Ozaukee County,
Wisconsin

Fr. Fred J. Schmit, SDS

Fr. Fred J. Schmit, SDS
(July 7, 1920 - July 3, 2011)

Father Fred Schmit, SDS
"Eternal rest grant unto him, 0 Lord, and let your perpetual light shine upon him. Amen."
Birth: July 7, 1920
Ordination: June 11, 1946
Profession: June 11, 1993
Death: July 3, 2011

Father Frederick John Schmit was born on July 7, 1920, in Port Washington, Wisconsin. He was one of six children born to Alfred and Anastasia (nee Paulus) Schmit. After completing St. Mary's Elementary School and receiving his First Communion at age 7 in his hometown, he attended Salvatorian Seminary in St. Nazianz where he became acquainted with the Society. After completing four years of high school and two years of college, he studied at St. Louis Preparatory Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, for one year of philosophy studies. His extracurricular activities included playing in the band and playing on the basketball team. In September of 1940, he returned to St. Nazianz and entered the Society's Novitiate, where he made his profession of vows on September 8, 1941. He then completed his studies for the priesthood at Divine Savior Seminary in Lanham, Maryland, and Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. He was ordained in the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in DC on June 11, 1946. He said his first Mass at St. Mary’s in Port Washington, Wisconsin on June 16, 1946.

From 1946 to 1949, Fr. Fred worked as Assistant to the Director of the Publishing Department in St. Nazianz. For the next four years he ministered as Director of the Student Apostolate Office at Mother of the Savior Seminary in Blackwood, New Jersey. In 1953, he returned to St. Nazianz, this time as Director of the Publishing Department. He held that position until 1965, overseeing the establishment of and the move to Salvatorian Center in New Holstein in 1958. In addition to these assignments, Fr. Fred also served the province as Consultor (1959-1962) and Mission Director (1961-1965). From 1961 to 1965, he helped in founding the National Catholic Fund Raisers Association. His favorite hobby was building sailboats.

In 1965, Fr. Fred was asked by the Superior General in Rome to be the General Treasurer for the Society. While in Rome, he also conducted daily news broadcasts on Vatican Radio which went out to East Africa. Normally, the General Treasurer's attention would be directed towards the financial picture of the various provinces around the world, but as Fr. Fred began his work in Rome, the USA Province's financial and investment crisis of the 1960s began unfolding. Because of his previous work and involvement with the province's investments, Fr. Fred was called upon constantly to answer questions, provide information, and offer insights into the situation and the individuals involved in these investments. The constant back-and-forth communications and the tensions and feelings the situation created for those involved took a heavy toll on everyone, including Fr. Fred. In 1967, he decided to finally step aside from the Society and priestly ministry. For the next twenty-five years, he worked and lived on his own.

In 1992, the USA Province celebrated its centennial of Salvatorian presence in the United States, and former members of the community were invited to join in the celebration. Fr. Fred was among the guests. There he discovered a completely different atmosphere in the community from the one he left. The past was history and to Fred, this felt like "home" again. He then pursued reentrance into the Society and priestly ministry. With the permission of the Province and the Generalate, he moved back into community life and enrolled in courses at Sacred Heart Seminary in Hales Comers, Wisconsin, to update his theology studies. On June 11, 1993, he remade his profession of vows, and a year later he was readmitted to priestly ministry by decree of the Vatican. Fr. Fred served at Mother of Good Counsel Parish in Milwaukee until 1997.

In 1997, Father Schmit was thinking of retirement, but was asked to substitute at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Cookeville, TN for about five months, until a replacement was found. So he took on the position of associate priest at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Cookeville and its mission parishes, including St. Andrew.

When Father Schmit’s time at St. Thomas Aquinas was up, the people of St. Andrew petitioned him to reconsider retirement and stay in Tennessee a while longer. He agreed, and with the blessing of the Salvatorian order and then Bishop Edward Kmiec, was appointed Administrator of St. Andrew in March 1998.

In 2007, Father Schmit was officially installed as the Pastor of the newly delegated St. Andrew parish. When Father Schmit first came to St. Andrew, there were only about 40 families in the parish. But with a resident priest, the mission church soon began to grow. Intelligent, warm and pastoral, Fr. Fred loved being with people. While in Tennessee, he was an avid clarinet player with The Most Dangerous Polka Band. He worked with stained glass, and his handiwork is a permanent part of the St. Andrew church. He was active in the White County fairs and Relay for Life events. He answered the Bishop's call to celebrate a monthly Latin Mass with Catholics in Middle Tennessee. He prepared and held the first Traditional (Latin) Mass for the Diocese of Nashville and was also a member of a group of area pastors who held Lenten services in their various churches. He oversaw the building of the new church, dedicated in November of 2011, the rectory, the first half of the columbarium and the bell tower. By that time, the parish had grown to 120 families. Fr. Fred had returned to his baptismal name, but for many years he was known in the community by his religious name, "Alfred."

Fr. Fred remained in Sparta until his retirement in June 2009. His final Mass at St. Andrew was celebrated on June 28, 2009. Fr. Fred was honored at a Retirement Dinner held at the Del Monaco Winery of Baxter, TN. Over 200 people honored him, including Bishop David Choby of the Diocese of Nashville. Attendees included at the head table were Rev. Rick Morgan, First United Methodist Church of Sparta, TN, Mr. Ernest and the Rev. Carolyn Cheek of Crossroads Episcopal Church of Sparta, TN, Fathers David Cooney and Father Jim Bretl, SDS of St. Catherine’s in McMinnville, TN, Pastor Roger Paavola of the Heavenly Host Lutheran Church of Cookeville, TN, the Rev. Robert Graham and his wife Ora from St. Andrew in Sparta, and Bishop David Choby, Diocese of Nashville.

On June 30th, he moved to the Jordan Hall community at AlexianVillage in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a priests’ retirement community. He died there peacefully on July 3, 2011, just four days shy of his 92nd birthday.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Alfred and Anastasia; one sister, Dorothy (Mrs. Carl) Clark; and one brother, Paul Schmit. He is survived by two sisters, Rosemary (Mrs. Joseph) Krebs of Summit Lake, WI, and Helen Stanczak of Alamo, TX; one brother, George Schmit of LaFarge, WI; sister-in-law, Rosemary Schmit of Avon, OH; and his many brothers and sisters in the Salvatorian Family.

Funeral/Memorial Masses were held in the following places: St. Mary's, Port Washington, WI; Alexian Village, Milwaukee, WI; and St. Andrew's, Sparta, TN. There was a Mass of Christian Burial for Fr. Fred at St. Andrew Catholic Church on Friday, August 26th at 11:00am. Bishop David R. Choby presided, and Fr. David Bergner, SDS, Salvatorian provincial, gave the homily. Fr. Fred requested cremation. His remains are buried in his beloved Sparta, TN.

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