God Loves Milwaukee: Archbishop Jerome Listecki Fills Archbishop Dolan's Shoes

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is one of those Dioceses which prove the point, Bishops really, really, really do matter.

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (Catholic Online) - The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is one of those Dioceses which prove the point, Bishops really, really, really do matter. In fact, the appointment of a Bishop is one of the most important things the Holy Father does in the exercise of his Petrine ministry.

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee was in desperate shape when Archbishop Timothy Dolan arrived. His evangelical fervor and big heart worked wonders. He reached out to his priests, deacons, and religious as a spiritual father. He showed the face of Christ to the faithful and helped to bring healing. He faced very difficult issues, always staying faithful to the Magisterium, and with a pastor's heart - full of charity - he literally helped to not only rebuild that Diocese but transform it.

His departure to the Archdiocese of New York in April was a source of sadness to the faithful in Milwaukee. It also occasioned some very fervent and focused prayer. Most observers agreed that filling the shoes of Archbishop Dolan would be very hard. However, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Pope Benedict XVI has done just that and the prayers of the faithful have been answered.

To this observer, it seems that God specially loves Milwaukee. Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki was installed as the 11th Bishop of that Diocese on January 4, 2010, the feast of the first American born Saint, Elizabeth Ann Seton. In the packed Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, in the company of four cardinals, dozens of Bishops and hundreds of his faithful, he gave an inspiring homily which revealed the depth of his faith, the quality of his theological training and the sincerity of his love for Christ and His Church. We present it below in an adjoining story.

Archbishop Listecki is a Canon Lawyer and a Moral Theologian, two extremely important qualifications in an age decimated by what Pope Benedict XVI calls a "dictatorship of relativism." The faithful are desperately in need of solid catechesis and holy wisdom from our Bishops. His homily demonstrates that the new chief teacher of the faithful of Milwaukee is certainly up to the challenge. The missionary task we face in the American culture, called as we are by our Baptism to effect its conversion from a culture of death to a culture of life, requires Bishops with both prudence and courage. He has that courage as well. Many of our readers will recall two events in the past year where the good Bishop showed his mettle.

He is a Chicago native and it shows. He's tough, in the good way, in defense of the truth. That is the kind of courage we pray that all of our Bishops show in the growing hostility faced by faithful Catholics and other Christians in our current climate. He spent nearly five years as Bishop of La Crosse before this appointment to Milwaukee. He had no hesitation exposing the errors of the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, a Catholic. When she absolutely misstated Catholic teaching concerning the dignity of every human life last August in the public forum - and insisted on continuing to do so, he responded. Here is the letter which this good Bishop issued. Her choice of a public forum signaled that the correction had to be equally as public:

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My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

On Sunday, August 24, U. S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, in an appearance on Meet the Press, misrepresented both the writings of St. Augustine and the settled doctrine of the Catholic Church in an attempt to justify uncertainty about when human life begins and thus to defend a right to abortion.

That today is the Feast of St. Augustine makes it all the more fitting for me, as Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse, to exercise my obligation to correct this grave error. And so I join a number of my brother bishops in speaking out.

Let me be clear. To say that there is ambiguity about when human life begins is utterly and completely false, and any Catholic (which Speaker Pelosi professes to be) who tries to interpret Church teaching in such a manner gives scandal and misleads the faithful.

The Church's constant teaching on this matter is expressed in the Catechism: "Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable" (No. 2271).

New human life with distinct DNA begins at conception, and it is science, not theology, which tells us that. Advances in ultrasound and other imaging technology, along with the wonders of prenatal surgery, have only made more visible and poignant that distinct life within the womb.

While it does not belong to the mother, that human life does depend on her care and protection, along with the support and protection of any society that would call itself civil and humane.

It is ironic that, in an age that prides itself on scientific knowledge, there are those whose agenda drives them to invoke misinformed theology to cast doubt on some of the most basic biological truths.

In such a politicized environment of self-serving skepticism and slogans about "choice," the Church must tirelessly proclaim the truth about the dignity of the human person from conception to natural death. This is all the more urgent when innocent human life is threatened, as it is by abortion, as well as embryonic stem cell research and euthanasia.

To clearly proclaim and defend this truth is my duty as your Bishop, part of my task to form consciences for faithful citizenship. It is also the duty of all the faithful, as we work together to foster a culture of life.

With gratitude for the fidelity of your witness, I remain

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki, Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse
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This is the Bishop who was unafraid to stand up for life when the University of Notre Dame decided to grant an Honorary Doctor of Law to President Obama. the University knew that his outspoken defense of 'legal' abortion was in direct contradiction to the teaching of the Catholic Church, the humanity of the child in the womb as proven by medical science and the fundamental Right to Life as revealed by the Natural Law.

The University also knew that conferral of a Doctor of Law Degree on the President given his position also violated the direction of the US Bishops to Catholic educational institutions. Finally, it's actions confused the public and scandalized the faithful. Opposition to the conferral of the Degree had nothing to do with honoring the office of the Presidency. It was a matter of conferring a Law Degree on a man who denies the Fundamental Right to life. Bishop Listecki weighted in with these words:
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Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki on Notre Dame

"The University of Notre Dame recently invited President Obama to give this spring's commencement address and to receive an honorary degree in law. This invitation was extended in spite of President Obama's continual offenses against the sanctity of human life through his executive actions and appointments since taking office. In 2004 the U.S. Bishops established an important principle:

"The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions."

'The decision of the President of Notre Dame to ignore the Bishops and to give both a platform and an honor to President Obama is indefensible. And so I raise my voice along with many of my brother Bishops, as well as the faithful who have been deeply scandalized. I ask Fr. John Jenkins, President of Notre Dame, to rescind the invitation.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Rev. Jerome E. Listecki, Bishop of La Crosse

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We extend our pledge of prayer support to the new Archbishop of Milwaukee and invite our readers around the globe to do the same. He now has responsibility to care for the 650,000 faithful in that Diocese. May he be a Shepherd after God's own heart. There are few decisions made which are more important than the appointment of good Bishops. God loves Milwaukee. Though those shoes left emptied by the departure of Archbsihop Dolan were large, his worthy successor has filled them. God also loves the rest of the world. Let us pray for the upcoming episcopal appointments the Pope will be making. Let us pray for all of our Bishops. In this wonderful homily at his installation the new Archbishop of Milwaukee made this observation:

"It is interesting to note that John Paul the II was applauded by the Western societies when he critiqued the godless communism of the east for their lack of individual rights and freedoms, yet those very same western societies turned a deaf ear to his warnings of the destructiveness of radical individualism, consumerism, materialism and relativism.

"Given our situation today perhaps we should have paid more attention. The truth is at times difficult but the Church does not follow the Lord's request to tend his sheep if it fails to teach the truth with love."

Teach that truth Archbishop Listecki, God's people are behind you.

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