Missionaries of the Precious Blood Celebrate Milestone Anniversaries
The Missionaries of the Precious Blood (C.PP.S.), Cincinnati Province, are pleased to announce the milestone anniversaries of 10 of its priests and brothers.
Celebrating the 75th anniversary of his ordination is Fr. Leonard Kostka, C.PP.S.
Fr. Kostka, 101, is the oldest living Missionary of the Precious Blood. A native of Chicago who was raised in Detroit, entered the Society in 1931 and was ordained on September 8, 1940.
Fr. Kostka has had many ministries in his 75 years as a priest. He ministered in parishes in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Detroit; was associate editor of the Precious Blood Messenger; served as a chaplain at Seton Hill College in Greenburg, Pa.; and was a navy chaplain from 1945-47.
In 1948, he was appointed a professor of Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Ind., which is sponsored by the Missionaries. There he served as part of the college family for over 60 years, as a chaplain and instructor of religion courses. He also helped at St. Augustine Parish in Rensselaer for many years. Fr. Kostka served as a professor emeritus at the college, where he could be seen around campus supporting the students, faculty and staff.
In 2013 he retired to St. Charles Center in Carthagena.
Celebrating the 65th anniversary of their profession as religious brothers are Br. Gregory Frantz, C.PP.S., and Br. Joseph-Mary Hrezo, C.PP.S.
Br. Gregory, a native of Cleveland, entered the Society in 1948 and was professed on December 3, 1950.
After a year at Brunnerdale, the society’s high school seminary near Canton, Br. Gregory was appointed to St. Charles Seminary (now St. Charles Center) in Carthagena, in 1953. He has been a member of the house at St. Charles ever since, and has performed many services for his religious community, including serving as a driver for elderly priests and brothers. He has also served as one of the Community’s photographers.
Br. Joseph Mary, a native of Footdale, Pa., entered the Society in 1948 and was professed on July 1, 1950.
Br. Joseph Mary has held many positions of service to his religious community. He was an infirmary assistant at St. Charles Seminary in the 1950s, and was in ministry at Saint Joseph’s College, which is sponsored by the Missionaries, from 1958 to 1978. Br. Joseph Mary worked as an infirmary assistant at Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Ind., from 1956 to 1996. He ministered at the Precious Blood center in Liberty, Mo., from 1996 until his retirement to St. Charles in 2006.
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of his profession as a religious brother is Br. Jerome Schulte, C.PP.S.
Br. Jerome, a native of Kalida, entered the society in 1951 and was professed a brother on Aug. 15, 1955.
After his profession, Br. Jerome worked on the farm at St. Charles Center, then a seminary, in Carthagena, and at St. Mary Novitiate in Burkettsville. In 1962 he went to Brunnerdale Seminary in Canton, where he worked on the farm. While there, he was very involved with the Cursillo movement. He remained there until the seminary was closed in 1988, then served as a missionary in Peru.
On his return from Peru, Br. Jerome became a hospital chaplain, first in Canton then in East Chicago, Ind. In 1998 he was named director of initial formation and resided with those studying for religious life. Since 2009, Br. Jerome has served as senior pastoral associate at St. John the Baptist Church in Glandorf.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of their ordination to the priesthood are Fr. Patrick Patterson, C.PP.S., and Fr. Kenneth Schroeder, C.PP.S.
Fr. Patterson, a native of Kendallville, Ind., entered the society in 1952 and was ordained on June 5, 1965.
Fr. Patterson has been a pastor and a missionary. After serving at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Cleveland after his ordination, he was assigned to serve in the Community’s mission in Chile in 1968. He worked in parishes in Chile, and eventually became the director of the Chilean Vicariate.
Fr. Patterson returned to the U.S. in 1995. In 1999, he was assigned to St. James the Less Church in Columbus, Ohio, where he served from July 2003 to August 2004. In July of 2006, he served as parochial vicar of St. James the Less, especially ministering to the Latino community there.
In July of 2013, Fr. Patterson retired to St. Charles Center, Carthagena, where he now makes his home.
Fr. Schroeder, a native of New Cleveland, entered the society in 1951 and was ordained on June 5, 1965.
After his ordination, he served at St. Joseph Church in Hamilton, and St. James the Less Church in Columbus. In 1973, he was appointed to the Congregation’s formation program at Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Ind.
He returned to parish ministry in 1978, at Our Lady of God Counsel in Cleveland. Later that year, Fr. Schroeder served as a chaplain with the U.S. Army Reserves in 1972, then entered active duty as a chaplain with the U.S. Army in 1978. Fr. Schroeder accompanied troops of the 1st Armored Division into Iraq during Desert Storm.
He retired from the military in 2000, and in 2001 became pastor of St. John the Baptist Church in Maria Stein. In 2002 he also served as pastor at Blessed Virgin Mary. In July 2004, Fr. Schroeder served as pastor at a cluster of five parishes in Maria Stein: St. John the Baptist, Nativity, Precious Blood, St. Rose and St. Sebastian. He was also active in the leadership of the Congregation, serving on the provincial council.
In 2008, Fr. Schroeder retired to St. Charles Center, where he now makes his home.
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of his profession as a religious brother is Br. Thomas Bohman, C.PP.S.
A native of Osgood, Ohio, Br. Thomas was incorporated on May 25, 1975. He has been involved in teaching, parochial ministry and administration during his years as a brother.
He taught at St. John the Baptist School in Whiting, Ind., and at Precious Blood School (now Mother Brunner School) in Dayton, Ohio. In the 1980s, he also served as director of formation for C.PP.S. brothers, and special formation for all C.PP.S. candidates.
In August 1989, Br. Thomas was appointed pastoral associate at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Cleveland. He was also in parish ministry at St. Henry Church in St. Henry, Ohio.
In 1999, while still involved in parish ministry, he became administrator of the Spiritual Center of Maria Stein in Maria Stein, Ohio, where he served until he returned to teaching and parish ministry at St. Adalbert/Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament parish and school in Cleveland in 2003. During that time, he also served on the provincial council.
In 2010, Br. Thomas was appointed to the parish staff of St. James the Less Church in Columbus, where he serves in sacramental ministry, as DRE and Pastoral Associate for the Anglo and Latino ministries.
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood is Fr. Robert Schreiter, C.PP.S.
A native of Nebraska City, Neb., Fr. Schreiter was ordained in 1975. He is a theologian, author and teacher who has traveled the world to speak on the topics of reconciliation and Precious Blood spirituality.
Fr. Schreiter attained his doctorate degree in theology from the University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands, in 1974. In the years since he has authored and/or edited many articles, books and publications. His publications are available in 20 languages, and he has lectured in 50 countries.
Since 1974, he has been associated with the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, in a variety of capacities. Since 2001, he has served there as the Vatican Council II professor of theology. He has also been a visiting professor at the J.W. Goethe-Universität in Frankfurt, Germany; and a professor of theology and culture at the University of Nijmegen.
Fr. Schreiter served as vice provincial director from 1983-90, and also was a member of the provincial council, and served for twelve years on the General Council.
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of their ordination to the priesthood are Fr. Scott Kramer, C.PP.S., and Fr. Ken Schnipke, C.PP.S.
A native of Tiffin, Ohio, Fr. Kramer was ordained on June 9, 1990 in New Riegel, Ohio. His first assignment was as parochial vicar at St. Joseph Church in Wapakoneta, Ohio. In 1993, Fr. Kramer became associate pastor at St. James the Less Church in Columbus, Ohio.
In 1998, Fr. Kramer was appointed pastor of St. Michael Church, Kalida, Ohio and St. Isidore, Cuba, Ohio. In 2006, Fr. Kramer returned to St. James the Less as its pastor, where he served until 2012, when he was appointed the rector at the Sorrowful Mother Shrine in Bellevue, Ohio, where he currently serves.
A native of Glandorf, Ohio, Fr. Schnipke was ordained on June 16, 1990. His first assignment was as the parochial vicar at St. Augustine Church in Minster, Ohio. In 1993, he was appointed associate pastor at St. Andrew Parish in Orlando. In 1995, he became pastor of Nativity Catholic Church in Longwood, Fla.
Fr. Schnipke was elected vice provincial director in 2002; during this time, he also served as director of vocations and co-director of initial formation. In 2006, he was re-elected vice provincial director, and he continues to serve the Community in that position.
In August 2010, Fr. Schnipke became pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, Celina, and St. Teresa Parish, Rockford, Ohio, where he currently serves.
These priests and brothers, whose anniversaries signify hundreds of years of ministerial service to God’s people, will be celebrated during a special liturgy on July 1, the Feast of the Precious Blood, at St. Charles Center in Carthagena, Ohio.
“The faithfulness of these men to their calling is an inspiration to us,” said Fr. Larry Hemmelgarn, C.PP.S. provincial director of the Cincinnati Province of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. “We are happy to honor their service to the people of God and their commitment to our Congregation.”