Chad Zielinski
Mount Angel Seminary Sacred Heart Major Seminary | |
|---|---|
| Motto | He must increase |
| Styles of Chad William Zielinski | ||
|---|---|---|
Reference style | ||
| Spoken style | Your Excellency | |
| Religious style | Bishop | |
Chad William Zielinski (born September 8, 1964) is an American prelate of the
Biography
Early life and education
Chad Zielinski was born on September 8, 1964, in Detroit, Michigan, the eldest of five children to Donald and Linda Zielinski. A short time later, the family moved to a farm near Alpena, Michigan. Zielinski graduated from Alpena High School in 1982.[1] After finishing high school, Zielinski joined the United States Air Force (USAF). While stationed in Idaho, he attended Boise State University and Park University at Mountain Home AFB. It was during this period that Zielinski decided to become a priest.[2]
After his discharge from the Air Force in 1986, Zielinski enrolled in
Priesthood
Zielinski was ordained into the priesthood for the
- Parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception in Traverse City(1996 to 1998)
- Pastor of St. Philip Neri in Empire and St. Rita-St. Joseph in Maple City (1998 to 2000)
Zielinski was elected to the
Military service
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Bishop Cooney released Zielinski from the diocese to join the USAF Chaplain Corps. He served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, celebrating mass with mortar fire in the background. Zielinski was stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base in Grand Forks, North Dakota, from 2002 to 2003 and at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, England, from 2003 to 2005. Although he was a Catholic chaplain, he had conversations with men and women of all religions.[4]
The USAF then assigned Zielinski to the HQ Air Force Recruiting Service at Randolph Air Force Base in Schertz, Texas, followed by a stint as cadet chaplain at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, from 2009 to 2012. From 2012 to 2014, Zielinski served as chaplain at Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska.[5] Zielinski was promoted to major in 2013.[5] He was discharged from the Chaplain Corps before his installation as bishop.
Bishop of Fairbanks
Pope Francis named Zielinski as bishop of Fairbanks on November 8, 2014.[6] When named to Fairbanks, he became the first active-duty chaplain in the US Armed Forces to be appointed a Catholic bishop.[7] Zielinski was consecrated on December 15, 2014, by Archbishop Roger Schwietz. Archbishop Timothy Broglio and Bishop Steven J. Raica were the principal co-consecrators.[8] The liturgy was held in the Carlson Center in Fairbanks.[5][3]
In a diocese in which only nine of 46 parishes are accessible by road, the clergy, including Zielinski, spend a large amount of time traveling to small remote villages in rough conditions.[7] Zielinski said:
Not every priest is called to serve in the far north, because winters are dark and cold. But the hospitality of the people is warm and gracious, and we invite priests who feel drawn to serve here to contact us. For the right servant, who will walk with the people, this frontier can be a paradise.[7]
Bishop of New Ulm
On July 12, 2022, Francis named Zielinski the fifth bishop of New Ulm.[9] He was installed on September 27, 2022.[10][3]
See also
- Catholic Church hierarchy
- Catholic Church in the United States
- Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
- List of Catholic bishops of the United States
- Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops
References
- ^ "Announcement: Pope names Bishop Chad W. Zielinski as Bishop of Diocese of New Ulm". Diocese of Fairbanks. July 26, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ "Most Reverend Chad W. Zielinski Biography" (PDF). Diocese of New Ulm. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Bishop Chad William Zielinski [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
- ^ "Bishop Chad Zielinski: From Active Duty to Alaskan Shepherd". NCR. 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
- ^ a b c "Bishop Elect Chad Zielinski". Diocese of Fairbanks. Archived from the original on 2014-12-18. Retrieved 2014-12-18.
- ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 08.11.2014" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Bishop of the Last Frontier". www.kofc.org. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- ^ "Bishop Chad William Zielinski". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved 2014-12-18.[self-published source]
- ^ "Pope Francis Appoints Bishop Chad Zielinski as Bishop of New Ulm | USCCB". www.usccb.org. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ "Pope names Bishop Chad W. Zielinski as Bishop of Diocese of New Ulm" (PDF). Retrieved July 12, 2022.
External links
