"You Are There" 

May 11, 2010
Year for the Priest

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In the early days of television, there was a program called “You Are There.” The purpose of the show was to use this new medium, television, as a vehicle to transport the viewer back in time to a significant historical event. While watching the show, “you are there” when Washington is at Valley Forge. “You are there” with the Wright Brothers during their historic flight at Kitty Hawk. “You are there,” at Little Big Horn, for General Custer’s last stand. The show’s popularity stemmed from an individual’s desire to be a part of history.

Yet, if we step back and look at moments in our personal lives, we realize that we are becoming a part of history. Graduation from high school or college is a historic moment in our lives. We keep memorabilia, like a program or pictures, from the special day to remind us of the event. It’s a way of saying, “I was there.”

The Catholic Church, too, has special historical moments of its own such as Pentecost – the moment the Holy Spirit descended upon the Church. Jesus said he would send the Paraclete, the Counselor, to be with his Church forever. Imagine how privileged those who were there felt. It must have been transformative. The disciples were suddenly infused with courage and began proclaiming the Gospel message. (The Acts of the Apostles tell us that three thousand were added to their numbers through baptism.) These men, who were still trying to figure out this resurrected Jesus, still frightened by the thought of what the Romans or Jews might do to them, became the bold, heroic figures of the Acts of the Apostles. The Holy Spirit changed their lives with the knowledge of the truth. Jesus’ life, death and resurrection were their lives, deaths and resurrections, and there is no life apart from Jesus.

This year, we are offered an opportunity to be present on Pentecost, May 23, 2010, at 2 p.m., for a historic moment in the history of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The Church will celebrate the close of the largest capital campaign in the history of the archdiocese - Faith In Our Future – at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.

Men and women of faith placed their confidence in the future of the Catholic Church of southeastern Wisconsin. During what some have described as the worst economic climate since the Great Depression, the lay faithful and their priests joined together to raise millions of dollars to assist their parishes, schools and charitable institutions. These funds support the presence of the Church, and the work of the Holy Spirit as we, the descendants of the Apostles and the first Pentecost, go forward together proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. We have the opportunity to be a part of a historical moment. Take advantage of this privilege if for no other reason than to show how we love one another.

See you at Mass!

Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee

P.S. I look forward to sharing the archdiocese’s historical moment with each and every one of you. I invite you to celebrate the success of the Faith In Our Future campaign at the cathedral on May 23, 2010. For more information, please click the following link: http://www.archmil.org/ArchMil/FIOFcelebration.htm.

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