Thomas Zinkula

Thomas Robert Zinkula (born April 19, 1957) is an American Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Dubuque since 2023. He previously served as Bishop of Davenport from 2017 to 2023.

Biography Early life and education Thomas Zinkula was born on April 19, 1957, in Mount Vernon, Iowa, to Robert and Mary (Volz) Zinkula. He grew up on a farm with eight siblings. In 1975, Zinkula graduated as the valedictorian from Mount Vernon High School. He received a bachelor's degree in mathematics, economics and business from Cornell College in Mount Vernon. Zinkula was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at Cornell as a defensive lineman for the college football team.

After college, Zinkula worked for one year as an actuary for Life Investors in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He then entered the University of Iowa College of Law in Iowa City, Iowa, earning a Juris Doctor in 1983. He practiced law for three years with the Simmons, Perrine, Albright & Ellwood law firm in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Zinkula studied for the priesthood at Theological College at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., receiving a Master in Theology degree in 1990. He earned a licentiate in canon law from Saint Paul University in 1998. Priesthood Zinkula was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Dubuque by Archbishop Daniel Kucera on May 26, 1990, at St. Raphael's Cathedral in Dubuque.

After his 1990 ordination, the archdiocese assigned Zinkula as the assistant pastor of St. Columbkille's Parish in Dubuque. He was transferred in 1993 to become assistant pastor at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Dubuque. In 1996, he returned to Saint Paul University, where he earned a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1998.

Bishop of Davenport

On April 19, 2017, Pope Francis named Zinkula the ninth bishop of Davenport. When notified of his appointment by text message, Zinkula assumed it was a prank by a seminarian. He was ordained a bishop at St. John Vianney Church in Bettendorf, Iowa, by Archbishop Michael Jackels of Dubuque, with Bishop Martin Amos and Archbishop Jerome Hanus as co-consecrators.

In 2023, Zinkula reduced the number of deaneries in the diocese from six to five. The new configuration took into consideration the location of parishes and parish clusters and how priests are assigned to them. The diocese was heavily involved in the synodal process in preparation for the Sixteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2023 During the continental stage of the preparation process, Zinkula was one of eight bishops on the North American Synod Team.

In January 2021, Zinkula formed a committee to draft a policy regarding sexual and gender identity issues. They spent over two years studying the issue. On October 4, 2023, Zinkula promulgated Guidelines for Pastoral Accompaniment of Sexual and Gender Minorities.

Archbishop of Dubuque On July 26, 2023, Pope Francis appointed Zinkula as the eleventh archbishop of Dubuque. He was installed on October 18, 2023, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre at the Church of the Nativity in Dubuque.