The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh and the rest of the region were introduced yesterday to newly appointed Bishop David Zubik at an emotional news conference where he said the church should speak on public policy and keep good relations with other churches and non-Christian faiths.

Darrell Sapp, Post-Gazette Bishop David Zubik prays during Mass at St. Mary of Mercy Church, Downtown, yesterday. Click photo for larger image. Related coverage Wuerl's opinion central in bishop decision Diocese gets a 'prayerful, spiritual leader' What people are saying about the bishop's appointment Audio: Listen to the press conference (Warning: Large file -- 14.4MB) Video: Pittsburgh welcomes a new bishop Reader forum: What do you think of the selection? Past bishops of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh Announcement from the Diocese of Green Bay, including a description of Bishop Zubic's tenure there Post-Gazette archives: Pittsburgh's auxiliary bishop to take over Green Bay diocese, 10/11/03

Well-known in the region not only for his 15 years of work as the right-hand man of now-Archbishop Donald Wuerl, but also for his youth spent in Ambridge, Bishop Zubik spoke yesterday of challenges to be met.

"As I stand before all of you here today with my heart racing and my knees knocking, I am both stunned and excited," said the 57-year-old bishop, who was in the diocese from 1988 until being sent to Green Bay, Wis., in 2003.

"I am stunned to learn that God would have so much trust in me. I am excited about what God's grace can do through me -- through you -- through us together," he said.

Bishop Zubik spoke yesterday of the shortage of priests as an opportunity for laity to exercise ministry. In Green Bay he has worked extensively with lay "parish directors" who run parishes without a resident priest, which is only a pilot program here.

"I prefer to see it not as a glass half-empty but as a glass half-full," he said. "What we are challenged to do is see that the leadership of the church clearly involves the ordained but also involves the laity."

He mentioned relationships with other Christian churches and other faiths as an important commitment.

He also addressed public policy. In Wisconsin he has been outspoken for the rights of illegal immigrants, and against the death penalty, abortion and gay marriage. He stressed the latter two just before the 2004 election.

"It is totally inappropriate and out of line for me to suggest the candidates that people would vote for," he said. "It is totally appropriate and in line for me to share what the teachings of the church are, so that when people go into the voting booth, they will register their votes according to all that they have read and prayed over."

Bishop Zubik said his time in Green Bay had made him a better listener and more prayerful.

It is crucial to "listen to people, whatever their thoughts are, because they are coming with the love of the church. And especially to listen to people whose opinion I might not agree with," he said.

"I have become a much deeper man of prayer because I realize that the work that the Lord is giving me to do is not work I can do by myself, that I need his inspiration."

After the news conference, he offered Mass at St. Mary of Mercy, Downtown. He was then slated to visit a soup kitchen, St. Paul Cathedral, a Catholic school for low-income students, Mercy Hospital, a parish Vacation Bible School and a residence for retired priests. A meeting with all priests was planned for the evening. He flies back to Green Bay today.

He learned of his appointment July 9, he said, but because it is a papal secret, he didn't tell his father, Stan, who lives with him in Green Bay, until last night.

"My dad has been a die-hard Steelers fan in the heart of Green Bay. He's never been shy about saying it, so I think that says pretty much what he thinks about coming back."

For his first Bishop's Charity Game that the Packers play annually to raise money for Catholic Charities, Bishop Zubik walked onto Lambeau Field wearing a Steelers cap -- though he raised it to reveal a Packers cap underneath.

He managed his loyalties because they were in separate conferences. But when they played each other in Green Bay in 2005 "I had to ... sit on my hands and not root for either team," he said.

He came into Pittsburgh late Tuesday night on a weather-delayed flight, and stayed with his good friend, Msgr. William Ogrodowski, pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul, Beaver. Wednesday morning he drove to the Sisters of the Holy Spirit in Ross, where he lived when he was auxiliary bishop, and had Mass with Auxiliary Bishop Paul Bradley, who has been the interim administrator since July 2006.

Bishop Zubik went to that chapel 10 years ago when Pope John Paul II made him an auxiliary bishop, and he wasn't sure he was up to the job. That night in the chapel he prayed before the tabernacle, opening his Bible to the story of the annunciation to Mary.

"I realized she was also frightened when she was asked to become the mother of God," he said.

From the angel's words to Mary came his motto as bishop: "Nothing is impossible with God."

From the chapel yesterday morning he went to pray at the grave of his mother, Susan, who died 18 months ago. He once called her his "soul mate." They had prayed together over the phone twice daily throughout his adult life.

Tears stopped him briefly as he spoke of her.

"They say that when a bishop is appointed there is always a guardian angel involved somewhere," he said. "For me, she is in heaven and I call her mother.

"I can well imagine dear Susie pulling up a chair to the throne of God and, in her anything-but-shy manner, saying, 'OK God, I want you to listen to me for a couple of minutes.' And then she would make her pitch for who she thought should become bishop of Pittsburgh," he said, to laughter.

He paid tribute to his predecessors, both Archbishop Wuerl and Bishop Bradley, who has been utterly self-effacing in the 14-month interim, and who is beloved by the priests.

"These are huge shoes to fill," he said, speaking of both men.

He had called Archbishop Wuerl Tuesday night to ask for his prayers.

"He taught me how to be a man of the church," he said. "He has exceptional gifts and talents. I have others. All I can say is that God has placed me here for some reason and I will work as hard as I can. I will use my talents as best I can so that God's spirit can effect the kind of work that God expects to be done in this church."

In a statement, Archbishop Wuerl said, "Bishop Zubik knows, loves and has served the church of Pittsburgh, and has walked with it through all of its many moments of challenge and development for the past 20 years."