“Be shepherds with the smell of sheep,” said Pope Francis in 2013.
Bishop Thomas Zinkula not only heard these words of advice, but he is living them as our shepherd in the Diocese of Davenport. This was no more apparent than when he substituted for Father Apo at the 7:30, 10, and 11:30 Masses this past Sunday.
Parishioners were saying things like, "Why's the bishop here? Where's his "entourage" of helpers who assist him?" It was with a sense pride in my bishop that I simply said to them, "He's here for the best reason of all, just to be with us in celebrating the Eucharist." What I should have said is, "He just wants to smell like us!"
The next most popular set of questions involved how to address him. Some parishioners told me that they had actually "Googled" how do you address a bishop." Parishioner Judy Voss said to him, "Should I address you as Your Excellency?" To which Bishop responded, "Are you kidding, this is Iowa. Just call me Bishop."
Bishop's homily was thought-provoking and meaningful. He talked about "discipleship" and "stewardship." These two themes are "sides of the same coin." They seem to be central to where he wants to shepherd us as a people of God in this diocese. You know a homily was impactful when you hear the parishioners referencing his remarks on Monday.
We had breakfast between Masses at Mary Sue's Cafe in the Hilltop on Harrison Street. He seemed right at home in this cute little diner "catching and chewing" with Mary Sue and the parishioners who joined us. I do have to say that the Bishop was a healthier eater than the rest of us, opting for a bowl of oatmeal rather than the artery clogging, cholesterol concoction Mary Sue refers to as the "Collision."
