By CatholicVote | Created at 2024-11-05 17:51:49 | Updated at 2024-11-05 23:15:10
5 hours ago
CV NEWS FEED // Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Jeffrey S. Grob will soon become the 12th archbishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, following the retirement of Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki, who served since 2010.
Bishop Grob, a Wisconsin native and former dairy farm worker, currently serves as an auxiliary bishop of Chicago. He is set to be installed as Archbishop of Milwaukee on January 14, 2025, CatholicVote reported.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the 63-year-old bishop expressed gratitude and excitement for his new role, noting that it allows him to return to his home state.
“I’m not afraid to stand alongside anyone, and roll up my sleeves and work,” Bishop Grob said at an introductory press conference in Milwaukee. “I look forward to walking together with you, clergy, consecrated religious, lay men, and women.”
According to The Journal, Bishop Grob emphasized the importance of listening and said he aims to bring a “synodal” approach to his leadership.
Echoing Pope Francis’ vision of “spiritual renewal and structural reform,” he said he will aim to “make the church more participatory and missionary, more capable of walking with every woman and man radiating the light of Christ.”
Bishop Grob’s appointment comes at a time when the Archdiocese faces numerous challenges, including a shrinking Catholic population, priest shortages, and ongoing disagreements over social and cultural issues, according to The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Milwaukee’s Catholic presence has significantly declined, with the number of parishes down nearly 30% over the past six decades. Addressing these issues will be a key task for the soon-to-be archbishop, along with maintaining the boosted enrollment in Catholic schools seen under Archbishop Listecki’s leadership, The Journal reported.
Archbishop Listecki was known as a “straightforward communicator” who could be depended on to reinforce Church teachings while maintaining good relationships with priests and parishioners, according to The Journal.
Known for his conservative stance, Archbishop Listecki recently expressed concerns over multiple widely reported instances of disrespect toward Catholic values. In a recent newsletter, he joined many Church leaders in demanding an apology for the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony display that resembled the Last Supper. He also criticized the sacrilegious “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” and Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s recent video mocking Holy Communion.
Archbishop Listecki stated in the newsletter that these events are a sign that society has entered “open season on Catholics,” a reality which he finds unsurprising, given that “the Church boldly proclaims its support for life, its opposition to abortion, its promotion for traditional marriage and its care for the poor.”
“We can understand how the opponents of the Church would like it just to go away,” the Archbishop continued in his newsletter. “But we cannot. We did not during the Roman Empire, Communism and Nazism. We are charged with something greater and that is to live like Christ in the world for the sake of our brothers and sisters.”
Notably, Archbishop Listecki led the archdiocese through the process of addressing clergy abuse cases, resulting in a $21 million settlement to compensate victims and allow the Church to emerge from bankruptcy. Many expressed gratitude for his dedication to the Church’s recovery, The Journal reported.
Archbishop Listecki was also instrumental in reopening churches early during COVID-19 and strengthening St. Francis de Sales Seminary, The Journal reported. Under his guidance, the seminary saw a “sevenfold increase” in enrollment, with 86 men currently studying for the priesthood.
