Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

Read the follow-up to this "Love One Another" by clicking here.

“Embarrassment of riches” is an idiomatic term that is used to denote the over-abundance of wealth, talent or other gifts. For example, there were so many talented individuals for parts in the school’s musical that it was difficult to make a choice, therefore making it an “overabundance of riches.”

Last Saturday in the Church of Gesu on the campus of Marquette University, I ordained Vincent Strand as a Jesuit priest. Vincent, a bright and dedicated individual, is a gift to the Jesuit community. The Strand family (Bernadette and Jerry) offered their third son to the priesthood of Jesus Christ. Fathers Luke and Jacob Strand are priests for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. In the years ahead, the brothers Strand will be fighting over who gets to administer first holy Communion to their newborn niece, Colette Elise, just a few weeks old, who was present at her Uncle Vincent’s ordination. Many families are proud to have a priest in their family, but three? Wow!

Milwaukee is blessed to have a number of brothers who are priests: John and Patrick Burns, Peter (Diocese of Green Bay) and John Paul Mitchell and, God willing, John (to be ordained a deacon in Rome in September) and Nick (Second Theology at St. Francis de Sales) Baumgardner.

Vocations are not predictable; it is always a matter of response to God’s call. I wish we had the formula for production of priestly vocations, but it’s always in God’s hands. Our task is to create an environment for the Word of God to be effective in the hearts of the faithful. I have often said that, because of the examples of faith witnessed by our priests, deacons, religious and lay people, God’s voice can be heard with greater clarity.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, I was privileged to know the Cusack brothers. There were eleven boys in this Irish family, and four became priests, three of them becoming priests for the Archdiocese of Chicago. Joseph, who was head of Catholic Extension Society; Raymond, the head of inner city apostolates; Donald, rector of Quigley Prep Seminary North; and the fourth priest brother, John, was ordained for the Viatorians, and was the procurator of the order.

I am so grateful to all of our families who support their sons in vocational discernment, as well as their daughters who seek profession in religious life. There is a true love for the Church and submission to God’s will. I respect and admire all of our families who practice the faith, instilling it in the lives of their children and sharing His love with our communities.   

We certainly do have an embarrassment of riches in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, and for this, I will not apologize. Instead, I will pray that God continues to embarrass us with His generosity, and in return I promise that we will pledge to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Note: This blog originally appeared as the June 7, 2016 "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.