Bishop Schmitt was ordained for the Diocese of Green Bay in 1948 at the young age of 25. He would go on to several parishes before he was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Marquette in '78
MARQUETTE -- The sounds of the hymns echoed throughout St. Peter Cathedral on Tuesday as cardinals, Knights of Columbus and parishioners filled the pews. They all came to honor one man who they said has given so much to the community: Bishop Mark Schmitt who died on Dec. 14. Those who knew him spoke of his service.
"I think he was a very fine bishop; he did a lot of good work, he was very calm, and he certainly loved the people," said Cardinal Edmund Szoka.
"A holy man, dedicated, and he's really a role model for me," said Cardinal Adam Maida, archbishop emeritus of Detroit.
Bishop Schmitt was ordained for the Diocese of Green Bay in 1948 at the young age of 25. He would go on to several parishes before he was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Marquette in '78. He retired in '92.
Those who worked closely with him said he was proud of his many accomplishments, including the establishment of Lay Ministries Leadership School and the ordination of 28 men to priesthood. Still, with the shortage of priests, he had to make difficult choices for the church.
"It was very heartbreaking to close St. John's Church, that was very difficult for him to do, and people weren't happy," said Pat Peterson, his secretary for 14 years.
As a bishop, he cared about the people he served, leaving politics out of the mass.
"He loved people," said John Weber, a retired Marquette County Circuit Court judge. "He was less interested in the finances and things like that than he was in the health of the people."
As a person, he did exactly the same.
"He was a wonderful person. He's more than a boss...he was a one of my very best and dearest friends," Peterson said.
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