Our next archbishop is a farm boy who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s northeast of Cross Plains, a Dane County community of about 1,500 at that time.
It’s a place and a lifestyle foreign to many modern-day seminarians at Saint Francis de Sales Seminary in St. Francis, but it’s very, very familiar to one of them.
Barry Meinholz, a third-year seminarian of the Diocese of Madison, grew up in the 1990s and 2000s on a farm on the other side of Cross Plains about five miles from the former Grob farm.
But Meinholz shares an even greater bond with Bishop Jeffrey S. Grob, the Archdiocese of Chicago auxiliary bishop who will be installed as the Archbishop of Milwaukee on Jan. 14.
Bishop Grob and Meinholz are double third cousins, according to family genealogy research shared by Meinholz’s aunt, Rosie Meinholz, that was researched by another family member. Their great-grandfathers were brothers who married sisters and settled in the Cross Plains/Ashton area. The two couples had a total of 17 children and many generations remain in that area just west of Madison.
Rosie Meinholz drew on the book “Meinholz Family History and Genealogy (1709-1982)” authored by her father’s cousin, Margie Meinholz Meyer, to share the family ties. The book is part of the Library of Congress and the University of Wisconsin’s Max Kade Institute for German-American Studies.
Barry Meinholz knew he was distantly related to Bishop Grob when he found out Nov. 4 along with the rest of the world that Pope Francis had selected Bishop Grob as the 12th Archbishop of Milwaukee.
“I was surprised, that out of all the people who could have been selected, that it would be someone who was from my hometown and related to me,” Meinholz said.
His fellow seminarians knew of the connection and greeted him with a standing ovation at breakfast that day.
As part of his introduction to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee the day his appointment was announced, Bishop Grob addressed all the Saint Francis seminarians several hours later at the seminary.
“He seemed to be very supportive of the seminary and seminarians and had a fatherly presence,” Meinholz said. “I hope to see him around and maybe get the chance to get to know him more. I believe I only first met him six or seven years ago. I have served for him a couple of times when he has been at home to celebrate Mass.”
Bishop Grob — whose mother, Bonnie Grob, was a Meinholz — and Barry Meinholz both grew up as members of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Cross Plains, which now has about 4,100 residents.
Meinholz recalled his past contact with the new archbishop as positive.
“He always seemed to be friendly and supportive. I would say he is generous, too. A few years ago, I was looking for a set of the Liturgy of the Hours for a friend. He happened to be at Saint Francis, so I asked him if he would have any leads of where to find a set. A few weeks later, he sent me a set of them.”
Bishop Grob and Meinholz have many relatives in their family who entered religious life.
Two brothers of their great-grandmothers were priests: Msgr. William Bronner was ordained in 1918, and Fr. Peter Bronner was ordained in 1933. Msgr. Bronner even taught at Saint Francis de Sales Seminary from 1926-43, and also served as a pastor in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee for 27 years.
In addition, three daughters of Meinholz’s great-grandfather were nuns with the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, Holy Family Convent, in Manitowoc: Sr. Leonora, Sr. Lucida and Sr. Melania.
When the Meinholz family celebrated 150 years in the United States in 2017, it was Fr. John Meinholz — a first cousin of Barry Meinholz’s father — who celebrated Mass at St. Peter Church in nearby Ashton. More than 600 people attended a gathering afterward at a family member’s farm.
The Grob farm was sold many years ago and is now a Christmas tree farm.
Barry Meinholz’s family remains on their farm. His father is a full-time farmer, growing corn, beans, wheat and pumpkins, in addition to helping his brother with his crop consulting business. Barry’s mother works at St. Maria Goretti School in Madison, and also serves as the Cross Plains Town Clerk.
It was Johann and Anna Meinholz, the parents of Bishop Grob’s and Meinholz’s great-grandfather brothers, who first came to the area from Frixheim, Germany, in 1867 to farm.
A great-grandson of Johann and Anna lives on that founding farm now — just three miles west of the former Grob farm.
Barry Meinholz is a third-year seminarian of the Diocese of Madison who attends Saint Francis de Sales Seminary. He has a number of ties with Bishop Jeffrey S. Grob, who will be installed as the 12th Archbishop of Milwaukee on Jan. 14. (Photo by Kathleen McGillis Drayna)
