Bishop Grob Ready to Come HomeRead Time 7 min

For the Most Rev. Jeffrey S. Grob, becoming the Archbishop of Milwaukee on Jan. 14 will be a homecoming. Bishop Grob, shown here at Saint Francis de Sales Seminary, is a Wisconsin native who is currently an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago. (Photo by David Bernacchi)

Whenever a man is elevated from priest to bishop or bishop to archbishop, he will usually express a degree a humility and/or disbelief.

For the Most Rev. Jeffrey S. Grob, an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago who will be installed as the 12th Archbishop of Milwaukee on Tuesday, Jan. 14, those expressions are genuine.

There is also a sense of excitement for Archbishop-Designate Grob, a native of Cross Plains (west of Madison) who is coming home.

“I keep coming back to the same word — I used it this morning — (there’s) just a sense of being comfortable,” Bishop Grob said Nov. 4, the day he was introduced as Pope Francis’ selection to replace Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki.

“I know it’s a goofy word to use, but I mean it in a sense of coming back to home, coming back to center.”

If his interactions with key stakeholders in the archdiocese over the past two months are any indication, comfortable might be a solid word to describe the feelings of archdiocesan priests, retired priests, men and women religious, central office employees and his fellow bishops.

With a quick, self-deprecating wit and the ability to deflect attention off himself, Bishop Grob has had a way of making people feel seen and heard.

During the period between when Archbishop Listecki submitted his retirement papers in March and when the papal nuncio, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, called Bishop Grob to inform him of Pope Francis’ choice, Bishop Grob had heard some inklings he might be headed to Milwaukee. However, he tended to ignore the rumors and go about his business as the Vicar General for Vicariate 1 in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

As the Vicar General, Bishop Grob had oversight of 42 parishes and 30 schools. He also served on the Catholic Identity Committee for the Schools Office and on the Catholic School Board, along with being Cardinal Blaise Cupich’s delegate to the Independent Review Board, with regards to misconduct.

Bishop Grob said when he saw the nuncio’s phone number on his caller ID, he was pretty certain it wasn’t a social call.

“I knew it was one of those grounding moments where in my spirit, I felt, ‘OK, this is the call,’” Bishop Grob said. “There are other dioceses (with open spots). I honestly never thought I’d be coming to Milwaukee.”

He is making his homecoming at an exciting time for the Church both locally and globally — Saint Francis de Sales Seminary is in the midst of record-breaking attendance and undergoing the first major capital campaign in its history; on the heels of the National Eucharistic Congress in July, the United States bishops are completing a three-year National Eucharistic Revival; the global Church has just started a Jubilee Year; and the impact of Pope Francis’ Synod on Synodality should start trickling down to local dioceses.

“Archbishop Listecki’s put a lot of blood, sweat and tears — along with all those who supported him — in seeing the archdiocese through some very difficult times with bankruptcy, with misconduct, with all those kinds of things,” Bishop Grob said. “He, in many ways, is giving me a true blessing, a pearl of great price. In that sense, it truly is exciting. How do we grow at that? Not to say, ‘Well, we’ve arrived, and we’re at Mount Tabor, and let’s set up tents and stay here.’ We’ve got to continue to expand. How do we continue to grow and reach out to young people and to build on those things? As far as the Real Presence of the Eucharist, seeing it in Indianapolis, I had the privilege of being there from Wednesday to through the conclusion of it on that Sunday. The young communities of sisters and the seminarians and the permanent deacons, and walking through the streets and the cheers and support, it’s a new moment sure and shame on us if we don’t use that or let one more thing kind of fall off the table. We can’t afford to miss those opportunities.”

Biography of Most Rev. Jeffrey S. Grob

Jeffrey Scott Grob was named Archbishop of Milwaukee by Pope Francis on Nov. 4, 2024.

Born March 19, 1961, in Madison, Archbishop Grob was the only child born to Bonnie (Meinholz) Grob and the late Gerald Grob. He grew up on a dairy farm in

nearby Cross Plains.

From 1975-79, Archbishop Grob attended Holy Name High School Seminary in Madison.

He received a bachelor’s degree in religious studies from the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, in 1988, and went on to complete his priestly formation at the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein Seminary, in 1992.

Archbishop Grob was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Chicago by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin on May 23, 1992, and has served in many roles in his 32 years there in addition to pursuing advanced studies.

Archbishop Grob served as resident and then associate pastor of Saints Faith, Hope and Charity Parish in Winnetka, Illinois, from 1992-98 while pursuing graduate studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein Seminary. He completed them in 1999 with a licentiate in sacred theology.

In 1994, Archbishop Grob also began many years of service to the entire Archdiocese of Chicago in the following roles: Assistant to the Chancellor, 1994-1998; Assistant to the Archdiocesan Exorcist, 2003-06; Associate Vicar for Canonical Services, 2003-08; and Dean of Deanery IV-D, 2008-09.

During this time, Archbishop Grob also continued studies. He earned a licentiate in canon law in 2000 as well as a doctorate of canon law in 2007, both from St. Paul University in Ottawa, Canada. Archbishop Grob also received a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Ottawa in 2007.

He also served as a Judge with the Court of Appeals of the Province of Chicago from 2003-13, and then as Judicial Vicar for the archdiocese from 2013-15 and 2017-20.

In addition, Archbishop Grob served as pastor of St. Celestine Church in Elmwood Park, Illinois, from 2008-13.

Since 2015, Archbishop Grob has served as Chancellor for the Archdiocese of Chicago, as well as the Archbishop’s Liaison to Lay Ecclesial Movements and New Communities.

Since 2010, he also has served as the Archbishop’s Delegate to the Review Board.

Pope Francis appointed then-Fr. Grob as an Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago on Sept. 11, 2020. He was ordained to the episcopacy by Cardinal Blase Cupich on Nov. 13, 2020.

The new Bishop Grob chose for his Episcopal motto the phrase “Jesus the Vine” from the Gospel of John (John 15:5): “I am the vine, you are the branches.”