There is a lot of excitement today in Milwaukee, where the national office of the Apostleship of Prayer is located. A new Archbishop was named to replace Archbishop Timothy Dolan. Archbishop Dolan is a member of the Apostleship of Prayer who learned about the Morning Offering from his father, and he is deeply devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. What about our new Archbishop?
I met Bishop Listecki a couple years ago as he was vesting in the sacristy at Marytown, in Libertyville, IL. He was about to celebrate Mass and I was part of a group of priests that was preparing to concelebrate with him. When I introduced myself he showed immediate recognition of the Apostleship of Prayer and smiled. And his devotion to the Sacred Heart? Here's what a priest of the La Crosse Diocese where he has been Bishop for almost five years wrote about Bishop Listecki's Coat of Arms:
The red on the shield is employed for His Excellency's deep devotion to the Sacred Heart. The majority of the charges of the design are rendered in silver (white) which, with the red, are the colors of the Polish national flag. By these colors His Excellency honors the ethnic heritage that has come to him from his parents, Harry and Alfreda (Kasprzk) Listecki.
The red on the shield is employed for His Excellency's deep devotion to the Sacred Heart. The majority of the charges of the design are rendered in silver (white) which, with the red, are the colors of the Polish national flag. By these colors His Excellency honors the ethnic heritage that has come to him from his parents, Harry and Alfreda (Kasprzk) Listecki.
Naturally I was very happy to learn of Bishop Listecki's devotion and, being 100% Polish myself, I can't help rejoicing in his ethnic heritage as well!
Fr., I rejoice with you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this with us. I had met Father Listecki while he was a priest at St Ignatius in Chicago, and his love and dedication to the church was impressive, to say the least. Sometimes, it seemed to me that he has literally become one with the church, not only in spirit, but also materially. He seemed to be a prolongation of the walls as he was walking up to the altar, or on the corridors, and a continuation of every little aspect of the church. He lived for the people there (I also saw him ministering to an old Romanian woman, very devout, when she was sick; she barely spoke English, but her faith was immense; she lived 98 years, and she was constantly praying for 30). Father was passionate for the restauration of the church.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry that I didn't know about his coming to Marytown, since this is one of our favorite places, for prayer and spiritual advancement.
I encourage all who don't know Marytown, to go to this very special place where the grace of our Lord abounds. It is open 24 hours, 7 days a week (correct me please, if I am wrong). It is blessed! For us, it is very important to be able to go to church at any hour of day or evening, even if we have to travel one hour one way. May God bless all the brothers and priests there, and I thank them for their prayers!