Bishop Schneider's Late Mother Was Not Impressed When Her Son Became A Bishop

Maria Schneider, the late mother of Bishop Athanasius Schneider, took all children to Mass in the clandestine church of the Soviet Union.

The family travelled 60 miles. They left with the first train early in the morning under the cover of darkness and returned with the last train at night. Because of the ticket prices they could undertake this trip only once a month.

The bishop’s older sibling, Claretian Sister Teresa Schneider, told NcRegister.com in 2018, that their mother called the Eucharist “the greatest prayer.” She used to say, “Attending the Eucharist is the greatest pilgrimage there is.”

This was a “very simple catechesis,” Sister Teresa explained, “We children fully grasped the reality of it.”

Sister Teresa recalled that both parents had a very deep faith, “We felt as children that the heart of our parents was there, in the Eucharist.”

When her son was made a bishop, a priest congratulated Maria Schneider, but she replied, "This doesn't mean much to me. What is important is that my son remains faithful to Jesus."

Each time Bishop Schneider called his mother, her last words were: “Remain faithful to Jesus. Everything else is unimportant!”

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De Profundis

Aug 15, 2020

Comment from social media. Thank you unnamed wonderful priest:
"After I emailed 4 documents, about receiving communion on the tongue, to the parish secretary, and asked her to print them, she must have printed them and then showed them to the parish priest. The next thing I know, the priest is, after seeing me not come forward to receive communion during mass because I refuse to receive communion in my hand, after mass, HE comes over to ME as I am praying (in the pew) and unexpectedly offers me communion on the tongue.
I was so surprised, because amongst those 4 documents was the document from the diocesesan bishop forbidding communion on the tongue (I play fair); why would the parish priest offer me communion on the tongue, at all? But he did. I knelt on the stairs, to the left of the altar as the priest went to retrieve the chalice from the Tabernacle. He gave me communion on the tongue, the whole thing was amazing and I'm very grateful."

Be Ye Separate

4Aug 13, 2020

“Remain faithful to Jesus. Everything else is unimportant!"
Beautiful.

Orthocat

4Aug 13, 2020

What a wonderful example of true Christian motherhood! Reminds me of some of the saints' mothers who admonished their children to avoid sin at all costs. The headline grabbed me, since it seems to imply some lack of faith on her part (like Bergoglio's mother who was against here son being ordained) but I'm glad I was surprised at the real meaning.