Surprised, but not really surprised — that’s the consensus of Bishop James Massa’s family and close friends about his elevation the dignity of being an auxiliary bishop.

“I am so happy for him,” said his sister Kathleen Lutkenhouse. “He’s very kind, very bright and very dedicated. He works really hard.”

The bishop was allowed to share the good news with his family just days before the official announcement on May 19. Lutkenhouse, who resides in Garwood, N.J., was present at the press conference, while his brother, Jack Massa, was beaming in the Sunshine State.

“It’s very exciting,” Massa said via telephone from his home in Sarasota, Fla. “He’s my baby brother, so I’m proud of him.”

“Our mom and dad would be so proud of him too,” Lutkenhouse added.

Being 10 years his senior, the bishop’s sister has literally watched his entire life unfold, and she admires the man and priest he has become – warm, compassionate, empathetic and personable – qualities he will bring to his episcopacy.

But a part of her will always remember him as a troublesome 2-year-old, who got himself stuck hanging upside down in a backyard tree until a neighbor rescued him.

Also close to her heart are memories of her brother playing basketball with her three daughters. He later officiated at two of their weddings and baptized four of their children.

“He is so smart and scholarly, but I think people should know he’s also fun,” shared Jack Massa. When his brother comes to visit they enjoy catching up, dining out and playing board games. Laughing, he admits he hasn’t bested his brother in a game of chess since his college days.

“He’s extremely serious about his ministry. He’s very dedicated, but he’s not at all pretentious. He’s very humble,” Massa added.

Msgr. Fernando Ferrarese, pastor at Immaculate Conception Church, Astoria, and a good friend of Bishop Massa for nearly 30 years, shares those sentiments.

“Our Holy Father made a very wise choice,” he said.

The future bishop was a graduate student at Yale Divinity School, New Haven, Conn., when they met. Msgr. Ferrarese was the diocesan vocation director and he went to visit this young man who was considering becoming a priest for the Brooklyn Diocese.

“He was really a very interesting guy, and his questions were pastoral – pertaining to the people of the diocese and communicating the Gospel of Christ. That was very important to him,” he said.

And it continues to be, the monsignor said. “He has a real priest’s heart. He’s a very human person and a wonderful friend” with whom he enjoys seeing films and going to the opera when they have the time.

He was “delighted” at the news of Bishop Massa’s appointment.

“I believe he will be a theologically astute bishop, a pastoral bishop. He will have a prudence about himself that will serve him certainly as an auxiliary and perhaps as an ordinary one day.”

For now, he belongs to Brooklyn, and for those who haven’t met him yet, Jack Massa offered this advice: “Get to know him. I’m sure you’ll like him.”