Milwaukee archbishop-elect a ‘wonderful, faithful, humble man’

NEW YORK – When a reporter asked Archbishop-elect Jeffrey Grob of Milwaukee what he wants people to know about him, he first joked that they don’t have that much time, before letting everyone know that he is similar to a lot of Wisconsinites in how he was raised.

“I grew up twice a day milking cows, Brown Swiss. I’m not afraid to stand alongside anyone and roll up my sleeves and work,” Grob said. “That’s how I was formed, and so to stand with people unless I don’t know a particular field of study – I’m not foolish enough to go blind into a situation – but I firmly believe that we’re all in this together as citizens of the world.”

On Nov. 4, it was announced that Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee, 75, and appointed Grob, a Wisconsin native who is currently an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Chicago, as his successor.

Grob, 63, is a native of Cross Plains, Wisconsin. He attended Holy Name High School Seminary in Madison and the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1992. He completed graduate studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein Seminary in 1999. He received a Doctorate of Canon Law degree from St. Paul University and a Doctorate of Philosophy degree from the University of Ottawa in 2007.

As with the appointment of Archbishop Richard Henning of Boston to succeed Cardinal Seán O’Malley the parallels between Grob and Listecki are hard to miss. Both were ordained priests, and were ordained bishops as auxiliary bishops in the Archdiocese of Chicago where they were both the episcopal vicar of Vicariate I. Both also, in addition to other degrees, hold a doctoral degree in canon law.

Grob and Listecki have also previously met. Listecki was Grob’s moral theology professor at the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein Seminary in the ‘90s.

Of Grob’s appointment, Listecki, who has led the Archdiocese of Milwaukee since 2010, said that “Pope Francis has blessed the entire southeastern Wisconsin community with his selection of Bishop Grob, whom I have known for years. He is a man dedicated to Christ and His Church.”

Grob’s installation to the archdiocese, which has about 530,000 Catholics, will take place on Jan. 14.

In an introductory news conference on Nov. 4, Grob said he is “deeply grateful” for the appointment and is “thrilled” to return to his native Wisconsin. He spoke often about his intent to listen and walk together with the clergy, consecrated, religious, and lay men and women in the archdiocese.

He also noted that the Synod of Synodality just ended, and that he will be installed in the Jubilee Year.

“That’s where I see myself coming in and trying to not necessarily bridge those but to journey forward with them in those moments of having listened, continuing to listen, but then with what we’ve learned how do we move that forward and truly be people of hope, be light in the world … to be catalysts for change,” Grob said. “We have that ability and have that power … and that has to drive us.”

Crux spoke with multiple Archdiocese of Chicago priests within Grob’s vicariate who had high praise for their former boss. Father Wayne Watts, the pastor of Saints Joseph and Francis Xavier Parish, called him a “great churchman,” and a “wonderful, faithful, humble man who will serve Milwaukee very well.”

“He’s an excellent leader. He’s a listener. He gives guidance humbly, and sometimes only when asked. He only gets involved when he has to,” Watts said. “That principle of subsidiarity I think he really appreciates, and he really raises people up and acknowledges the good work they’re doing.”

Father Jerry Boland, the pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, said that Grob was always a very “collegial and collaborative” in leading the vicariate.

“He’s worked very hard to build bridges in the vicariate,” Boland said. “He has some of the wealthiest communities in Chicago and some of the poorest and I think you would find that he’s been very effective in both elements.”

With Grob’s appointment, three of the five dioceses in Wisconsin are led by Wisconsin natives. Bishop Donald Hying of Madison is from West Allis, and Bishop James Powers of Superior is from Baldwin.

Listecki submitted his resignation to the Vatican on his 75th birthday back on March 12, as is required by Church law. Milwaukee was the third U.S. archdiocese to get a new archbishop this year – the Archdiocese of Boston and the Archdiocese of Hartford are the others –  and with the ages of other archbishops nationwide, it’s plausible other archdioceses could see changes sooner than later.

Of the nation’s 34 Latin Catholic archdioceses, 13 have an archbishop older than 74: The Archdioceses of New York, Washington, Mobile, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Detroit, Chicago, Kansas City in Kansas, Omaha, Galveston-Houston, Denver, Las Vegas, and Miami.

One of those is Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, a close ally of Pope Francis, who has seen Grob operate as an auxiliary bishop in the archdiocese for the last four years. When the news was publicized, Cupich congratulated Grob on his appointment to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

“For more than 30 years, the Archdiocese of Chicago and the People of God have been the beneficiaries of Archbishop Jeffrey Grob’s compassion, scholarship, and commitment to service,” Cupich said in a statement. “Pope Francis has recognized Archbishop Grob’s extraordinary gifts and is returning him to his native state of Wisconsin as leader of the Milwaukee archdiocese.”

“Our deep gratitude and prayers go with him as he continues to follow Jesus and bring grace to the fortunate people of his archdiocese,” he said.