Name: Norbert and Verena Schroeder

Parish: Charter members of Precious Blood Parish, Jasper. We helped build the church 51 years ago.

Married for how many years? Married for 57 years; four children, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Our son, Father Gene Schroeder, is pastor at St. Joseph, Vanderburgh County.

Tell us something about yourself: Norbert: I’m a prayerful person. I believe in prayer, and I read the bible daily. I am one who enjoys nature and gardening. I like to see things grow. I also enjoy playing cards. Verena: I like to be busy and try to help people who need help. I also go to Mass every day, if possible. I like to read, and most of the time I work on quilts.

How did you meet? Norbert: We met at my cousin’s wedding dance at the Brown Derby in Schnellville. Back then, weddings were always held on Tuesdays or Thursdays, very early in morning. Then, in the evening, the people getting married had a public dance. I went to my cousin’s dance with a friend, and on the way there, he told me that unless I met a girl there, he was going to make me walk home. There was a neighbor girl there, and we danced one or two pieces together. I guess you could say it was our first date. We were married June 8, 1948, in a Solemn High Mass at St. Joseph Church in Jasper. My brother, Msgr. Othmar Schroeder was the celebrant, my brother Syl, was deacon, and Verena’s brother, Msgr. Linus Hopf was sub-deacon.

What are some of your childhood memories? Norbert: I grew up on a farm, right around Beaver Lake, and we went to St. Celestine Church. There were 11 children in our family. For fun, the neighborhood would get together for a ball game, or we’d find a hill and go sled riding. We all enjoyed each other. Verena: There were nine children in our family, and we were members of St. Joseph Church, Jasper. I was educated in a one-room schoolhouse, out in the county. All the other children at school were Protestant except for my sister and I, so we were left out of many school activities. When I was little, I had polio. My parents prayed a lot, and I got better with no crippling disease. Two other girls had the same thing, and they had to wear braces.

What is an early memory of church? Norbert: My First Communion, because you couldn’t eat anything after midnight. Also, we walked five miles barefooted to church and back. We carried our shoes because we didn’t want to wear them out. I also remember my Solemn Communion when I was 13 … they asked us the questions that our godparents answered for us when we were baptized. Verena: I remember on the day of my First Communion, there was high water, so had to go by wagon to get to church. We had no celebration. I made my Solemn Communion in the sixth grade. Then, we had a celebration.

Who is someone you influenced you when you were younger? Back when I was growing up, Catholics and Protestants didn’t get along. In high school, I played basketball. Once at practice, the minister’s son called me a real nasty name because I was Catholic. I started to go after him, but the coach stopped me. About a week later, the minister came to school, and he called both his son and me up in front of the other students. He looked at his son and he pointed to me. He said, “You are going to tell him you are sorry for what you called him.” That really made an impact on me, and changed my mind about how I thought about Protestants and those who didn’t belong to the Catholic Church. This same minister even gave me a ride to the basketball games because I didn’t have a way. I really admired him. Verena: The Sisters of Providence had an influence on me. When it was time for my Solemn Communion, I went to St. Joe School that year, and they were my teachers. They had me skip a grade while I was there, so it only took me seven years to go all eight grades. I didn’t get to go to high school. My parents thought only boys should go to high school. I was second highest in our township at age 13 in a class of about 20 or so.

Who is your hero now? Norbert: My son, Father Gene. We made a Cursillo at the same time, Feb. 27, 1977. That did something to me. It stirred up something in me and made me feel like I was hungry for more in my spiritual life. When Father Gene was teaching a course on the sacraments, I decided to sign up, even though I hadn’t been to school in a while. I thought, maybe since my son is the teacher, he surely can’t be that hard on me! His courses helped my life tremendously and opened my mind and heart. My son also explains things to me when I don’t quite understand something about the church. After this, I have taken eight more courses; one was on the Old Testament, one on the New Testament.

What was your first job? Norbert: My dad was a township trustee and assessor. He didn’t drive, so one of my first jobs was driving him all around Marian Township so he could do his job. After high school, I worked for my uncle, who was a farmer. He paid me $12 a week. Most of the time I worked from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. on three different farms. Verena: After I graduated from grade school, I went to work at St. Mary-of-the-Woods in the kitchen. I never saw any of the money … it was all sent home to my parents. After I came home, I worked at the tomato canneries. I was an outdoor person, and there was a lot of work on the farm. After I was 18, I worked at Jasper Wood Products for seven years, and cleaned the office at Kimball at night and worked for 3-D for 14 years.

What form does stewardship take in your life? What are you involved with at your parish (current and/or past)? Norbert: We have been involved in many things over the years, from cleaning the church to helping out at different parish activities. We did the collection counting for 30 years, and I was a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society for 25 years. I still visit the nursing home. I also volunteered as the “before school” day care provider at Precious Blood School. I am involved with the Knights of Columbus and the Serra Club. Promoting vocations in the church is important to me. I am in a prayer group that meets on Saturday mornings. Verena: I still quilt about two to three days a week, and I keep very busy doing the quilt binding. I still volunteer at the school cafeteria, and help out with other activities, such as Right to Life, blood drives, and the summer social. I also go to the nursing home every Wednesday.

How do you stay active? Norbert: I try to attend daily Mass. Verena: I like to visit with older people and play cards. I was in a Euchre tourney last week, and I actually won – a first in my lifetime.

When is a time in your life when you had to rely on your faith? Norbert: In 1999, when I had prostate cancer. I was told it was one of the worst cases they had. Today, the last blood test I had showed the cancer was gone. This was one of the times when I relied on prayer, and everybody was really praying for me. Verena: After coming home from a funeral, the roads were covered with sleet, and I saw a big semi-truck coming toward me all over the road. I still don’t know how I managed to get home. I prayed, and we all got home safe.

What is your favorite religious item? I have several pictures in my home that inspire me. One is of the face of Christ that I got at my Cursillo. I look at that a lot. I also have a framed certificate for our 50th wedding anniversary from Archbishop Buechlein, who is my wife’s second cousin. I carry a rosary in my pocket; I try to say it every day. Verena: I rely on my rosary.

What have you learned?  How are you different than 50 years ago? Norbert: Fifty years ago, I had a hard time turning myself over to the spiritual life. Verena: The changes in the church, especially the change of the Mass to English. I can understand better. Also, I remember that we have come from God, so we have to be thankful to give back at least 10 percent.

Tell us about a favorite saint. Norbert: I know he is not a saint yet, but the words of Pope John Paul II have influenced me a lot in my life. Verena: St. Anthony. He is always with me when I lose things, which happens very often.

What’s the best advice you could offer someone? Norbert: Don’t forget that you get everything from God. Give back to Him first, and enjoy what you have left. Verena: Treat others like you want you want to be treated.

People of Wisdom is sponsored by the Catholic Foundation of Southwestern Indiana, Inc. For more information, please call (800) 637-1731 or (812) 424-5536, or visit the website @ www.catholicfoundationswin.org.