Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

There’s a sports term we use called a “homer” – it’s a reference to an individual who is partial to the home team. If you’re a referee, it’s not good for the opposition. If you’re a coach, you might look at the local talent before you go outside of the state. This could be good for the team or detrimental, depending on the judgement of the coach. When it comes to Bishop Donald J. Hying, there’s no doubt that he’s a “homer.”

By the time you read this Love One Another (LOA), the bishops of Region VII will have begun our annual retreat, which started on August 23 at the Cardinal Stritch Retreat House in Mundelein, Ill. This will be the third year that the bishops will have as a retreat master, a priest from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee who is a spiritual father. Three years ago, it was Father Ken Omernick from St. Charles Parish, Hartland; last year, Father Jim Kubicki, SJ from the Apostleship of Prayer; and this year, it’s Father Michael Berry, OCD from Holy Hill.

An archdiocesan, a Jesuit and a Carmelite sound like the beginning of a joke, but the quality of the presentations and the depth of spirituality is no laughing matter. It’s a reminder to every bishop of the richness of spiritual life we have in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Don’t think that I am not proud of that fact.

It is not an easy task to choose a retreat master for the region. The bishops are a nice group of men (I know, that’s self-serving) but you’re asking them to sacrifice five days of their time. So you really want a good retreat master. As a good “coach,” Bishop Hying is a great judge of talent. He has a solid spiritual life; one that we all realize has had a great impact in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. He has demonstrated that his judgment in retreat directors has benefited the bishops of the region. He has established a high bar with his selections and I feel sorry for the bishop that will replace him, as Bishop Hying will someday assume a more senior status.

No prophet is accepted in his native land, says Scripture. However, the wisdom of our native spiritual fathers did not escape the attention of Bishop Hying. He has made us appreciate that we have an embarrassment of spiritual riches here. It would be a tragedy if we did not take advantage of the insights offered by those who can assist us in our pilgrimage through life. Our common vocation is to achieve “holiness.” It is obvious to me that the spiritual directors from our archdiocese have the tools necessary to help us achieve our vocation.

Please pray for the bishops of Region VII, as I will pray for you, the readers of this LOA, as well as for the archdiocese to fulfill our Lord’s command to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 

Note: This blog originally appeared as the August 25, 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.