Most Rev. Jerome E. Listecki, Archbishop of Milwaukee, recently found himself in a sentimental mood as he looked through some of the many photos he’s collected over the years.

The exercise inspired him to post a reflection on the All Saints Catholic Church Facebook page.

“In my office, I have many memorabilia dealing with sports, prior engagements and a large number of pictures that have been collected over the years as a deacon, priest, bishop and archbishop,” Listecki wrote. “You can imagine, over the 46 years, all of the Baptisms, First Holy Communions, Confirmations, weddings and anniversaries.” 

All Saints Catholic Church fellowship | https://allsaintsmke.org/pictures/

Some of the photos he dated, others have names he wrote down on the backs such as baby photos, as the children became unrecognizable in a matter of months. All were put in boxes to later be reviewed.

“But because of tiredness, or perhaps sloth, I just kicked the can down the road, thinking I would get to them later,” Listecki wrote.

Most evenings would pull him away from his residence to make a public address, participate in a Confirmation Mass or some other service. The photo boxes were always “out of sight, out of mind,” he said. “So, now being in the residence, the boxes seemed to be screaming at me, ‘Sort me out now!’ – a little like Audrey, the man-eating plant, in the musical ‘Little Shop of Horrors.’”

Listecki admits his external organization scores on psychological testing administered when he was a seminarian were low. But his internal organization level is high. Now that he’s been looking through the photos, he said he felt like Jimmy Stewart’s character George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

“I was not depressed, but reviewing my life in the pictorial form made me appreciate just how blessed I have been,” Listecki posted. “I examined pictures of friends who have enriched my life and have shared with me their families as we celebrated precious moments of happiness afforded to us in this life.”

When he came across photos of friends and relatives who have gone to God, he stopped to say a few prayers for them. In other photos he’d recognize young friends whose weddings he celebrated – only to later baptize their children.

“I was so proud to claim a portion of their lives, knowing that I am a better person for my relationship with them,” he wrote.

“I know that in the life to come, God will provide for us the fullness of understanding of what we meant to one another in our journey through this life, and how it has contributed in realizing God’s presence,” Listecki said. “It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, but really, only three are important: Love one another.”