and pastoral ministry - by Archbishop Michael Jackels.

'This is yours,” Jackels said to Zinkula, signaling to the cathedra.

The congregation laughed and then stood as Zinkula took his seat, a faint smile spreading across his face.

'I'm counting on you to teach me how to be a bishop,” Zinkula told those in attendance. 'If I don't do well, it's your fault,” he joked.

As bishop of the 22-county diocese - which includes 78 parishes, 98 priests and more than 94,000 parishioners - Zinkula said during a press briefing after the installation he is ready to begin building connections with the community and is prepared for a nuptial relationship with the church.

'This is a marriage of faith,” he said. 'I feel like this is the place for me to be,” Zinkula said.

Zinkula, who previously served as rector of St. Pius X Seminary in Dubuque and as episcopal vicar for the Cedar Rapids region, replaces Bishop Martin Amos who announced his resignation earlier this year.

Zinkula, 60, has lived a large portion of his life in Iowa, apart from a sabbatical in Rome and a stint in Washington, D.C., where he attended Theological College.

Pope Francis named Zinkula to serve as the bishop of the Diocese of Davenport on April 19, and since then, Zinkula said, he has been learning about the community and feels there are big shoes to fill following the retirement of Bishop Amos.

Zinkula thanked his fellow bishops, Diocese and family, noting, 'They tend to keep me humble.”

He joked that when he told his family of the appointment, they asked, 'Why would the Pope do that?”

Beginning at 2 p.m., Thursday's installation ceremony was initiated by the choir performing 'Laudate, Laudate Dominum,” as part of the introductory rite, during which the bishop and deacons entered in a procession and bowed at the altar.

Jackels opened the ceremony by celebrating the Diocese of Dubuque, saying that he hopes the Diocese of Davenport provides the same love and pride for Zinkula that Dubuque did.

'I would imagine and hope that the same pride and love would characterize the church and Diocese of Davenport starting in just a couple hours when he is officially your bishop,” Jackels said.

The Rev. Rudolph Juarez, of St. Patrick's Church in Iowa City, said he thought the service installing Zinkula was wonderful, albeit long, but that it was a joyful celebration.

The Diocese of Davenport includes Johnson County.

'The bishop is homespun Iowa and he is a scholar,” Juarez said. 'And obviously a pastoral man.

'We're very pleased.”

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