St. Anthony Catholic Church
Davenport, Iowa
Email Newsletter
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The Candy Priest
Monsignor Schmidt Passes from this Life
by John Cooper
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I had been hearing about Monsignor "Pinky" Schmidt since I came to St. Anthony. He sounded like quite the interesting character. One woman told me, "I was so sad when he left, I wanted him to bury me!"
Alice Cross is pictured here with Monsignor at the birthday party she threw for him last year. Alice, a parishioner and faithful friend of Monsignor called me in tears this week to say that he had passed away. She and Monsignor went back much further than his time here as pastor at St. Anthony. Alice said, "I was a member of his diocese school board when he was the Catholic school superintendent." Alice went on to say, "I'm so sad. We talked by phone every evening for years."
For those of you who don't know Alice, she likes to throw parties for people. Father Brian Miclot and Monsignor Schmidt are two recipients of birthday parties thrown by Alice. I somehow got included on Alice's list of party invitees. The first birthday party I attended for Monsingor Schmidt was at Mo Bradys. I had no idea what to get him as I had only met him in passing one time before.
Then I remembered the time I went through the drive thru at Wells Fargo on Main street. The bank teller saw my St. Anthony polo shirt and said, "how's the candy priest doing?" I said, "candy priest?" She went on to tell me how Monsignor regularly came through the Wells Fargo drive through and gave out candy to all the staff . They affectionately called him the "candy priest." I started to hear others talk about his habit of giving out candy, especially tootsie rolls.
I decided to buy Monsignor a bag of candy for his birthday. In the card, I explained that I would give out the candy to patrons of McAnthony Window in memory of him. He liked that. Every time I would see him at one of Alice's parties, he'd call me over to him and tell me that I should get a job out at the Kahl Home where he lived. I don't know that he ever caught on that I had a job at St. Anthony. However, I appreciated his concern for my being employed.
Alice is heartbroken as well as many others who were close to Monsignor. He who was affectionately nicknamed "Pinky" because of the color his skin would turn pink when he got worked up about something. Monsi
gnor has no more need to turn pink.
Eternal rest grant unto him , O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.“
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Reflection on Monsignor Schmidt
by Tonia Rogers
The little girl in this picture used to watch mother leave the house every day and walk down the street, until one day, she asked, " Ms. Odelia, where do you go every day?" To which mother responded, "I go to church." "Can I go to church with you," she asked? "Yes, of course!" ...and it came to pass, she wanted to receive Holy Communion. "Well, you have to be baptized first."
But lo, and behold, the little girl said, "Ms. Odelia, my mother just told me that I WAS baptized catholic! I'm catholic, I'm catholic!!! ...and here's Monsignor Schmidt celebrating her First Holy Communion...because, of course, God is so good and faithful; He couldn't have let this little girl go on without the fulfillment of her inner desire to receive our Lord! And who else but mother and Msgr. Schmidt to do it??!
May God bless and keep Msgr. Schmidt in His holy embrace for all eternity. Amen.
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May Crowning this Week in the Courtyard
Click on the Link Below to Watch It
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St. Anthony is Sponsoring a Food and Toiletries
Drive Thru on May 17
We'll be in the parish parking lot from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 17 for a Food and Toiletries Drive Thru for McAnthony Window. Non-perishable food and toiletries are appreciated. Items that have been really in demand include: Canned food with pull tabs, portable snack food, soup, ramen noodles, fresh fruit, body wash, deodorant, tampons, bottled water, fruit juices, potatoes, cooking oil, corn or flour tortillas, sugar, fideo, comsomede pollo, choco, maseca, beans and rice. See in the picture how we have taken "window shopping" to a whole new level at the Window.
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Answer to Question on the Use of a PVC Pipe
Push Out Food at McAnthony Window
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Preparing for Our Merger with St. Mary's
The Beauty of Catholicism in the Spanish Language
Click on Link Below to Learn the
Glory Be
Prayer in Spanish
Thank You to Meg May
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John Cooper learning
the Sign of the Cross in Spanish
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I want to wish all of our moms a Happy Mother's Day this weekend! You know that I always have flowers for you. I regret that we can't be together in person this weekend to do this for you. Please know that you have my prayers!
As you have read, we are saddened by the loss of Monsignor Schmidt. He was a good priest and servant of our Lord. My prayers are with many of you who were close to him. I will be one of the priests who will be with the Bishop on Saturday for his service. When the church reopens, I hope to have a Mass for him.
May Almighty God bless you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Yours in Christ,
Father Apo
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A Little Gardening Humor
An old Italian lived alone in New Jersey. He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament.
Dear Vincent, I am feeling pretty sad because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.
Love, Papa
A few days later he received a letter from his son.
Dear Papa, Don’t dig up that garden. That’s where the bodies are buried.
Love, Vinnie
At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son.
Dear Papa, Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That’s the best I could do under the circumstances. Love, Vinnie
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