Sheboygan Gathering

On Saturday I spent the day in Kohler, Wisconsin, where the Catholic parishes of the Sheboygan area hosted a conference on prayer entitled "Conversations with God." On Friday evening Fr. Phil Hurley, S.J. spoke to young people about "Making Prayer Real." Our friends, Mike Mangione and the Union, offered a fantastic concert to close the evening. This local group will be playing in New York today and in Boston tomorrow. What a blessing to have them play during our "Hearts on Fire" events this summer and in Kohler this weekend!

On Saturday afternoon Mark Nimo, a doctoral student in Chicago, who is from Ghana, West Africa, gave a rousing presentation on "Intercession and Spiritual Warfare." His topic flowed naturally into mine--"The Eucharist in Daily Life." While Mark spoke about the power of intercessory prayer and the need for it in our contemporary world, I was able to talk about the most powerful prayer there is--the Eucharist--what the Second Vatican Council and recent Popes have called "the source and summit of the Christian life." I talked about what we believe and how we celebrate the Eucharist, which led into my usual presentation on living a Eucharistic life by making an offering of ourselves and our daily life. Some of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, including their novices and postulants, were there, and Sister Julie Ann wrote about the conference on the Sister's blog. The conference closed, most appropriatetly, with Archbishop Jerome Listecki and the celebration of the Eucharist.

Archbishop Listecki

Trade secret for a priest in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee: since Monday it's been easier to pray the Eucharistic Prayer. Before then, after praying for Pope Benedict, we had a tongue-twister. We prayed for "Jerome our Archbishop Designate and William our Apostolic Administrator." Or was it supposed to be "our Archdiocesan Administrator?" At any rate, now we can simply and happily say "our Bishop Jerome." On Monday Most Reverend Jerome Listecki, the first Archbishop of Polish descent in Milwaukee, was installed.

I was able to listen to the homily as I watched the installation on television and a couple of lines really impressed me. Archbishop Listecki said:

"Adherence to the Church’s teaching is not always easy. However, one must sacrifice for the truth. In this sacrifice we demonstrate our love. It is interesting to note that John Paul 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."

These words resonate with me and make me eager to hear more.

One other interesting note: the newscast I watched had a line that appeared on the screen throughout their coverage. It was "New Shepherd for Milwaukee." I was surprised that they didn't say "New Shepherd for Milwaukee Catholics." The universal message that the television station chose is actually more accurate and I was happy to see it. Archbishop Jerome Listecki, following in the path of the Good Shepherd Himself, and those whom He appointed to "tend His sheep," is a Shepherd--a Guide and Defender--of all the people of southeastern Wisconsin.

Archbishop Designate Jerome Listecki

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.

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!