Almost 700,000 Catholics in southeast Wisconsin will get a new leader today. Jerome Listecki will be installed this afternoon as the new Archbishop of Milwaukee. He replaces Tim Dolan, who left last April to become the Archbishop of New York. The 60-year-old Listecki has been the bishop in La Crosse since 2005.
A victims group will be keeping a close eye. The Lacrosse diocese sided with priests over victims in 64 percent of cases, compared with the national average of just under 10 percent, according to the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) who cited research by the U.S. Conference of Bishops. Listecki says he takes the abuse issue very seriously.
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At Sunday’s service Listecki followed the church’s tradition of knocking three times on the front door of Milwaukee’s Cathedral of Saint John. Once he was let in, he presided over a Vespers’ service attended by friends, relatives, priests, deacons and others.
Listecki says he hopes his new members will find him to be a good citizen who works to make the community better.
The archdiocese includes 10 counties in southeast Wisconsin. About 40 bishops and cardinals from throughout the country will attend today’s installation service and about 200 priests in all will attend.
