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 published: 2006-04-26

A Day with Fr. Herbert Schmidt

Following the childhood footsteps of Gilbert Schimmel in Fort Atkinson

 

Una de las casas de la familia de Gilbert Schimmel en Fort Atkinson

One of the Schimmel homes viewed from the car, in Fort Atkinson

Vom Auto aus ein Blick auf eines der Häuser der Familie Schimmel in Fort Atkinson

 

Fort Atkinson: Gilbert Schimmel con su perrito

Fort Atkinson: Gilbert Schimmel with a dog

Fort Atkinson: Gilbert Schimmel mit seinem Hund

 

Fort Atkinson: Gilbert en un almiar

Fort Atkinson: Gilbert in a haystack

Fort Atkinson: Gilbert im Heuhaufen

 

Cartel en Fort Atkinson de una cierta importancia historica

Bar sign in Fort Atkinson of some historical importance

Restaurant-Schild in Fort Atkinson mit gewisser historischer Bedeutung

 

Fr. Herbert Schmidt en el Fort Clubhouse

P. Herbert Schmidt at theFort Club House

Pfr. Herbet Schmidt vor dem Fort Club House

 

Dentro de Fort Cosconong

Inside of Fort Cosconong

Innerhalb von Fort Cosconong

 

Nueva parroquia San José

New St. Joseph’s parish church

Neue St. Josefskirche

Fotos: Jentz © 2006

 
   

USA, Paul Jentz. Fr. Schmidt is a promoter of Gilbert Schimmel. He is a Schoenstatt diocesan priest from the Diocese of Rome. We wanted to meet with him but because of his traveling schedule, it took some time to catch up with him. We did eventually arrange a meeting in Fort Atkinson, WI, his hometown. We were excited to meet him after all of this time and we brought our "Gilbert Schimmel file" that we had collected to show him.

We met in the cemetery where his brother and parents were buried. After saying a quick prayer for them, we all piled into our car and were on our way to explore the town of Fort Atkinson. Fr. Schmidt showed us where his boyhood home used to be and the places where some of his friends homes were once located. He told us some stories about "the good old days". Much has changed in just a few years.

Father showed us the two houses where Gilbert lived as a child. They where only blocks apart. Father imagined he could see Gilbert going down to the nearby Rock River to fish and swim. We thought that we might have a drive-by tour of these houses for the June Birthday Party Celebration of Gilbert since they are near the Park where we will have Gilbert’s Centennial Birthday Party at Fort Clubhouse. We stopped at the clubhouse to take some pictures and then went to a small historical fort within the park called Fort Cosconong.

The Schimmel Birthday plans underway

Lastly, we went to a local restaurant and held a meeting over lunch. Father told us many stories like the time when Mrs. Schimmel was in the hospital during her final illness. He said she was hardly aware of things around her but when he showed her a picture of her husband, Gilbert, she kissed it in recognition and respect. He also told us that Gilbert could never match a shirt and tie. Joanna had to help him.

Father Schmidt has recently composed a Litany to Gilbert, and he gave a copy to us so that we could add our suggestions and take it to the next "Schimmel Birthday" planning meeting on May 1st. Father said that he would need the permission of the Archbishop Dolan before we could promote it.

Join forces to promote Gilbert Schimmel as a model of Schoenstatt sanctity

We talked about promoting Gilbert through the Schimmel Guild which is not very well organized as of yet, and how we must coordinate all our efforts for his cause. We showed him our three binders full of paperwork that we collected concerning Gilbert. Among those items is a copy of a nice poem written in praise of Gilbert by a friend of his, Mae Wacker, newsletters for the Schimmel Guild, old testimonials and the like.

The next step is to continue to pray for guidance so we know how to proceed with all of this. That includes the use of the published Gilbert Schimmel novena book, the approved prayer for his beatification and many visits to the Exile Shrine.

It was an encouraging first meeting and Gilbert Schimmel’s cause for Beatification was greatly helped. This holy man was a white martyr for our faith, an apostle, hero, and family man.

More information on the celebration of Gilbert Schimmel’s 100th birthday: contact Christi Jentz, gewgawtrader@earthlink.net


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