Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

Proclamations are interesting. They are traditionally associated with a king or queen alerting the populace about an important event or to honor an individual. Since there was no television, internet, radio or newspapers, it was usually announced in the town square: “Hear ye, Hear ye.”  In our democratic society, it’s usually the Senate, Congress or City Council that make a proclamation recognizing a person of distinction, celebrating an anniversary or acknowledging a societal event.

Being the Archbishop of Milwaukee – not a king or elected official – I wanted to draw our faith community’s attention to an important issue. So this week, I made a proclamation. I proclaimed that throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, we recognize this week (April 12-18) as Safe Environment Week. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee, along with all the other dioceses throughout the United States, continually recognizes the importance of keeping children safe every day of the year. Nationally, the month of April is dedicated to Child Abuse Awareness.

In addition to all of these efforts, our archdiocese chooses one week within the month of April as Safe Environment Week. This is so that we can assure that the entire faith community directs attention and focus, at the same time, to the importance of keeping the most vulnerable among us safe. We cannot and we must not become complacent – we need to be vigilant.

In this public proclamation, I announced this year’s theme: RESPECT. The proclamation was shared with the entire faith community within the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Respect should be the lens through which we view this year’s Safe Environment Week.

Thanks to the wonderful and talented, “Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin, everyone knows how to spell it: R…E…S…P…E…C…T. The question is, do we know how to live it? Respect is the recognition of the worth of another. In sacred Scripture, Church teaching and common sense, each and every one of us has a moral duty to treat our brothers and sisters with respect.

As Catholics, we acknowledge that God has made us in His own image and likeness. This understanding should shape every action and encounter in our society. We are all equal before God, and brothers and sisters through Him. In light of this, we all have an inherent and immeasurable dignity and worth. So it only seems right that we highlight respect as it has an incalculable value.

As Christian faithful, we are deserving of respect. We must not be prejudicial or biased because a brother or sister is different; rather, we are to respect everyone, for none of us is perfect. We all have different strengths and weaknesses. A bully has no sense of respect. He or she thinks of themselves as superior to others and exploits another’s difference or weakness. They fail to see God’s image in their neighbor. 

It seems that for everything I want to do nowadays I hear, “there’s an app for that” (a programmatic application to help you complete a task). Living the Golden Rule needs no app; it’s simply called RESPECT. We (yes, me too) always need to remember that we should treat others in the way in which we would like to be treated. When you look at your spouse, child, neighbor or co-worker, think as if you are looking in the mirror, so that your words and actions reflect what you would want to have offered to you. “Do unto others the way you would want them to do unto you.”

Proclamations can often be ignored and their effects die quickly. This proclamation is too important to be ignored. As people of faith, we must show mutual respect by avoiding the harm that is inflicted by thoughtless actions towards others. We must be examples for others so that our actions allow others to see Christ in us. Many will ask, WWJD (what would Jesus do)? Of course, we know the answer: LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Note: This blog originally appeared as the April 14, 2015 "Love One Another" email sent to Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki. If you are interested in signing up for these email messages, please click here.