Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Last Friday, more than 2,000 Catholics gathered in the Baird Center in Milwaukee for the annual St. Francis de Sales Seminary dinner. It was the celebration of our relationship as Church with the priesthood of Jesus Christ through the young men preparing for priestly service, forming themselves for dedicated service to Christ and his Church. Experiencing over 2,000 people gathered for dinner was unique, but the joyful spirit made the event more like a family gathering. This was a celebration of who we are. We were a family joined together by blood, the Blood of Jesus Christ, and the pride that we had celebrating our sons, brothers and friends who were choosing to follow Jesus Christ.
 
This dinner supports the annual budget of the seminary. For decades, we as a community have been praying to God to send us vocations. God has heard and responded to our call and now we must do our part to provide for the needs of our brothers who seek to serve our Church.
 
At the dinner, Fr. Luke Strand, our Seminary rector, announced the beginning of a major seminary capital campaign to raise $65 million to repair antebellum buildings and expand the seminary’s capacity. St Francis de Sales Seminary is 179 years old. It existed before Wisconsin was a state and before the Civil War. The familiar tower of the long-time primary seminary building now known as Henni Hall is a landmark which helped sailors navigate Lake Michigan. It quickly became a symbol of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. When I became the archbishop of Milwaukee almost 15 years ago, it was the seminary tower that the clergy and faithful highlighted as a focal point.
 
We need to preserve the seminary so that it can continue its mission for the next century. Bishops throughout the state of Wisconsin with dioceses associated with the seminary have pledged their support for the campaign, and a number of seminary supporters have already made generous pledges. God has blessed us with vocations now we must provide the environment necessary for our seminarians to prepare and be formed. We cannot ignore God’s gift and must together join our efforts to complete this mission.
 
Those who have been attending the seminary dinner for decades remember when it could be celebrated in the seminary cafeteria, with a capacity of about 250. The first year I arrived, there were 12 seminarians in total at St Francis de Sales and not all Wisconsin dioceses sent seminarians there. Today, every diocese in Wisconsin is represented as well as six other dioceses outside the state. There are 90 seminarians present. More than 2,000 supporters now attend the dinner, sharing their love and appreciation for our priests and seminarians. This has been accomplished through prayer, vocational promotion and sacrificial donations. It is trust in God that has led us to this moment.
 
However, we cannot be complacent. We have achieved much, but there is so much more God desires us to do. At this time in the history of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, we have been given the opportunity to serve God and his Church by preparing young shepherds to guide our parishes and witness to the power of Christ’s love as we LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Sincerely,

Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki

Archbishop of Milwaukee          

Note: This blog originally appeared as the October 8, 2024, "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.