The Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki

Ninth Bishop of La Crosse

Jerome E. Listecki, a native of Chicago, was born to Harry and Alfreda Listecki on March 12, 1949. He attended St. Michael the Archangel Grammar School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary South High School, and Niles College of Loyola University before entering the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein Seminary for his theology in 1971. On May 14, 1975, he was ordained a priest and served in parish work for a year and then was assigned as dean of students at Quigley Preparatory Seminary North. He earned a civil law degree from DePaul University. In 1979 he studied Canon Law and Moral Theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome earning a doctorate in Canon Law in 1981. Returning to Chicago he joined the faculty of St. Mary of the Lake Seminary until assigned to parish work in 2000. On November 7, of that year he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Chicago and consecrated on January 8, 2001. He was named bishop-elect of the Diocese of La Crosse on December 29, 2004, and installed March 1, 2005. Under his leadership a diocesan-wide pastoral plan was formulated, individual parishes were incorporated and computerized, a successful 50M+campaign was begun, and he organized other relief efforts for national and local natural disasters. He is a retired Lt. Colonel, United States Army Reserves. On January 4, 2010 he was installed as the eleventh archbishop of Milwaukee.

On his personal shield his devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is symbolized by the red field. The red and white are the colors of the Polish flag which symbolize his ancestry. The open book is the symbol of St. Jerome, his baptismal patron. St. Jerome is credited with the translation of the Sacred Scriptures into Latin. It also reflects his many years of education teaching moral theology and is also symbolic of his education and degrees in moral and civil law. The crossed golden swords reflect his devotion to St. Michael and his military service. Above is a silver fleur-de-lis honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary. The silver eight pointed star symbolizes the light of truth and is in honor of St. Dominic, the founder of the Order of Preachers. His motto was chosen from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians 1:18-26 to express that every aspect of a Catholic must respect life, so endangered in society today: Life is Christ.