Abp. Jeffrey Grob: “We need to keep ourselves focused and centered on Christ”

Archbishop Jeffrey Grob, 64, was installed as archbishop of the Milwaukee archdiocese on January 14, 2025.

He was born in Madison, Wisconsin. An only child, he grew up on a dairy farm. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1992. He subsequently served in a variety of roles in the archdiocese, as well as earning a doctorate in canon law and a doctorate in philosophy. He was ordained an auxiliary bishop of Chicago in 2020.

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee serves nearly 600,000 Catholics and has 187 parishes.

Archbishop Grob recently spoke with CWR about his upbringing and discernment of the priesthood, his thirty years in Chicago, vocations in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, meeting Pope Leo, and challenges facing Catholics today.

CWR: What was it like growing up on a dairy farm?

Archbishop Jeffrey Grob: Some of my fondest memories come from that period of my life. When my parents married, they moved in with my dad’s parents on the dairy farm, which had been in the family for a few generations.

I grew up tending to chores on the farm, including milking 81 head of Brown Swiss cattle twice a day. We had 313 acres of rolling hills; it was a beautiful location, a third of it wooded. We grew alfalfa, corn, and oats. We raised chickens and wild game, including pheasants, wild turkeys, and quail. I had a pet quail.

While farmers are often thought of as being independent, there is also a wonderful sense of community among farmers. We’d help one another out when the need arose.

CWR: Did you have an observant Catholic home?

Archbishop Grob: I’d say we had a “moderate” Catholic home. My mom went to Mass every Sunday, but not my father. He had a deep belief in God, however, and would do anything for anyone.

CWR: What led you to the seminary?

Archbishop Grob:I had one year of public school in kindergarten, but went to Catholic grade school after that. It was there that I began to feel the pull of a vocation. My uncle had attended Holy Name High School Seminary in Madison, so I went there for high school and began to study for the priesthood for the Diocese of Madison.

I took four years off and worked as an apprentice funeral director and embalmer in Kenosha, Wisconsin. It was during that period, 1981-85, that I started going to Chicago to enjoy sports or the theater. I returned to study for the priesthood again for Madison, but switched to the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1989, studying at Mundelein Seminary. I was ordained in 1992.

CWR: You spent more than 30 years as part of the Archdiocese of Chicago. What were some of your most significant assignments there?

Archbishop Grob: For the first six years, I was an associate pastor at Saints Faith, Hope, and Charity Parish in Winnetka. It was a comical contrast: a farm boy serving in one of the most affluent parishes in the archdiocese.

I was sent off to do doctoral studies in canon law in Ottawa, and then I returned to work in the chancery as head of the marriage tribunal. But whatever work I did in the chancery, I tried to remain grounded in parish work, living at a parish and helping out on weekends.

CWR: How has Chicago changed since you first arrived?

Archbishop Grob: The neighborhoods change. People move in and out. But the one constant is its Catholic people trying to live out their faith and work out their salvation.

CWR: The Archdiocese of Chicago’s Office of Human Dignity and Solidarity plans to honor Illinois Senator Dick Durbin with a lifetime achievement award in November. Cardinal Blase Cupich has defended the decision; other bishops, most notably Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield (where Senator Durbin lives), object to the decision, citing the senator’s long support for legalized abortion. Where do you come down on the issue?

Archbishop Grob: I haven’t given it too much thought. There are certainly people we want to honor, but we cannot compromise who we are and our traditions. We are a Church that is pro-life.

CWR: So, if Cardinal Cupich called you to ask your opinion on the matter, which side would you come down on?

Archbishop Grob: I would talk to him about how well the Milwaukee Brewers are doing.

CWR: You were an assistant to the Chicago archdiocesan exorcist from 2003 to 2006. You must believe in spiritual warfare.

Archbishop Grob: Yes, it is part and parcel of our Catholic tradition. We read about it in Scripture. Before His public ministry began, Jesus went face-to-face with the evil one.

Being Christians living in the world, many things confront us. The Catholic Church teaches us that there is a devil, and that we either live in the darkness or in the light. We need to keep ourselves focused and centered on Christ.

CWR: How is the Archdiocese of Milwaukee doing for vocations to the priesthood?

Archbishop Grob: Like most everyone, we continue to struggle, with more of our priests retiring or dying, and not enough younger priests are being ordained to replace them.

We do have 41 men in seminary formation, and I was able to ordain three to the priesthood on May 17. In 2024, [previous Milwaukee] Archbishop [Jerome] Listecki ordained nine. So our numbers are pretty good, if you consider that some dioceses are not ordaining anyone. There is still much work we need to do to promote vocations, however.

Also, we’re currently doing an extensive renovation of our seminary, St. Francis de Sales, which dates back to the mid-1800s. We had a campaign that raised over $70 million for renovation. That demonstrates to me that our people still very much believe we need to support vocations and our seminarians. The archbishop’s residence is on the grounds of the seminary, so it gives me the chance to see the workers at work every day, improving the grounds.

I’m also encouraged to meet young people who are re-engaging with the Faith, looking for something more, and may come to try their vocation in the seminary. It shows me that the Holy Spirit has not ceased prompting young people to consider a vocation to the priesthood or religious life.

CWR: The archdiocese declared bankruptcy in 2011. Has it fully recovered financially?

Archbishop Grob: That was something Archbishop Listecki stepped in to when he arrived. It was a painful chapter in our history, but not a current process we are going through right now. We’re working to be good stewards of the resources we have, moving on from where we once were.

CWR: You traveled to Rome and received the pallium from Pope Leo on June 29. What does this indicate?

Archbishop Grob: It’s a liturgical garment worn around the shoulders that symbolizes the archbishop’s authority and his close bond with the Holy Father. If you look at mosaics and frescoes from the early days of the Church, you’ll see images of bishops wearing them.

CWR: Did you have a conversation with Pope Leo?

Archbishop Grob: Yes, briefly during the Mass and for a few moments after. He took a photo with the 54 archbishops who came to receive the pallium.

CWR: Is it odd to be speaking to a pope in English?

Archbishop Grob: Very much so. Pope Francis spoke English, but a labored English. I think ultimately it’s been a shock to have an American pope. I never would have thought in my lifetime that would have happened. It is a wonderful moment.

What were some highlights of your trip to Rome?

CWR: I went with a group of nine, including my 82-year-old mother, who lives with me. Also, some cousins, friends, and priests joined us.

Archbishop Grob: We had Mass at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, where Pope Francis is buried. It was under his authority that I became Archbishop of Milwaukee, so we had to stop there. We had Mass at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, where St. Paul is buried. The archpriest there is Cardinal James Harvey, who is originally from Milwaukee and hosted us.

We also had Mass at the tomb of St. Peter in St. Peter’s Basilica, and also at one of my favorite churches in Rome, the Basilica of San Clemente al Laterano. It was very hot throughout our trip—our coolest day was 95 degrees, going up to 102—so that limited what we could do.

CWR: What are your initiatives in the Milwaukee archdiocese?

Archbishop Grob: We want to be good stewards of the resources God has given us. We want to do what we can to aid the Seton schools in the inner city. We want to engage in evangelization, particularly among young people, speaking the reality of the Catholic Church and its truths. We want to demonstrate that we’ve moved beyond the misconduct of some in the past. We want to continue our outreach with Catholic Charities.

CWR: What national issues most concern you?

Archbishop Grob: I worry about our loss of civility. People are pitted against one another. We’re either in one camp or another, and the other side is automatically wrong. Once we were able to dialogue, but we don’t seem to be able to do that any longer.

CWR: Charlie Kirk was known for engaging in dialogue with those whom he disagreed. What was your reaction to his shooting?

Archbishop Grob: It was a senseless loss of life. He was a spouse and a father. There is also the tremendous trauma of those who were there and witnessed his death.

He was a human person, with his strengths and weaknesses, just like the rest of us. He didn’t deserve an end like that.

CWR: Who are some saints or Catholics you’ve known whom you admire?

Archbishop Grob: Among the saints, I admire St. Joseph. He is in my coat of arms. How many times was he quoted in Scripture? None. He was asked by God to fulfill a mission, and he did so. He accepted God’s will for his life. Also, my birthday is his feast day, March 19.

I also have a great respect for Pope St. John XXIII. We have a beautiful statue of him in our Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. He had a great sense of humor and could laugh at himself. Before he’d go to sleep, he’d pray, “Lord, this is your Church. I’m going to bed.” I say the same prayer as the archbishop. I think of myself as “Number 12”. I am the twelfth archbishop of Milwaukee, and however long I’m here, I’ll be the best possible steward I can. Then, like Pope John XXIII, I’ll move on, and someone else will take over.

I would also have to point to my grandparents. They were simple people who lived their faith. They received it from their parents and passed it on to their children.

CWR: What is a program of spirituality you’d recommend?

Archbishop Grob: I’d start with regular Mass attendance; the sacraments are the bread and butter of the spiritual life. They help us nourish our relationship with God. Then there are a variety of devotions you can do at home: the rosary, the Stations of the Cross, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. And, we need to have our faith play out in real time in our lives by performing acts of charity.

CWR: Do you have any other thoughts you wish to share?

Archbishop Grob: The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is a wonderful place with many holy people working out their salvation. They live their faith day-to-day, with some days going well, others not. But the key thing is that we try. I remember someone once asked Bishop Fulton Sheen that when he died and stood before the pearly gates what he wanted his greatest success to be. He responded that he wanted to be told that he died trying, because that is what life is all about.

I’m proud to be the Archbishop of Milwaukee, and as long as I am here, I will try to do my best.

(Editor’s note: This interview was edited slightly for length and clarity.)