Friday, 17 June 2011 12:12

By DeAnn Barr and Davi Stuhlsatz
Throughout his 13 years of service to St. Mary Derby-Rose Hill Parish, Father Wayne Schmid emphasized the people’s role as Church.
The Acts II Church – engaged and committed disciples drawing other people to the church – was his goal.
While the parish built a new Faith Center in 2005 and a new school, to be completed this summer, Schmid is most proud of the change in the level of commitment he sees in people.
He helped the people and leaders develop through homilies, missions, and most recently, the ME 25 Gallup survey, which measures spiritual health, and work on engagement and expectations.
“He’s a very strategic thinker,” said Mike Ronnfeldt, Pastoral Council chairperson. “He had a vision and has helped us achieve great leaps and bounds. He’s really guided us down a path of discipleship.”
Fr. Schmid led by example and was generous to the parish.
“In regards to stewardship, I can’t ask people to do what I would not do myself,” he said. “I’ve been gifted so much in life, that I need to give back, and I chose to give to this parish.”
Fr. Schmid said he has been very blessed.

“I’ve come to realize in a heartfelt way that God’s hand has given me some good breaks,” he said.
Fr. Schmid was born and raised in St. Louis Mo. He studied for the priesthood at Conception Seminary, where his longtime idol Father Emil Kapaun studied. He was ordained in 1968.
In 1972 he was granted permission to enter military service as an Army chaplain.
After military service which included three stints in Korea, he retired as a full colonel in 1997.
“My military career was not a template on how to succeed, but I always did what I thought right, and prayed for God to guide me,” he said.
He was assigned to St. Mary in 1998, following an assignment at St. John the Evangelist in El Dorado.
As he reflects on his years in Derby, he is certain God put him there for a reason.
“I’m really pleased with the commitment of so many people, their involvement in activities, and how people have stepped forward,” he said. “It’s made me very aware that nothing we have accomplished as a parish has been on my own, but with key staff, parishioners, and ultimately faith.”
Fr. Schmid has welcomed new pastor Father David Lies to St. Mary and is helping him get introduced to the community.
Fr. Schmid plans to continue to live in Derby, to travel and to visit old friends.
“As always, the future is in God’s hands,” he said. “We must always see ourselves on a faith journey, always open and flexible to the ways God is calling us to proclaim the Good News.”
(Barr and Stuhlsatz are parishioners of St. Mary Parish.)