Jerome Edward Listecki (born March 12, 1949) is an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

prelate A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which means 'carry before', 'be set above or over' or 'pre ...

of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

who has served as

Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdio ...

of the

Archdiocese of Milwaukee The Archdiocese of Milwaukee ( la, Archidiœcesis Milvauchiensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the United States. It encompasses the City of Milwaukee, a ...

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

, since 2010. Previously Listecki served as an auxiliary bishop of the

Archdiocese of Chicago The Archdiocese of Chicago ( la, Archidiœcesis Chicagiensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese of the Catholic Church located in Northeastern Illinois, in the United States. It was established as a diocese in 1843 and ...

(2001–2004) and as the

Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...

of the

Diocese of La Crosse The Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse ( la, Dioecesis Crossensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese (Roman Rite) of the Catholic Church encompassing the city of La Crosse and 19 counties: Adams, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Crawford, Dunn, Eau Cl ...

(2004–2009).

Biography

Early years

Jerome Listecki was born in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...

, and raised on the Southeast Side. His father (d. 1986) owned a tavern before working as a bus driver for the

Chicago Transit Authority The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the operator of mass transit in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and some of its surrounding suburbs, including the trains of the Chicago 'L' and CTA bus service. In , the system had a ridership of , ...

. Jerome received his early education at the parochial school of St. Michael the Archangel Church before attending Quigley Preparatory Seminary South, from where he graduated in 1967. He earned a

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...

degree from Saint Joseph College Seminary in 1971, and completed his theological studies at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary (in

Mundelein, Illinois Mundelein is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States and a northern suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 31,560. It is approximately thirty-five miles northwest of Chicago. History The community now known as ...

). During his summers as a

seminarian A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

, he worked in a

blast furnace A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally pig iron, but also others such as lead or copper. ''Blast'' refers to the combustion air being "forced" or supplied above atmospheri ...

sintering plant in the

US Steel United States Steel Corporation, more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an American integrated steel producer headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with production operations primarily in the United States of America and in several countries ...

mills near Chicago.

Ordination and ministry

Listecki was

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform ...

to the priesthood by Cardinal

John Cody John Patrick Cody (December 24, 1907 – April 25, 1982) was an American bishop and cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. A native of St. Louis, he served as Bishop of Kansas City–Saint Joseph (1956–1961), Archbishop of New Orleans (196 ...

on May 14, 1975. After studies in

canon law Canon law (from grc, κανών, , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. It is t ...

and moral theology in Rome, Listecki earned a licentiate and doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in 1981 with a dissertation entitled ''Indissolubility and the United Methodist Church''. He previously earned a

Juris Doctor The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice l ...

degree from

DePaul University DePaul University is a private, Catholic research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th-century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul. In 1998, it became the largest Ca ...

.
"New auxiliary bishop for archdiocese", ''Chicago Catholic New World,'' 11/12/00 During his service to the Archdiocese of Chicago, he taught at both Quigley Preparatory Seminary North (later

Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary was an American seminary preparatory school administered by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago for young men considering the priesthood. Located in downtown Chicago at 103 East Chestnut Street, a ...

) and St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, served in a number of Chicago parishes and as pastor of St. Ignatius Church, worked within the Archdiocesan Chancery as an Appellate Judge for the Matrimonial Tribunal and separately as in-house legal counsel for the

from 1985 to 1987, and served as the chaplain to the Catholic Physicians' Guild of Chicago. Catholic Physicians' Guild of Chicago website, accessed 11/4/09 His media experience included co-hosting the Chicago radio station WIND program "Catholic Conversation" from 1978 to 1979, his regular participation as celebrant for the WGN TV "Mass for Shut-ins", as well as service as a producer for several other television programs. Cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman website, accessed 11/5/09

Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago

On November 7, 2000, Listecki was appointed titular bishop of

Nara The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It ...

and auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago by Pope

John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

. He was consecrated on January 8, 2001.

Bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin

On December 29, 2004, Listecki was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse, succeeding Bishop

Raymond Leo Burke Raymond Leo Burke (born June 30, 1948) is an American prelate of the Catholic Church. A bishop, cardinal, and the incumbent patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, he led the Archdiocese of St. Louis from 2004 to 2008 and the Dioce ...

who became archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Missouri in St. Louis, Missouri. On March 1, 2005, he was installed as Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse. At La Crosse he initiated a $50 million fundraising campaign, a planning process to restructure ministry and parishes in the diocese,
"Q&A: Listecki looks at diocese future, past after two years as bishop", ''La Crosse Tribune'' July 14, 2007 and was instrumental in the development of the

Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Catholic shrine located in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The grounds include a visitors' center and outdoor devotional areas such as ...

, a project initiated by his predecessor, Bishop Burke.

Archbishop of Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Bishop Listecki was named

Archbishop of Milwaukee The Archdiocese of Milwaukee ( la, Archidiœcesis Milvauchiensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the United States. It encompasses the City of Milwaukee, ...

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereig ...

on November 14, 2009. He was installed on January 4, 2010, by the

Apostolic Nuncio An apostolic nuncio ( la, nuntius apostolicus; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international ...

to the United States of America, Archbishop

Pietro Sambi Pietro Sambi (27 June 1938 – 27 July 2011) was an Italian Roman Catholic prelate who served in the diplomatic service of the Holy See from 1969 until his death in 2011. He had the rank of archbishop and the title of nuncio from 1985, fulfilling ...

. As Archbishop of Milwaukee, the metropolitan see of the Ecclesiastical Province of Milwaukee (the entire state of Wisconsin), he received the

pallium The pallium (derived from the Roman ''pallium'' or ''palla'', a woolen cloak; : ''pallia'') is an ecclesiastical vestment in the Catholic Church, originally peculiar to the pope, but for many centuries bestowed by the Holy See upon metropol ...

on June 29, 2010, from Pope Benedict XVI.
"Archbishop Listecki to Receive Pallium from Pope on 6/29/10 in Rome," Archdiocese of Milwaukee website, accessed 10/9/10 Listecki served as an Army Reserve chaplain in the

United States Army Reserve The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces. Since July 20 ...

for 20 years, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.

Criticism

The

Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, established in 1989, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization support group of survivors of clergy sexual abuse and their supporters in the United States. Barbara Blaine, a survivor o ...

(SNAP) criticized Archbishop Listecki on January 6, 2010, for allowing retired archbishops

Rembert Weakland Rembert George Samuel Weakland (April 2, 1927 – August 22, 2022) was an American Benedictine monk who served as Archbishop of Milwaukee from 1977 to 2002. Shortly before his mandatory retirement at the age of 75, it was revealed in the pre ...

of Milwaukee and

Daniel Edward Pilarczyk Daniel Edward Pilarczyk (August 12, 1934 – March 22, 2020) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Archbishop of Cincinnati from 1982 to 2009. Early life and education Dan ...

of Cincinnati, who were implicated in cases of sexual abuse which were covered up, to say Mass at St. John's Cathedral in Milwaukee.
"Victims group questions visits by two retired archbishops", ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'', 1/6/10 On January 12, 2010, during a hearing of the Wisconsin State Senate on a bill to extend the statute of limitations for reporting abuse as supported by Milwaukee District Attorney

John T. Chisholm John Theodore Chisholm (born March 14, 1963) is an American prosecutor and politician who has served as Milwaukee County District Attorney since 2007. A career prosecutor, Chisholm specialized in complex conspiracy prosecutions before his electio ...

. State Senator

Glenn Grothman Glenn S. Grothman (; born July 3, 1955) is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative from Wisconsin's 6th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected to his seat in 2014. Grothman r ...

joined in this criticism, and also questioned Listecki on why he allowed Weakland, who had been accused of moving around abusive priests, to keep his title as Emeritus Archbishop of Milwaukee, as well as retaining the name Weakland Center on the pastoral center at St. John's Cathedral.
Wisconsin Radio Network website, "Listecki pressed about Weakland's status", January 12, 2010, accessed October 19, 2010 Listecki testified against the bill, saying it would single out Catholic institutions and bankrupt the Milwaukee Archdiocese.
"Listecki opposes lifting limits on abuse suits: Bill may be short votes in Senate, co-sponsor says", ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'', 1/12/10
www.wisn.com, "Archbishop Opposes Bill To Remove Time Limits On Sex Abuse Cases: SNAP Pleased Milwaukee County District Attorney Supports Bill," 1/12/10, accessed 10/19/10 Listecki was publicly criticized in February 2010 by Jerry Matysik, the Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Eau Claire Police Chief, and SNAP for allegedly misleading the Wisconsin State Legislature about the LaCrosse diocese abuse notification procedure in Listecki's testimony against extending the statute of limitations, stating, "Archbishop Listecki appears more interested in protecting the organization than he is in protecting children,"
"Listecki misled legislators on policy, Eau Claire police chief says", ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'', February 4, 2010 and again in August 2010 by SNAP for passing up action on an abuse claim due to lack of evidence. "Listecki passed up action on priest for lack of evidence: La Crosse Diocese spokeswoman says incident did not meet standards for review", ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'', August 5, 2010 The Archbishop apologized to victims of clergy sexual abuse on March 30, 2010, in a statement that said that both the individual perpetrators, as well as the bishops who failed to stop the abuse, "go against everything the Church and the priesthood represent."
"Archbishop Listecki Comments on Clergy Abuse at Chrism Mass" He credited the bravery of "victim-survivors" who persisted in bringing their cases to light and forcing the Church to change. "We owe these victims/survivors our deep gratitude and we acknowledge our own actions have not always expressed that gratitude adequately." He defended Pope Benedict XVI's role in the matter: Three years later, the ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' commented, Listecki was likely referring to the "learning curve" that psychiatrists and the clergy whom they advised experienced when it became clear, in about 2002, that pedophiles were not often likely to be cured of their tendencies.

References

External links

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee Official Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Listecki, Jerome Edward 1949 births Living people 21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops in the United States American people of Polish descent Roman Catholic archbishops of Milwaukee DePaul University College of Law alumni Lawyers from Chicago Loyola University Chicago alumni Military personnel from Illinois Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas alumni Religious leaders from Wisconsin Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago Roman Catholic bishops of La Crosse University of Saint Mary of the Lake alumni Religious leaders from Illinois Catholics from Illinois

Biography

Early years

Ordination and ministry

Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago

Bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin

Archbishop of Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Criticism

See also

References

External links