"Ordinations" 

May 18, 2010
Year for the Priest

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Ordinations are always a special time for the Church. Last Saturday at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, we ordained four men for priestly service in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The four men, Matthew Widder, Erich Weiss, Antony Primal Thomas and Chuck Wrobel were formed at St Francis De Sales Seminary.

It is always amazing how gracious God is to His Church. At a time when the Church suffers from scandals that literally rock its foundation, God inspires men to dedicate their lives to serve Christ and His Church.

As these men stood before me on Saturday, my mind wandered back to my own ordination day. That day, I remember wondering what God had in store for me. There’s no way that I ever would have imagined the journey that has been my priestly life. In that manner, a priestly vocation is comparable to the vocation of marriage. When a couple pledge their life to one another, they allow the mystery of the two becoming one to create something far greater.

In ordained life, through prayer, in teaching, in the administration of the sacraments, God begins to shape the priest. The priest acts “in persona Christi.” It’s a humbling experience and an awesome responsibility to think that priests live as another Christ.

Our four newly ordained now begin their journey. They will fall in love with their parishes and the people they serve. They will acknowledge that the faithful will give more to assist their priesthood than they will ever offer to those they serve. They will contribute their stories to the history of the presbyterate of the archdiocese. We should pray for these men. They need our support and we need their commitment.

As I watched them give their first priestly blessings, I prayed that they will be generous in sharing the Lord’s love. After all they are called to love one another.

See you at Mass!

Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee

To receive Archbishop Listecki's Thought for the Week, submit your name and e-mail address here .