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Our New Bishop
The Diocese of La Crosse is making the joyous announcement that today, December 29, 2004, His Holiness Pope John Paul II has appointed the Ninth Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse: His Excellency, Bishop Jerome E. Listecki, the Auxiliary Bishop of Vicariate I of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
The
Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Bishop Listecki was first assigned as a deacon at St. Michael Parish in Orland Park from 1974-1975. His first assignment as a priest was at St. Margaret Mary Parish in Chicago from 1975-1976. In 1976 he was appointed Dean of Students at Quigley Preparatory Seminary North in Chicago. Also in 1976 he was assigned to Mater Christi Parish in North Riverside.
He began his graduate studies in Canon Law and Moral Theology in 1979 at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, Italy earning a licentiate and doctorate degree. In 1976 he earned a civil law degree from DePaul University in Chicago.
Upon returning from Rome he began teaching Canon Law and Moral Theology at the Archdiocesan major seminary, the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois. He taught at Mundelein Seminary until being named pastor of St. Ignatius Parish in August, 2000. On November 7, 2000 he was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago by Pope John Paul II and was ordained a bishop on January 8, 20001. In January, 2002 Bishop Listecki was named the Episcopal Bishop of Vicariate I of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
In addition to his duties as Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar for Vicariate 1, he is also a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserves, still supporting the local troops.
Bishop Listecki is a member of numerous boards and committees. He has also been involved in many different projects including an Appellate Judge for the Matrimonial Tribunal, in-house legal counsel for the Archdiocese of Chicago form 1985-1987, being a host for WIND Catholic Conversation from 1978-1979, a celebrant fro WGN Mass for Shut-ins and being a producer for several television programs. Bishop Listecki's sister, Mary (Penny) resides in the south suburbs of Chicago.
It is with great joy I announce that His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, has appointed Bishop Jerome E. Listecki, Auxiliary Bishop of Vicariate I of the Archdiocese of Chicago, to be the Ninth Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse. I, along with the faithful of the Dioceses, am most grateful to the Holy Father for this appointment. We receive you with great joy!
The Diocese has waited a long time for a new shepherd, but has accepted the delay in good faith according to the designs of Divine Providence. Many times, beyond counting, people have asked me when we were receiving a new bishop. Finally, I am able to give an answer to the question. The answer is not definitive as the date of the Bishop-elect's installation has not yet been determined. The Diocese can safely assume that it will be sometime in the month of February.
I take this opportunity to share with you a few words about Bishop Listecki's background. He was born on Marcy 12, 1949 in Chicago. He attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary South High School and Niles college seminary. He began his graduate studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein Seminary in 1971. He was ordained a priest on May 14, 1975.
His first assignment as a priest was at St. Margaret Mary Parish in Chicago from 1975-1976. He was next appointed Dean of Students at Quigley Preparatory Seminary North in 1976. At that time he was also assigned to Mater Christi Parish in North Riverside.
He began his graduate studies in Moral Theology and Canon Law in 1979 at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, earning a licentiate and doctorate degree, respectively. Prior to that in 1976 he earned a civil law degree from De Paul University in Chicago.
Upon returning form his studies in Rome,
he taught Canon Law and Moral Theology at the Archdiocesan major seminary, the
University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois, which he attended as
a student. He taught at Mundelein Seminary until the time when the
Cardinal Archbishop named him pastor of St. Ignatius Parish in August 20000.
ON November 7 of that year, Pope John Paul II appointed him as an Auxiliary
Bishop of Chicago. He was ordained a Bishop on January 8 20001 by
I look forward to working with Bishop Listecki in this time of transition as I relinquish my responsibilities as Diocesan Administrator on the day he is installed as the Ninth Bishop of La Crosse. I am happy to be of service to him in whatever capacity we wishes to utilize me.
It is a special joy for me that Bishop Listecki is someone whom I know from my time at Mundelein Seminary at St. Mary of the Lake University where I undertook my own theological studies in the first half of the 1990's. He was my professor of moral theology and I always enjoyed very much his ability to teach the doctrines of the truths of the Catholic faith very clearly. Not only do I know him, but he is also known to several of the younger priests of the Diocese, as Mundelein Seminary was heavily utilized by Bishop Emeritus John J. Paul when the then-Father Listecki taught there. I now look forward to continue that direct learning--with him as the Shepherd and chief teacher of the faith in the Diocese of La Crosse. I will happily be a collaborator in his ministry as a Bishop and to learn as his pupil.
Without further delay, I now have the distinct privilege of giving you over to the Ninth Bishop of La Crosse, His Excellencey, Bishop Jerome E. Listecki.
Statement
by Bishop Jerome E. Listecki
For the past four years I have served as auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Chicago, Francis Cardinal George, his auxiliary bishops, the clergy, religious and faithful have been my teachers. I will be forever grateful for their assistance in forming me as priest and bishop. I will miss them for their great witness and counsel as I will miss the Archdiocese of Chicago, which has been my my home.
Now the Church has called me to the diocese of La Crosse Wisconsin and together we will witness the Gospel message in union with the Vicar of Christ. I look forward to working with Archbishop Timothy Dolan our Metropolitan and the other bishops of Wisconsin in serving God's people. I wish to express my thanks to Father Richard Gilles who has so competently administered the diocesan affairs. I am excited at the prospects of collaborating with the priests, deacons, religious and lay ministers in responding to the needs of our diocese.
I beg you help to assist me in keeping our eyes on Jesus through calling the faithful to worship, providing the sacraments, preaching the gospel, teaching the truths of the faith and promoting works of charity. Together we will support each other in our common vocation "holiness".
It will take some time for me to adjust to this my new home so I ask that you be patient as I learn how to be your bishop. I ask your forgiveness for any mistakes that I may make during this time of transition.
On the website for the diocese of La Crosse is posted a prayer for the election of a Bishop.
I pledge to do my best in fulfilling the confidence placed in me by our Holy Father Pope John Paul II and with your help to bring about the blessing sought after in prayer.
Press
Conference
[Father McGarty] "Can you tell us something about your mother and father and family life?"
[Bishop Lisecki] Absolutely. Both my parents are deceased. My dad died in '86. He retired from the CTA, the Chicago Transit Authority, so he was a bus driver. Before that he owned a tavern in our neighborhood, so that's good training for a future priest. [laughter] My mom was a homemaker and took care of the house and managed myself and my sister. I have one sibling who actually is Marie Antoinette, but she never goes by that name. When she was born she was brought in to my mother and she had this peach fuzz burnt copper type hair, so the nurse said "Here's your brand new Penny ... " so Penny stayed and Penny remains my sister to this very day. She's a teacher. She has taught some 30 years both in the Catholic and Public Schools.
I come from the South-east Side ... which means I'm a neighborhood kid. Neighborhoods are very very important in the City of Chicago. ... And it was a Polish-Hispanic neighborhood. The Church was the center ... of all the social activity. The Church was the center that called us together to worship. It was for people who did not have means. It was a huge beautiful Church ... huge stained glass windows. And I was just involved and enveloped in our Catholic surroundings ... so much so that we can take it for granted how much it affects us and how much it contributes to us ... so the steel mills were the industry of the Southeast side, so the South Chicago U.S. Steel Works were right there, and I worked in the steel mills, I worked in the blast furnaces ... I worked as a laborer. So I know what it is to have a difficult back in the evening, due to shoveling and doing those things. But it was good. It was good in the sense of understanding you know the connectedness to work, the importance of work, the importance of providing ... for all, for education. And I'm very grateful for that.
[Bishop Lisecki] I don't think I can say it! [laughter] Well, my best friends ... my friends refer to me as Jerome ... you know that should already tell you something about my best friends and my relatives. Normally when you see Jerome, everything goes to Jerry, and that's the way it is since I was Ordained, but if you want to know anyone who knew me before I was Ordained, immediately you identify them by the fact that they would call me Jerome. I was actually named by a priest. My mother wanted to name me after my father who was Harry, but when she went to the Rectory the priest said, no, no no ... that's a pagan name [laughter] ... you can't name him that. ... Then he reaches out to the shelf and pulls out a book and he says, "Ah, here's the name. Jerome. Scripture scholar, Father of the Church, one of the great Latin Fathers. We will name him Jerome! And of course my mother and father, being the good Catholic parents they were said, "Yes Father!" [laughter] And so I actually was named Jerome. If you look at my Birth Certificate, I'm Harry on my Birth Certificate. I'm Jerome on my Baptismal Certificate, and I'm Jerome all throughout my life. But they describe Jerome as ugly and irascible, and some of my classmates and friends who would ... [laughter] But they would probably see me as loyal. I value friendship ... and I value the Church.
They would see me as someone who would be orthodox in the faith. I would hope they would see me as somebody who enjoys fun and is fun-loving. I really do think that, because how can you really experience the whole blood of this great faith that we are a part of and not smile .. and not be happy about it ... and not be joyful about it ... and that's contagious ..... now that's not to say we don't have our sufferings and that we don't have our moments of sorrows ... and grief, but it is to say that if we allow that to create a pall upon us then it's not too attractive to call on people who ..... . So, I would say you know the aspect of being loyal, valuing friend ship and basically fun-loving while still being true and orthodox with integrity.
[New Question] On a serious note, I'm sure your just being introduced to some issues within the area but coming into the job I"m sure you've given it some thought. What are your goals as bishop?
[Bishop Lisecki] Well, you know I've been a bishop for four years. The Vicariate I come from, Vicariate I has 440,000 Catholics ... so ah, it's about double the size .. population wise, but far smaller .. I'm the Vicar of only one County and a short part abuts with Cook .. about 54 parishes, mega-parishes ... 5,000 families ... so mega-parishes ... but, I have three goals, and I kinda carry them with me as a bishop and I guess I bring them also to La Crosse.
[New Question] I guess there was a controversy late last year regarding your predecessor's instruction on Catholic lawmakers who do not speak out against abortion, whether they would be allowed to have Communion or the Sacraments.
[New Question] We've got a Catholic School system that I think all through the Diocese is consolidated. In the Vicariate you were in were they consolidated or were they still parish schools? What's your vision with regard to that? ?
[New Question] Some would probably question the timing of your announcement ... this is perhaps the testing of your pastoral mettle given the battle between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. [laughter]
[Bishop Lisecki] Yeah. We in Chicago have great respect for the Green Bay Packers. [laughter] And we wish them well against all over teams except Chicago. But, truly even as a boy growing up, the Packers were the team to beat. ..... (some omitted) And you know, the way the Catholic Church in La Crosse has been a part of the whole Green Bay Packers ... I think it's wonderful. (more omitted) But coming to La Crosse, I'm a homer! [New Question] Archbishop Burke felt that bringing the Diocese back to greater holiness, one of the ways was the Shrine. Do you have some, beyond the goals you have mentioned, some passion perhaps for where you think the Church needs to be most active and ...
[New Question] We have four Catholic Radio Stations in the Diocese ... in Eau Claire, here in La Crosse, Wisconsin Rapids and the Wausau area ... and our goal is the same as you just talked about ... One of the things we've stressed over the last several months ... actually the whole last year is that nothing new can happen without a bishop. And there's all kinds of rumors about parishes closing, schools closing, and you know, things that are being talked about. What time frame are you looking at for any major announcements as far as consolidations, or school closings, or parish ...
[Bishop Lisecki] I basically cannot answer that question, because you know most people probably think that I was told two or three weeks ago that I was going to be Bishop of La Crosse ... actually it's been like eight days. So, in terms of turn-around and knowing what's going to happen, even some of the issues that you've brought out, I can't give you a definitive answer. You're right, it says that basically nothing new should happen. but that doesn't mean that the Diocese doesn't progress during that period of time. By the end of February I'll be able to come up, make an assessment and do the consultation that is necessary .. one thing that's very important to me is collaboration with you ... and to make sure everybody understands any actions that we will be taking will only be taken because it's the good of the Diocese ... it's the good of the Church. And rightly so, maybe some difficult decisions have to be made, but if they're made with the sense that we're doing this so that we can be a stronger, more viable, more readily identifiable Church, then it should be made.
Anything else? Well, thank you very much ... may God Bless you ... (drowned out by applause).
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Most
Rev. Jerome E. Listecki was born March 12, 1949. He attended St. Michael
the Archangel Grammar School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary South High School and
Niles College of Loyola University. He began his graduate studies at the
University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein Seminary in 1971 and was ordained
a priest on May 14, 1975. On November 7, 2000 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Chicago by Pope John Paul II and was ordained a bishop on January 8, 2001.
Chicago,
His Eminence Francis Cardinal George. Little did I know then that four
years later his ordination as a bishop would, to date, bear the fullness of
Office by his teaching, sanctifying and governing as the Diocesan Bishop of this
Local Church.
It
is with deep humility that I accept the appointment of His Holiness John Paul II
as the new Bishop of La Crosse Wisconsin. It is an honor following
Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, a person I consider a friend and a bishop that I
respect and admire.
Today
is the feast of St. Thomas Becket, Bishop and Martyr (laughter). He know
the cost of discipleship and the importance of the role of bishop in the life of
the Church. In his letter St. Thomas writes;
Applause.
Now I have to tell you that when you think of Chicago, the large Diocese it is,
some 2.4 million Catholics, a couple thousand priests. To think how vast
it may look, on the day I was announced as Bishop, as new Auxiliary, it had been
some time since an Auxiliary was named in Chicago, the press conference had
about six or seven people, and maybe one camera, because that day, if you take a
look at it and go back, was the day of George Bush's first election, with
pregnant chads and dangling things, so, the announcement of an Auxiliary bishop,
although important for Chicago, was not capturing national news or national
press, so I avoided a lot of the more difficult questions, but ... This is my
home and I'm your new shepherd, so any questions you have, I'm willing to answer
them.
[New
Question] "How would your best friend describe you?"
[Bishop
Lesecki] Well, you know, it would be pretty presumptuous for me to come in
... to a Diocese without giving time to analyze, to consult and to find out ...
but, as I said at the very beginning, Archbishop Burke is a person I consider a
friend ... and I know him to be a person who is thorough ... very
competent, I can only hope to be as competent as Bishop Burke. And, very
pastoral. So, really to assume that he did something without a tremendous amount
of deliberation would be presumptuous on my part. But, given a year or a
year-and-a-half, things change. So ... the Church's hope of
reconciliation, and seeing people change and maybe there's been a change in some
positions ... in the hearts of some people. We will have to consider it. I
will also have to talk to the other Bishops of the State of Wisconsin and the
Metropolitan, Bishop Dolan to make sure that what I would do is also in concert
with everyone else. But certainly, open to dialogue ... but to take a look
at what Bishop Burke did ... look what he did ... he raised ... this Diocese
raised the sense of responsibility for life for the entire country. What a great
tribute to this Diocese! It raised the entire country. This Diocese, you
know when you take a look at all the Dioceses in the United States this one
raised that issue and put it into the forefront. And ... being an
incarnational people, we just finished Christmas ... hard pressed to look at
life as anything but sacred. One thing our Church asks for has got to be
the sacredness and dignity of each and every human life. So, I think that's OK.
I can't give you the definitive answer you know one way or the other, but I can
tell you ... 
[Bishop
Lisecki] Well, that's a tough one. We just got a micro-report done for the
Archdiocese of Chicago .. and I got three for my Vicariate alone. Because
we're the growth vicariate of the Archdiocese of Chicago. And Schools are
suffering all throughout the nation. I think there has been a failure on
the part of both the State Legislatures as well as National sense of assisting
private schools. I believe it's been a failure on their part to assist
because it can do nothing but benefit the society when you have individuals who
are trained in the type value systems that are trained not only in
Catholic education but other forms of private education ... and we've hidden
behind the separation of Church and State too quickly to avoid responsibilities.
Now, as far as which way I'd like education to go, I would like to have
every child be free to attend Catholic Schools ... but I know that's not
possible. And I know there have been several models put out throughout the
country ... consolidating models, consortium models, individual parish models.
In this kind of an education in my assessment one size does not fit all.
So individual assessments would have to be made in terms of what best serves the
needs of the people and also conversely the needs of the Diocese. Because
that's the balancing that has to take place. 
[Bishop
Lisecki] Bishop Burke is right. Holiness is the key! That means a lot of
things. It means prayer. It means living out your daily life with
some sense of God's presence always before you. I've always liked when going to
some of the Archdiocesan parishes and see the daily Mass growing, getting
meatier and a great sense of understanding about coming and being fed by the
Lord Jesus. But, that happens in many ways. You know, the wonderful thing
about our faith and the tradition of our faith is that we have individuals who
achieve holiness from different aspects and from different ... we have Thomas
Aquinas whose intellectual superiority has been rarely matched in the history of
Western Civilization. Or Saint Augustine. At the same time we have
Francis of Assisi, the second Patron of this Diocese. Who basically empowered
... elevated people's sense of responsibility. We have Theresa of Avila, we have
Theresa the Little Flower ....... who brought people and encouraged people to
aspire to God in their lives. So ... it's exploring all of those avenues.
But the key is holiness. The key is the seeking of being holy. Because
that's our common vocation. If you're journalist, a priest, bishop
... others who are home-makers, teachers, lawyers ... you know it's a vocation
that's based upon our talents. The common thread through it all is our call to
holiness to be holy with the talents the Lord has provided for us. I hope
I can encourage that. That's what I hope. 