October 26, 2021
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In my days as a minor seminarian, we would be challenged in our formation as we engaged in retreats, spiritual direction and various talks throughout the year. Like all experiences, they can become shelved and tucked away in our memory banks. To reinforce the integration of what was presented during those experiences, the seminary occasionally during the year would break from our normal routine and engage in what was called a day of recollection. This day of recollection brought back the insights of the experience and it was accomplished through an assessment, discussion and prayer. I mention this recollection activity because last Saturday we conducted a morning celebrating the anniversary of the 2014 Synod.
In my personal evaluation, I would hold that the Synod was the most significant event or moment that I was a part of during my eleven years as the Archbishop of Milwaukee. Some may question my evaluation that it was the most important since we have navigated through a bankruptcy, pandemic, and the launch of a Capital Campaign. But the Synod was a gathering of all aspects of the Archdiocese and invited religious leaders. This was conducted during the midpoint of our bankruptcy proceedings. We had no idea of what lay ahead. But at what some might characterize as a low point in the history of our Archdiocese we gathered to plan for our future. This was a statement of our trust in Jesus Christ. This was holding high the cross and pledging our allegiance to Jesus Christ and His Church. The Synod was on fire with the Holy Spirit, and I stated at that time this for us would be a new Pentecost.
Like all potential gatherings because of the pandemic and the need to be cautious, the celebration of the Synod anniversary had to be postponed for over a year and a half and rescheduled a couple of times. Now, well over three hundred people assembled at the Mary Mother of the Church Pastoral Center to reflect on the 2014 Synod and witness to the fruits of the priorities established by the participants.
The day began in the Chapel with prayer. The Auxiliary Bishops and several priests concelebrated the Mass assisted by some deacons. The “Sounds of Africa” and Jesus Villanueva provided inspirational hymns. Prayer always forms the basis for us going forward and it was an important means of establishing our focus. I was invited to present a history, looking back upon the movement of the Synod where it has taken us, and the programs that it inspired. It’s difficult to capture what was felt by so many during the assembly. I used a quote which I thought embodied what many were experiencing. It was from Debra Hintz, one of our parish directors who has since gone to God. She said, “There was such an energy and wonderful spirit that pervaded throughout the Synod, from the opening Mass at the Cathedral to the closing Mass at the Cousins Center. It was truly the Church gathered from the entire archdiocese.” Pope Francis has embraced the importance of the Synod and we hope to offer our insights of our experiences, as well as to elicit responses from a variety of means giving people a chance to have their voices heard. His Synod on “Synodality” will culminate in Oct. of 2023.
Three witness talks were given by Brenda Cline, Gabriella Cabrera, and Father Peter Patrick Kimani. Their testimony was an affirmation that the priorities of the 2014 Synod were woven into the very fiber of the parish communities that they served.
Former Auxiliary Bishop Donald Hying now Bishop of Madison who was a member of the 2014 Synod gave an inspiring talk on accepting the Mission entrusted to us by Jesus. The Synod itself inspired him to conduct a Synod when he was Bishop in Gary, Indiana. He called upon the participants at the anniversary to recommit themselves to the work of Evangelization as missionaries, intentionally taking, proclaiming, Jesus to our communities.
Brad Berghouse who is the COO of the Archdiocese emphasized the position of the Pastoral Center to be of service to the parishes of the Archdiocese and he encouraged the participants to utilize the various offices to assist in carrying out the priorities established for the future success of the parish communities.
It was obvious to me that the Holy Spirit is still at work through the efforts of the 2014 Synod. Prayer and dedication will ensure that we continue to be used as God’s instruments for the good of His Church.
At the end of my presentation, I paraphrased Cardinal Francis George who ordained me as a bishop. In his first days as the new Archbishop of Chicago, he said to the priests of the Archdiocese, “It’s not about me, it’s not about you, it’s about Christ.” When I became the Bishop of La Crosse Wi., I paraphrased him and said, “Now I belong to you, and you belong to me, but we belong to Christ.” At the anniversary of the 2014 Synod, recollecting my eleven years I ended my presentation with. “I have served you; you have witnessed to me, and we LOVE ONE ANOTHER.”
Sincerely,
Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
