Mark Francis Schmitt (February 14, 1923 – December 14, 2011) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the tenth bishop of the Diocese of Marquette in Michigan from 1978 to 1992.

Biography

Early life

Mark Schmitt was born in

Algoma, Wisconsin Algoma ( ) is a city in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,243 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Algoma is part of the Green Bay metropolitan area. History The Ahnapee settlement, which eventually beca ...

, on February 14, 1923. After attending St. Mary School in Algoma, Schmitt entered the Salvatorian Minor Seminary in

St. Nazianz, Wisconsin St. Nazianz is a village in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1854, the population was 714 at the 2020 census. History 19th century St. Nazianz was organized in 1854 as a religious colony by a group of German immigrants ...

. He later attended St. John's Seminary and University in Collegeville, Minnesota.

Priesthood

Schmitt was ordained by Bishop Stanislaus Vincent Bona to the priesthood on May 22, 1948, for the Diocese of Green Bay. After his ordination, Schmitt served as associate pastor at St. Rose Parish in

Clintonville, Wisconsin Clintonville is a city in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,591 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The area that became Clintonville was first settled in March, 1855. History Clintonville lies within an ...

. Schmitt in 1954 was appointed director of the Manitowoc Apostolate, the diocese branch of

Catholic Charities The Catholic Church operates numerous charitable organizations. Catholic spiritual teaching includes spreading the Gospel, while Catholic social teaching emphasises support for the sick, the poor and the afflicted through the corporal and spir ...

. He also served as director of the diocesan hospitals. In 1960, Schmitt was appointed pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Parish of Weyauwega, Wisconsin and St. Bernard Parish in

Green Bay, Wisconsin Green Bay is a city in Brown County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located at the head of Green Bay (Lake Michigan), Green Bay (known locally as "the bay of Green Bay"), a sub-basin of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the F ...

Auxiliary Bishop of Green Bay

On April 30, 1970,

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...

appointed Schmitt as

titular bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...

of '' Ceanannus Mór'' and

auxiliary bishop An auxiliary bishop is a bishop assigned to assist the diocesan bishop in meeting the pastoral and administrative needs of the diocese. Auxiliary bishops can also be titular bishops of sees that no longer exist as territorial jurisdictions. ...

of the Diocese of Green Bay; he was consecrated by Bishop Aloysius John Wycislo in Green Bay on June 24, 1970.

Bishop of Marquette

On March 21, 1978, Paul VI appointed Schmitt as bishop of the Diocese of Marquette. He was installed on May 8, 1978. As bishop, Schmitt founded the Lay Ministries Leadership School to prepare lay parishioners for leadership roles in parishes. He also create bachelor's and master's degree programs in pastoral studies. On October 6, 1992,

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

accepted Schmitt's resignation as bishop of Marquette. Mark Schmitt died on December 14, 2011, at a hospice in

De Pere, Wisconsin De Pere ( ) is a city in Brown County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 25,410 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is part of the Green Bay metropolitan area. History When the first European, Jean Nicolet, visited the p ...

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schmitt, Mark Francis 1923 births 2011 deaths Roman Catholic bishops of Marquette People from Green Bay, Wisconsin People from Algoma, Wisconsin People from Marquette, Michigan Christianity in Michigan Religious leaders from Wisconsin Catholics from Wisconsin 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States