Date of death: 11/4/2024
Saint Meinrad Class: O 1957
Rev. Adam D. Schmitt, 92, passed away on Monday November 4, 2024, at St. Anne Communities Randallia Place. Fr. Adam was born on December 22, 1931, in Fort Wayne, the son of (the late) Adam J. and Henrietta (Wyss) Schmitt. He attended St. Peter Catholic School and upon graduation in 1945, entered the seminary for the next twelve years; he attended Sacred Heart Seminary from 1945-1948, Our Lady of the Lake Seminary at Lake Wawasee from 1948-1951 and Saint Meinrad Seminary in Saint Meinrad, Indiana from 1951-1957. He was ordained a Priest on May 25, 1957, by Bishop Leo A. Pursley, along with five other Priests who would serve in our Diocese.
Fr. Schmitt’s first assignment was St. Bernard Parish in Wabash, and while there also cared for St. Patrick Parish in Lagro and St. Robert Bellarmine Parish in North Manchester.
In 1964, he became an Assistant Pastor at St. Vincent DePaul Parish in Fort Wayne, and taught Religion classes at Bishop Dwenger High School.
In 1966, he was assigned as Assistant Pastor at St. Jude Parish, and then in 1969 as Assistant Pastor at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
In 1975, Fr. Adam was appointed Pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish in North Manchester and in 1978 as Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Garrett. In 1983, Fr. Adam became the Chaplain of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart at Avilla. While there he also served as the Spiritual Director for the Fort Wayne area Harvest House and Chaplain for Byron Health Center, while also assisting at St. Mary’s Parish in Huntington.
Fr. Adam was appointed Assistant Pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Fort Wayne in 1985, where he remained in residence and assisted there until his retirement in 2010 to Saint Anne Home. While in residence at St. Joseph, he was the Spiritual Director for the St. Vincent DePaul Society, the Spiritual Director for the Fort Wayne-South Bend Fatima Apostolate, the Spiritual Director for the Widows of Prayer in Fort Wayne, the Spiritual Director for several of the Cloistered Poor Clare Sisters (formerly at St. Andrew’s) and also assisted at numerous parishes throughout the Diocese.
During his life as a Priest, Fr. Adam had the opportunity to travel extensively; he visited the Holy Land, the Marian shrines at Fatima and Lourdes, as well as visiting Ireland and Mexico City. He visited the tombs of 19 Saints, including those of St. John Vianney, St. Maria Goretti, Sts. Franciso and Jacinta Marto, and St. Mother Theodore Guerin.
Fr. Adam enjoyed his weekly golf games, monthly Bridge games, and a few Notre Dame Football games, as well as his daily Prayers, the newspaper, and spending time with family & friends. He was always appreciative of the wonderful care he received from the staff at St. Anne Home. His devotion to the Blessed Mother, as well as his deep Spirituality, will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
In addition to his parents, Fr. Adam was also preceded in death by a sister, Mary A. Steinacker, and a niece, Angela C. “Angie” Rectanus. He is survived by his sister, Joan May of Cincinnati OH; nieces & nephews, Mary A. (Dirk) Cork of Cincinnati, John (Kathi) May of Auburn, George (Teresa) Steinacker of St. Louis MO, Jeffery (Maureen) Steinacker of Mason OH, Stephen (Cathi) Steinacker of Indianapolis, Andrew (Tammy) Steinacker of Fort Wayne, and Fr. Anthony Steinacker of Huntington.