Huckleberries Online

Special Mass For Ex-CdA Priest

Posted by DFO

Dec. 21, 2009 8:27 a.m. • 6 comments

The Rev. Andy Schumacher’s journey to the priesthood began more than a half-century ago on a train bound for Oregon. “I used to stammer and stutter,” he recalled. “I left Lewiston on the train and the car transferred at Riperia. I was sitting there in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night. It was the first time I’d left home.” There in the cold rail car, Schumacher said a prayer. “Lord, if you want me to be a priest, please don’t let anyone at Mt. Angel Seminary ever know I stammer. I stopped overnight. By the grace of God, no one ever knew.” At college, he took a speech course and even won a speech contest with a soliloquy from “MacBeth,” “much to the surprise of my family”/Kerri Sandaine, Lewiston Tribune. More here.

Question: Has a minister had a big impact on your life?

Six comments on this post so far. Add yours!

Phaedrus on December 21 at 10:12 a.m.
Something a Methodist minister said 15 years ago has been with me ever since. For the better.
MikeK on December 21 at 10:18 a.m.
Fr. Andy Schumacher himself has. He married my wife and me 15 years ago and despite her better judgment we’re still together. He baptized our first son in the same church where his mother, grandmother, and great-grandfather were baptized - St. Mary’s on State Street in Boise. Fr. Andy’s been a welcome presence in our lives for many years. I was able to re-connect with him when he joined the Board of Catholic Charities of Idaho with me a few years ago and I’ve appreciated his style and commitment all over again.
JohnA on December 21 at 11:56 a.m.
I remember Fr. Schumacher from St. Augustine’s at the U of I, where several weary miners, just returned from working at Uncle Bunker, tried to stay awake for evening Mass. As a creator of the campus activity center, he reached out to students removed from home and parish, reminding us of our duties as Christians in a quickly-changing world Truly a great and inspirational guy.
Liz on December 21 at 6:49 p.m.
Yes. I owe my family’s relatively well psychological well being these days to Jim Putman over at Real LIfe ministries
JIMMYMAC on December 21 at 11:14 p.m.
Yes, Doug Weiber at His Place Church in Post Falls. One of my top favorite people in this world and I thank God he put him in my life. ANYONE and EVERYONE is always WELCOMED there and that is the honest truth.
spokelooneh on December 21 at 11:41 p.m.
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King did for me.

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.