January 11, 2022
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I am looking at the frost on the windows, feeling the wind chill temperatures below zero and viewing the ground covered with snow – it’s winter for sure. When I was the Bishop of La Crosse, there was an excitement about the winter. Many were geared to winter activities, skiing, tobogganing and cross-country skiing. Remember, I am originally a "flatlander" (a term used to describe someone from Illinois). There were a few places that had hills for sleds, but they paled to the hills we have here in Wisconsin.
As a kid, it was difficult to understand why my parents were not enthusiastic about winter. After all, winter meant snow and there were plenty of snowballs, snow angels and snowmen. Of course, I didn’t have to shovel the white stuff or make sure that the car was cleared for travel by scraping the windows and brushing off the snow. For me, it was a natural accessory for playtime.
But time changes one’s perspective. As I grew older, that white stuff became an economic opportunity. Shoveling the walks and driveways earned a five-dollar bill or, if generous, even ten (we were a working-class neighborhood, so the tens were rare). I did play hockey, but my skating skills were so negligent that I had callouses on my ankles. Therefore, I spent my time on the ice in the nets taking slap shots to my body. As I matured, I understood my parent’s reluctance to embrace the winter months with enthusiasm. The body is less mobile and the cold effects the bones. Travel is inhibited by the excessive cold or the heavy snows – who wants to be stranded by a flat tire or frozen gas line on the winter streets?
As a coach in the minor seminary, trying to get everyone to basketball games during the winter became a real challenge. We once were stranded in down state Illinois on a weekend during our basketball season because the temperature dipped to 15 degrees below zero and gas lines froze. What made it worse was that we couldn’t get a gas station to provide the needed antifreeze for the cars. We were able to get the students home on the buses, but I and several faculty members were forced to stay overnight in a local motel. To their horror, they discovered that they were a county that observed blue laws, which meant no alcohol served on Sundays. So, no “antifreeze” for the body, too.
Despite the cold memories of the winters in my life, I do have some warm remembrances. On January 8, 2001, I was ordained an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago. On March 1, 2005, I was named the Bishop of La Crosse, and on January 4, 2010, I was named the 11th Archbishop of Milwaukee. I must admit that the memories of the people, places, and encounters of the communities that I have served as a deacon, priest, seminary faculty member, pastor, bishop and archbishop have fueled me with enough warmth to survive the cruelest of winters. Those memories make me give thanks for the winter months of my life.
There is still a part of me that would like that one week in Florida or a warm climate just to take the chill out of the bones. Whatever season we find ourselves engaging, the command is the same: LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Sincerely,
Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
