'The Practical Prophet'
Bishop Untener's writings continue to connect Gospel and contemporary challenges
Published January 26, 2007
Msgr. John Zenz, Special to The Michigan Catholic
 For years I have admired Bishop Ken Untener, and yet, I have always been somewhat puzzled by him; he seemed simple and straight-forward but was actually very complex. Exceptionally talented in many ways and a very well-rounded person, he was perceptive and insightful. As the late Fr. Mike O'Leary used to say of him, "He was a man of a thousand analogies or comparisons …." Even people who did not always agree with him had to admit that he had an irresistible charm and a knack for saying things in a very simple, down-to-earth, almost persuasive fashion. Whenever he spoke, it seemed as if everything was "off the cuff," but indeed, it flowed out of a deep intellect and a reflective mind, truly concerned about connecting the Gospel and contemporary challenges.
Who could possibly describe Bishop Ken Untener? How could you summarize him in a word or phrase? The editors of his pastoral writings have done so in an eminent way with their edited collection entitled, "The Practical Prophet." If Bishop Untener was anything, he was practical! He deeply believed in God and wanted to make the story of Jesus Christ come alive in fresh and meaningful ways for people in today's world. The editors — Bishop Untener's "theology squad" who used to help him in the writing of his homilies and reflections — have put together a well organized distillation of homilies and other articles and presentations that Bishop Untener wrote or delivered during the 24 years he served as bishop of Saginaw. The writings address issues of priestly life and ministry as well as matters of social justice, including the fostering of a genuine love for the poor, challenges about how to confront abortion and euthanasia, the tragedy of war, and how to deal with the challenges of a Church in the midst of change.
Over and over, reading the words of Bishop Untener, formerly of Detroit, you truly get the flavor of the man and his message, which was very simple and very consistent: We need to live our faith more richly and fully in the ordinary circumstances of our daily lives. In particular, for those called to ministerial priesthood, we need to take our preaching more seriously and make the celebration of the Holy Eucharist a true prayer. With regard to preaching, Bishop Untener was undoubtedly one of the finest most of us have ever heard, and he offers wise and practical advice on how to improve our homilies.
As most people know, Bishop Untener was a hockey player and a very competitive athlete. As such, he knew the importance of teamwork, but yet, one of the enigmas of Bishop Unterner — at least from this reviewer's perspective — is the fact that, while he always spoke about the importance of collaboration and a unified vision, at times, he had a bit of the maverick and "Lone Ranger" in him. While many of us would say that a bishop's primary responsibility is to work for the unity of the Church, Bishop Untener saw himself as taking a "prophetic" perspective and in several of his writings he "thinks outside the box," raising some unsettling questions, particularly coming from a bishop. In all these things, however, what clearly shines through is the deep love that Bishop Untener had in the Lord Jesus and his conviction that, in the end, it was not about himself or his own recognition or success, but about being an instrument of the Kingdom.
Perhaps the best summary of the life of Bishop Untener is the ironic fact that he worked with Cardinal John Dearden in writing a very beautiful reflection on ministry, but those very words have mistakenly been attributed to Archbishop Oscar Romero. In any event, while neither Bishop Untener nor Cardinal Dearden received the tribute or recognition for these words, that does not matter, for the words themselves are a perfect summary of Bishop Untener — and hopefully, of the ministry of any one of us, priest, religious, or lay faithful: "It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view…. We accomplish in our lifetime only a fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work…. No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the Church's vision. No set of goals and objectives includes everything. This is what we are about: We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise…. We may never see the end results but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not Messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own."
Msgr. John Zenz is moderator of the Curia and vicar general of the Archdiocese of Detroit and Episcopal vicar of the Northwest Region of the archdiocese (Oakland and Lapeer counties).
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