'More than ever,' the church must go 'out to the people,' says Milwaukee's new shepherd

MILWAUKEE (OSV News) -- For a few hours on a sunny, frigid January afternoon, the spotlight shone brightly on Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob.

However, now that the pageantry and celebration of his installation as the 12th archbishop of Milwaukee is in the rearview, it's apparent that attention is going to be reflected onto the Catholics in the 10-county region of southeastern Wisconsin.

From the time he was named as the successor to retiring Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki on Nov. 4, Archbishop Grob has made it an emphasis in his public comments that he wants to listen to and engage with the Catholics in the pew.

"As much as I'm the focal point, this is not about me," Archbishop Grob said. "I'm number 12. This is about the church and the traditions that have been passed down through the centuries. I'm a chapter, if you will. There's 12 guys (who have been archbishop of Milwaukee) and there's going to be 13. I don't know when that's going to be. Hopefully not next week."

He reiterated that commitment in a press conference following his installation and celebration of the Eucharist Jan. 14 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukee.

Asked what his first priority was, Archbishop Grob said, "Now, more than ever, it's a matter of the church going out to the people. The church, I believe, still has a place at the table. So, how does the church go out and engage the world? It doesn't mean she compromises herself. She is a deposit of truth, of faith and morals. It's not a democracy -- it never has been, because you can't compromise eternal truths."

For Archbishop Grob, 63, who performed his last duty as an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Chicago Jan. 10, when he installed a priest at a parish in Schaumburg, Illinois, taking the lead of the flock of the Milwaukee Archdiocese is a homecoming.

Raised on a farm in Cross Plains in Dane County, it appears Archbishop Grob will bring that humble sensibility with him to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

A little more than 30 minutes after three dozen visiting bishops, two cardinals and more than 100 priests started processing down the main aisle of the cathedral, the transfer of power from Archbishop Listecki to Archbishop Grob was complete when the new archbishop was seated in the cathedra, or bishop's chair.

Archbishop Grob said it was one of the highlights of the day, noting that it is a "pretty comfortable chair."

That followed a ceremony where the apostolic nuncio to the United States, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, read from Pope Francis' apostolic mandate appointing Archbishop Grob, who then showed it to the people assembled in the cathedral, which included a representative from every parish in the archdiocese in addition to the clergy. The 18-by-24-inch parchment was printed in Latin, but Cardinal Pierre read the English translation.

In his comments before reading the mandate, Cardinal Pierre congratulated Archbishop Listecki on reaching the milestones of 15 years as archbishop of Milwaukee, 25 years as a bishop and 50 years as a priest, which will happen this spring. Those comments drew a standing ovation for the retiring archbishop.

While familiar with Milwaukee, Archbishop Grob was given a crash course in the people who comprise the archdiocese, being greeted by representatives of the presbyterate of the archdiocese, the diaconate, parishes, religious orders, grade schools, youth, the deaf community, higher education, the ecumenical community and civic leaders from Milwaukee and surrounding communities.

The rich melting pot of cultural identities in the archdiocese was also displayed as representatives from the African Catholic, African American, Burmese, Filipino, German, Hmong, Indian, Irish, Italian, Korean, Laotian, Mexican, Native American, Polish, Puerto Rican and Vietnamese communities presented gifts to the new archbishop.

Stephanie Fong (née Wiesen) was one of the representatives of the German community and is a member of the parish council and choir at Queen of Apostles in Pewaukee.

"This is super exciting for me," Fong, decked out in a traditional German dirndl, told the Catholic Herald, Milwaukee's archdiocesan news outlet. "I'm a person that loves cultures. My husband is Chinese, I have a degree in Spanish and I am representing the Germans. It's kind of a new day, kind of exciting. Archbishop Listecki was an amazing leader for our community but it's a natural part of life to have change. His heritage is German, so that makes it extra special."

Archbishop Grob takes over an archdiocese that spent the decade and a half of Archbishop Listecki's leadership weathered the storms of bankruptcy, the clergy abuse scandal and COVID-19, all while fostering an environment for vocations that now has the archdiocese's St. Francis de Sales Seminary bursting at the seams and in the midst of the first major capital campaign, and overseeing the creation of two urban school systems (Seton and Siena) that have made tremendous strides in extending educational opportunities.

"Charting all of those waters, Archbishop Listecki turned so many things around," Archbishop Grob said. "It's also proof positive the Holy Spirit of God is still at work."