Rev. Monsignor Robert F. Schriefer
Diocese of Erie
Ordained April 30, 1944
Died December 1, 2008
Born in Erie, PA on June 24, 1918, Robert Schriefer
was the oldest of three children born to Charles
and Sylvia Strong Schriefer. After finishing grade
school at Sacred Heart School, he entered the Josephinum
where he completed high school, college and graduate
theological studies. He was ordained a priest for
the Diocese of Erie on April 30, 1944 by the Most
Rev. Amleto Cicognani.
His first assignment was with St. John the Baptist
Parish (Erie) where he remained until June 1955.
For two of those years, he taught history and Greek
at the Cathedral Preparatory School for Boys in Erie.
In 1955, he became pastor of St. Mary's (Crown) with
its mission of St. Ann (Marienville). Five years
later, he was named founding pastor of Notre Dame
Parish in Sharon, (now Hermitage).
Msgr. Schriefer was a member of the Erie Diocesan
Finance Committee and was a diocesan consultor. Civilly,
he was a member of the Shenango Valley Human Relations
Board and the Hickory Township Welfare Board, the
Community Mental Health and Counseling Board, president
of the Mercer County Child Welfare Board, and was
a charter member of the Shenango Valley Ministerial
Dialogue Group, a pioneer group in the establishment
of ecumenism.
In 1985, Msgr. Schriefer went to Naples, FL, on a
leave of absence after nearly 25 years as pastor
of Notre Dame Parish. He retired in 1988, yet remained
active as an associate at various parishes for many
years: St. William (Naples, 1985-91); at St. Raphael
(Lehigh Acres, 1991-95); St. Ann (Naples 1995-96);
and St. William since 1995. He also served as chaplain
for Legatus. On July 1, 1994, he was named a Prelate
of Honor by Pope John Paul II with the title of Monsignor.
A Funeral Mass for Msgr. Schriefer was celebrated
at Notre Dame Catholic Church in Hermitage, PA. Burial
was in Calvary Cemetery in Erie.
Most Reverend Thomas A. Tschoepe
Diocese of Dallas
Ordained May 30, 1943
Died January 24, 2009
Thomas Ambrose Tschoepe was born and raised in Pilot
Point, Texas. He was ordained in St. Turibius Chapel
in 1943 by Archbishop Amleto Cicognani. His early
years as a priest were spent in parishes in Sherman,
Fort Worth, and Dallas; he later served as chancellor
and vicar general of the Dallas diocese. He was ordained
the second Bishop of San Angelo on March 9, 1966.
Just three years later, he was installed as the fifth
Bishop of Dallas and remained in that role for more
than 20 years.
His tenure as bishop of the Dallas diocese was a
period of strong growth in the fast-growing area
surrounding Dallas. New schools were opened, churches
dedicated, and more than 100 priests ordained. Eventually,
21 counties in East Texas became the new Diocese
of Tyler, reducing the Dallas diocese to 9 counties
and about 7,000 square miles.
Bishop Tschoepe retired on July 14, 1990. At his
request, the early part of his retirement was spent
as the parochial vicar at St. Joseph’s parish
in Waxahachie, Texas. In his later years he lived
at the St. Joseph Retirement Center in south Dallas,
where he died on January 24, 2009 at age 93.
Bishop Tscheope is survived by three sisters and
two nephews, Msgr. Jerome Busman and Msgr. Leon
Duesman, pastors of parishes within the diocese.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Bishop Tschoepe was
celebrated January 29 at the cathedral in Dallas,
followed by entombment at the Crypt of the Bishops
at Calvary Hill Cemetery.
Rev. Leo Vanyo
Diocese of Pittsburgh
Ordained 1952
Died March 7, 2009
Leo Vanyo was born in Munhall, PA on October 18,
1925. He completed seminary study at the Josephinum,
as well as a doctorate in canon law at the Catholic
University of America. Upon his ordination by Archbishop
Cicognani in 1952, he joined the Josephinum faculty
and eventually became dean of the theology department.
Soon after his return to Pittsburgh in 1967, he
was placed in charge of a diocesan synod, in which
laity and priests would discuss implementation of
the changes called for by the Second Vatican Council.
When the project concluded in 1971, Father Vanyo
was appointed rector of St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland.
Father Vanyo was a judge in the diocesan marriage
tribunal and a trustee of the Edward J. Kelly Foundation,
which was founded to respond to church-related charities
and causes. Ever the teacher, he enjoyed offering
classes at the cathedral on church history and theology.
A retirement gathering for Father Vanyo in 2000 was
attended by more than 500 people. But even in retirement
he continued to be available for ministry when needed.
Alumnus Dick Kotarba attended the Funeral Mass for
Father Vanyo celebrated by Bishop David Zubik at
St. Paul Cathedral on March 12. “It was a beautiful
liturgy, well attended by auxiliary bishops, priests
of the diocese and many laity who had come to know
him. Father Vanyo was well liked and respected by
all his peers in the Pittsburgh area. The Cathedral
choir did a great job with the music. Father Ed Bryce,
an old friend of Father Vanyo’s, delivered
the homily. Father Vanyo had previously instructed
Father Bryce that it was to be a homily and not a
eulogy; nonetheless, Father Bryce found a few moments
to stray from those instructions and Bishop Zubik
took a few minutes before the final blessing to relate some
personal experiences with Father Vanyo.”
