After 11 years of leading the Davenport Catholic Diocese, Bishop Martin Amos announced Wednesday that the Vatican had approved his request for retirement. He'll be replaced by Monsigner Thomas Zinkula.
Zinkula says serving as a bishop, he says, will be a new and exciting experience.
"I'm very well aware that being bishop is a challenging, kind of daunting, ministry. But I'm also very excited, I like new challenges, new adventures; I'm curious by nature."
Bishop Amos, who came to the Davenport Diocese in 2006, says Zinkula was the "answer to his prayers" as he and diocesan officials searched for a replacement.
"I'm very impressed. I think they made a wonderful choice. He's certainly very intelligent if you look at his backgroud, but very humble. I think he's going to be consultative and all those things, and I think he put us all at ease that he's the right person at the right time."
Zinkula will be installed at a ceremony in June, at St. John Vianney Church in Bettendorf. Amos, who is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, says he intends to move back to the city.