APG Nampa House Account
The Choir of Angels were singing his favorite song, "God is so Good", as Monsignor Andrew J. Schumacher, a Roman Catholic priest, who served in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise for over 64 years, passed over the threshold of earthly life to eternal life on July 14, 2024 in Boise, ID. He was 90 years of age. Monsignor Andy (the title bestowed on him in 2008), perhaps best remembered by the name, "Father Andy", was born at home to Leo Frank Schumacher and Mary Antonia (Schmidt) Schumacher, on a Sunday spring afternoon, March 18, 1934, in Greencreek, Idaho. His grandmother, Philomena Bernadina (Schmidt) Jansen was the mid-wife at his birth
Father Andy was the youngest of a family of four boys and four girls. The members of his loving family were four sisters and their spouses: Leona (Arnold) Wassmuth; Estella (Charles) Wilson; Bernadine (Harold) Wessels, Rita (Donald) Wessels; and three brothers and their spouses: Lawrence (Clara Wassmuth) Schumacher; Roman (Anna Marie Wessels) Schumacher; and Ambrose (Margie Feucht) Schumacher. Also, Werner Schmidt, orphaned at age of two, a nephew of Mary and Leo Schumacher, was raised with the Schumacher family. Werner's spouse was Margie Nau. Let it be known that every couple named above celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary. And every person named above, including Father Andy, lived beyond the age of 80. Acknowledging the family longevity, Father Andy would say, "God is Good!"
Father Andy grew up on a dairy farm in Greencreek, Idaho, a close-knit community, like one big family. Father Andy attended Greencreek Elementary and High School, both public schools staffed by the Benedictine Women Religious from the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood. In High School, Father Andy, a good athlete in his day, lettered in basketball, baseball, and football. He graduated as the Valedictorian of his class, from Greencreek High School in May, 1952.
In September of 1952, Father Andy entered the seminary at the Benedictine Monastery in Mount Angel, OR, to begin his studies for the Catholic Priesthood. The call to serve in the Roman Catholic Priesthood was something on the back of his mind while in high school. There was one big concern, he stammered. When he spoke to his Bishop about entering the seminary, Bishop Edward Kelly noticed he stammered, and told him he needed to overcome that impediment. Andy tried many ways to stop stammering, but had no success. He still stammered when he left Lewiston for Portland on the train. The train came to a stop on the way and the car Father Andy was riding in was disconnected and parked on a side track to be picked up by another train from Montana for the rest of the way to Portland. While sitting in the train car and waiting for the Montana train, Father Andy questioned himself, "Do I really want to go to the seminary at Mount Angel to begin answering a call to the priesthood? Is God really calling me to be a priest? What about my stammering?" After a moment of silence, a thought came to him which he expressed in this way, "O God, if you really want me to be a priest, don't let anyone at Mount Angel ever know that I stammered!" When he stepped off the train in Portland and greeted those from Mount Angel meeting him, he did not stammer. No one at Mount Angel ever knew he stammered. The speech impediment was left behind on the train. He has not stammered since. Father Andy's response to this, "God is Good!"
Father Andy attended Mt. Angel Seminary for his first two years of college under the tutelage of the Benedictine Monks. His last two years of college seminary training was at St. Edward's Seminary at Kenmore, WA, along Lake Washington near Seattle. Father Andy graduated from St. Edward's with a Bachelor Degree in Philosophy in the spring of 1956.
In March of 1956, Father Andy was selected and appointed by his Bishop, Most Rev. Edward J. Kelly to attend the North American College in Rome for his last four years of theological studies, 1956-1960. North American College is a Roman residence established for American seminarians from Catholic dioceses throughout the United States. When Father Andy entered North American College (NAC) there was a total of 278 seminarians at NAC, of which 83 were in his class.
Father Andy's four year experience of Vatican City and Rome began on October 5, 1956. He arrived in Rome and within three hours he was in St. Peter's Basilica attending the beatification of Blessed Pope Innocent XI, officiated by Pope Pius XII. St. Peter's has a seating capacity of 20,000 and a standing capacity of 60,000. He experienced a crowd of 50,000 on his first day in Rome. This was the first of many wonderful experiences during his four years in Rome.
It was at the Jesuit Gregorian University where Father Andy received his four years of theological training. All the classes were taught in Latin. All the exams, oral and written, were in Latin. The professors came from different countries and spoke Latin with different accents. He said the biggest challenge was learning Hebrew, taught in Latin, by an Italian professor with a strong Italian accent. Father Andy graduated from the Gregorian University in June of 1960, with a Licentiate of Sacred Theology degree.
During his four years in Rome, Father Andy witnessed several significant events. On October 9, 1958, Pope Pius XII died. The body of Pius XII was placed in state in St. Peter's Basilica for three and a half days, when crowds of people passed by the bier on which the vested body of Pope Pius XII was lying. The seminarians from North American College were asked to provide an Honor Guard for Pius XII. Two seminarians at a time, knelt for an hour at the foot of the bier or table on which the body was lying. Father Andy served as an Honor Guard during the last hour before they closed and locked the doors of St. Peter's at 12:00 noon, on the fourth day, ending the public viewing of Pope Pius XII.
Father Andy was also in St. Peter's piazza on the night of October 28, 1958, when he heard the announcement of Good News that Cardinal Angelo Roncalli was elected Pope and chose the name John XXIII. The following morning Father Andy was also in St. Peter's piazza when Pope John XXIII addressed the crowd gathered there. The very first words Pope John XXIII proclaimed to the crowd were the words of Jesus, "I have come to serve and not to be served." Based on this quote, Pope John XXIII did not want to be placed on a pedestal. He wanted to be a humble servant. John XXIII was truly a model of "Servant Priesthood". This left a deep impression on Fr. Andy.
On November 9, 1959, Father Andy together with his bishop, Most Rev. James Joseph Byrne, had a private audience with Pope John XXIII. Fr. Andy experienced the humility of Pope John XXIII during this visit. When Father Andy met the Pope, he took the Pope's hand, genuflected and kissed the Pope's ring. As he started to rise, Bishop Byrne told him to stay kneeling. Pope John, still holding Father Andy's hand, looked down at him and asked, "Why are you on your bended knee?" Before Father Andy could answer that question the Pope said, "Stand up! Stand up! I want to speak to you fact to face." Fr. Andy was humbled by this encounter as he was lifted up by the hand of a Saint.
Father Andy was ordained a Roman Catholic Priest on December 20, 1959 at North American College in Rome by Archbishop Martin J. O'Connor, the Rector of North American College. He was ordained together with 52 of his classmates. The ordination ceremony lasted for six hours. It was the custom to ordain the priests before their last semester of their stay in Rome to give them the opportunity to celebrate Mass at the many prominent basilicas, churches, catacombs, and shrines in Rome.
During Fr. Andy's four years in Rome he experienced a most memorable event among many other events. In April, 1959, during the Easter vacation, Fr. Andy, together with three of his classmates, traveled to San Giovani in Rotundo, Italy, to spend three days at the monastery where Padre Pio, a Capuchin Monk, resided. Padre Pio was given the grace of the stigmata, having the five wounds of Christ in his hands, feet, and side. Fr. Andy and his classmates attended two of Padre Pio's early morning Masses. On their last day at the monastery, Fr. Andy and his three classmates had the privilege of meeting Padre Pio. They were told that when they met Padre Pio, they should not shake his hand, rather take his hand by the finger tips and kiss the back of the hand. Also, they were told that if they had a chance to talk with Padre Pio, they should ask him to adopt them as his spiritual sons, which Padre Pio agreed to do. Padre Pio has been canonized a saint, known as St. Pio of Pietrelcina. Fr. Andy felt truly blessed by this encounter with St. Padre Pio. Throughout his ministry Fr. Andy had a great devotion to St. Pio, the Patron Saint of healing and good health.
Fr. Andy's four year stay in Rome came to a close at the end of June, 1960. He arrived back in Idaho on July 5, 1960. He was given three weeks of vacation to get reacquainted with family and life in Idaho before reporting to St. John's Cathedral in Boise where he spent the summer. His first permanent assignment was Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Lewiston as the first Parochial Vicar to Father Patrick Phelan. This assignment was a great introduction to over sixty year of ministry in the Diocese of Boise.
After three years in Lewiston, Fr. Andy was assigned in 1963 to the campus of the University of Idaho as the first-full time chaplain to the Catholic community at U. of I. He was there for eleven years, 1963-1974. During this time the Vatican II Council was already in session. There was no place of worship on campus when Fr. Andy arrived. The University allowed the Catholic community to use the Borah Theatre in the Student Union Building. In 1965 Fr. Andy was asked by the Bishop of Idaho to start designing and building a church on the property the Knights of Columbus managed to purchase for a church and student center. Vatican II emphasized how close and loving God is to his people. As a result, a round church with a tent shaped roof was designed. This expressed the fact that God has pitched his tent among us and is always with us. That God's love is all inclusive is symbolized by the church in the round. God stands face to face or heart to heart with his people. God is to be loved more than feared. St. Augustine was named the patron of the church building and Catholic community. St. Augustine's has become a landmark on the U. of I. campus.
In May, 1974, Fr. Andy was appointed as Rector of St. John the Evangelist Cathedral in Boise. He was there for ten years, 1974-1984. During this time Fr. Andy was asked by Bishop Sylvester Treinen to remodel and up-date the interior of the Cathedral according to the guidelines of Vatican II. The renovation was completed in the early fall of 1979. The re-dedication and blessing of the renovated Cathedral took place in October of 1979. Fr. Andy pointed out that the renovation of the Cathedral brought about a renewal and unification of the parish community.
After his tenure at St. John's Cathedral, Fr. Andy was assigned to St. James Parish in Lewiston where he served for four years (1984-1988). His stay at St. James Parish was cut short when he was asked to fill a pastoral vacancy at St. Pius X Parish in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. St. Pius X Parish was a large parish and still expanding rapidly as the city's population was growing while Fr. Andy was there. He served as pastor of St. Pius X Parish for seven years (1988-1995).
After his eleven years in north Idaho, Fr. Andy was called south to St. Mary's Parish in Boise, in July of 1995. Before his arrival, a decision was made to relocate St. Mary's Parish church and school. Upon arrival, Fr. Andy was presented with the task of relocating St. Mary's parish. After three years of determining the future of St. Mary's Parish, it was decided that to relocate the parish was an impossible task. In 1998 St. Mary's Parish was twinned with St. John's Cathedral.
The decision not to relocate St. Mary's Parish in Boise, Fr. Andy was freed to be assigned Pastor at St. Mary's Parish in Cottonwood in 1998. When the pastor of St.
Anthony's parish in Greencreek and Assumption Parish in Ferdinand passed on to his eternal reward in October of 2000, Assumption Parish and St. Anthony Parish were attached to St. Mary's in Cottonwood to form a Tri-Parish. Fr. Andy was appointed pastor of the three parishes. Fr. Andy was the pastor of this Tri=Parish until July 1, 2004, when he retired from active Ministry.
Lewiston was the place Fr. Andy chose to live in retirement. He served on the Presbyteral Council fifteen consecutive years and as "Minister to Priests", which included visiting the housebound elderly priests. Fr. Andy also served on the Board of Directors for Catholic Charities of Idaho for ten years, his favorite charity for the poor.
Fr. Andy was asked to lead several pilgrimages to visit the many sacred shrines throughout Europe. One pilgrimage of great memory was to Rome in 1998, when his pilgrim group had the privilege to go to the papal summer villa in Castel Gandolfo to attend the Mass celebrated by Pope St. John Paul II. Fr. Andy concelebrated the Mass with Pope John Paul II. After the Mass he introduced the Holy Father to his Pilgrim group in a private audience. The Pope shared a short message, in English, and gave the group his Papal blessing.
Father Andy will be remembered for his compassion he shared with couples who suffered miscarriages or felt hopeless of giving birth because of the inability to conceive. The power of prayer, not only Fr. Andy's prayer, but also the prayer of the couple and the couple's family and friends, was made evident. Fr. Andy strongly believed that every birth is a miracle. He would send a letter to the couple who asked for prayer and remind them to: "Expect a Miracle". Many "miracle" babies were born.
Reflecting on his life as a priest, Fr. Andy expressed gratitude to God for having been a priest at the time of the Second Vatican Council. He shared that it was a most exciting time. It opened up the Church to be more inclusive. The reform of the Liturgy emphasized a participation of the laity rather than being mere attendants at the Liturgical celebrations. Vatican II was so positive and so creative, It was not just heavenly minded. The Kingdom of God is here on earth.
Msgr Andy was the last serving member of family made up of four boys and four girls. Preceded him death are; Leona (Arnold) Wassmuth; Lawrence and (Clara) Schumacher; Roman (Anna Marie) Schumacher, Estella (Charles) Wilson, Bernadine (Harold) Wessels, Rita (Donald) Wessels, Ambrose Schumacher; his nephews Donald Wassmuth, Gary Schumacher and Albert Wessels. Monsignor is survived by his sister-in-law Margie Schumacher and his remaining 50 nephews and nieces and their families; various cousins located in Idaho and Illinois.
The funeral mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. (PST) Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at All Saints Catholic Church, 3330 14th Street, Lewiston, Idaho; followed by burial at Greencreek Cemetery and lunch at Greencreek Hall. Donations may be made to charities: Priest Retirement Fund of the Diocese of Boise, Catholic Charities of Idaho, Monastery of St. Gertrude's, Cottonwood, Idaho or Idaho Catholic Foundation Bishop Treinen Memorial Fund.
LINKS
Idaho Press
http://www.idahopress.com
Memories
Gallery
Guestbook