Funeral Arrangements Made For Former Wheeling-Charleston Bishop

Funeral arrangements have been made for a long-serving former bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston who died Tuesday, just one day before his 83rd birthday.

Bishop Emeritus Bernard W. Schmitt served as the diocese's seventh bishop from 1989 to 2004. During his time as bishop, Schmitt was appointed to the National Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Priestly Life and Ministry, the Committee on Marriage and Family and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development Committee.

Schmitt was born and raised in Wheeling and graduated from Corpus Christi School and Central Catholic High School. Even throughout his retirement, Schmitt continued to serve the diocese and community by celebrating confirmations, giving retreats and working with the Serra Club.

Monsignor Frederick P. Annie, vicar general of the diocese, said, "It's a great loss. He touched a lot of lives all throughout the state, and especially in this city, and he will be missed. ... I think it will be his demeanor as bishop that will be most remembered. He was very approachable, very in touch with people and people felt comfortable in approaching him."

Officials said Schmitt was frail and ill for about a year -- church officials said he'd been in and out of the hospital and a nursing home -- but the cause of his death was not released as of Wednesday morning. He died at Wheeling Hospital at 1:15 a.m. Tuesday.

Officials said visitation will be held on Saturday and Sunday. He will lie in repose at St. Joseph's Cathedral until Monday morning.

Bishop Michael J. Bransfield will preside over the funeral on Monday, and thousands of people are expected to attend.

Schmitt will be buried at The Bishops Chapel in the middle of Mount Calvary Cemetery in Wheeling. The chapel is nearly 150 years old and is where most former bishops of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston are interned.

Funeral Arrangements For Late Bishop Schmitt

Schmitt began his studies for the priesthood at St. Charles College in Catonsville, Md., and then attended St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore. Later in life, he pursued a post-graduate degree in guidance and counseling at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

According to the diocese's website, Schmitt was ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Wheeling in 1955 by Bishop Thomas J. McDonnell. His first assignment as a priest was as associate pastor of the cathedral, while also serving as master of ceremonies to Archbishop John J. Swint. In 1963, he was appointed director of vocations, director of the propagation of the faith and director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine for the diocese.

In 1966, Schmitt was appointed rector of St. Joseph Preparatory Seminary in Parkersburg, where he served until being appointed to his first pastorate at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in St. Albans. There, he was actively involved in the education and the formation of the students and families of St. Francis of Assisi Parish School. He was then appointed pastor of St. Michael Parish in Wheeling in 1982. He continued his active involvement in Catholic school education at the elementary and secondary levels.

In 1988, Pope John Paul II appointed Schmitt as auxiliary bishop of Wheeling-Charleston and titular bishop of Walla Walla. He was ordained to the episcopacy and remained pastor of St. Michael Parish in Wheeling. In 1989, the pope chose Schmitt to succeed Bishop Francis B. Schulte as bishop of Wheeling-Charleston.

On Aug. 17, 2003, his 75th birthday, Schmitt submitted his resignation as bishop of Wheeling-Charleston in accord with church law. Schmitt was then elected as the diocesan administrator by the college of consultors, and Bransfield was appointed as the eighth bishop of Wheeling-Charleston.

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