Milwaukee archbishop retires; pope names Chicago auxiliary as his successor

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki, 75, and has named Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Jeffrey S. Grob of Chicago as his successor.

Archbishop Listecki, who has reached the age at which canon law requires bishops to turn in their resignation to the pope, has headed the Milwaukee Archdiocese since 2010. A Wisconsin native, Archbishop Grob has been a Chicago auxiliary since 2020.

The resignation and appointment were publicized in Washington Nov. 4 by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Archbishop Grob, 63, will be installed as archbishop of Milwaukee Jan. 14 by Cardinal Pierre.

“Pope Francis has blessed the entire Southeastern Wisconsin community with his selection of Bishop Grob, whom I have known for years,” Archbishop Listecki said in a statement. “He is a man dedicated to Christ and his Church. He possesses a priestly heart and I believe he will quickly earn the confidence of the bishops, clergy, religious and faithful whom he has been appointed to serve.”

“I’m deeply grateful to be appointed archbishop of Milwaukee. I will do everything in my power to serve with a faith-filled heart,” Archbishop Grob said at a news conference in Milwaukee.

Chicago Cardinal Blase J. Cupich congratulated the soon-to-be metropolitan archbishop of Milwaukee.

“For more than 30 years, the Archdiocese of Chicago and the People of God have been the beneficiaries of Archbishop Jeffery Grob’s compassion, scholarship and commitment to service,” the cardinal said in a statement. “Pope Francis has recognized Archbishop Grob’s extraordinary gifts and is returning him to his native state of Wisconsin. … Our deep gratitude and prayers go with him as he continues to follow Jesus and bring grace to the fortunate people of his new archdiocese.”

Born March 19, 1961, in Cross Plains, Wisc., Jeffrey Scott Grob is the only child of Gerald Grob and Bonnie (Meinholz), both dairy farmers. He went to St. Francis Xavier School in Cross Plains, then attended Holy Name High School Seminary in Madison and the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio.

He was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1992 and completed his graduate studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/ Mundelein Seminary in 1999.

He received a doctorate in canon law from St. Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario, and a doctorate of philosophy from the University of Ottawa in 2007.

Bishop Grob has served as associate pastor and pastor of several Archdiocese of Chicago parishes as well as assistant to the chancellor, associate vicar for canonical services, judicial vicar and chancellor. Pope Francis named him an auxiliary bishop of Chicago Sept. 11, 2020, and he was ordained to the episcopacy by Cardinal Blase Cupich on November 13, 2020.

“While still recovering from the surprise of the Holy Father’s appointment, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to take up this new role in my home state,” said Archbishop Grob. “And trusting deeply in the Lord’s goodness, I commit myself to the service of the people of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. I am excited to get to know them and look forward to growing together in faith.”

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee covers 4,758 square miles in southeast Wisconsin and has a Catholic population of about 523,000 out of a total population of just over 2.36 million.

This story was updated at 2:30 p.m.

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