The July 7 issue of your Catholic Herald included a listing and biographies of priests who have recently retired from active ministry. The following two priests should have been included in that listing. Your Catholic Herald regrets the oversight.
Fr. Thomas L. Knoebel, who retired Feb. 28, was born in Wauke-sha and attended St. Joseph Parish grade school before entering the seminary. He attended Saint Francis de Sales Minor Seminary, St. Francis, 1957-1961; De Sales Preparatory Seminary, St. Francis, 1961-1962; and St. Francis de Sales Major Seminary, St. Francis, 1962-1969.
Ordained May 24, 1969, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukee, Fr. Knoebel served as associate pastor of St. Sebastian Parish, Milwaukee, 1969, for a year before entering Fordham University, New York, and earning a doctorate in systematic theology.
He also served as faculty at Saint Francis Seminary-School of Pastoral Ministry, St. Francis, 1973-1980. For the past 30 years, beginning in 1981, Fr. Knoebel has served at Sacred Heart School of Theology as professor of systematic theology; director of spiritual formation, 1988-1994; academic dean, 1994-2005; twice interim rector, 1992-1993, 2007; and most recently as vice rector and vice president for external affairs.
While on both seminary faculties, Fr. Knoebel served the archdiocese as weekend associate at St. Joseph Parish, Cudahy; St. Bernadette Parish, Milwaukee; Holy Assumption Parish, West Allis; and St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Milwaukee.
He has been a Censor of Books for the archdiocese under three archbishops since 1988; and served on the Archbishop’s Committee on Correct Teaching, 1997; as chairperson on the Priest Pension Board, 1984-1987; was elected to the Priest Senate and served as a Consultor to the Archbishop, in the late ‘70s, early ‘80s; and conducted more than 200 parish education workshops, conferences, missions, days of recollection within the archdiocese and across the country.
He is a member of several professional and theological societies, has served on the Executive Committee of the Governing Board of the Hispanic Summer Program since 2004, published the first English translations of De Ecclesiasticis Officiis by St. Isidore, Archbishop of Seville, Paulist Press, 2008; and is presently translating St. Isidore’s Sententiae.
Fr. Knoebel was appointed to the Editorial Advisory Board for the Ancient Christian Writers series from Paulist Press, 2009; installed by Archbishop of Toledo, Spain, Francisco Alvarez Martinez as an honorary member of the Illustrious and Most Ancient Brotherhood of Mozarab Knights and Ladies of Our Lady of Hope of the Imperial City of Toledo Spain, and the Mozarab community of Spain. He is a member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and Historical Sciences of Toledo Spain, installed in the Aula of the Royal Academy in Toledo on Oct. 4, 2009, and is one of only nine members who live in the U.S.
Fr. Karl J. Schneider, who retired June 30, was born in Milwaukee and attended Saint Francis Minor Seminary, St. Francis, 1947-1953, and Saint Francis Major Seminary, St. Francis, 1953-1959.
Ordained May 30, 1959, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukee, Fr. Schneider began his priestly ministry as associate pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish, Milwaukee, 1959. He also served as associate pastor of St. Monica Parish, Whitefish Bay, 1969; pastor, SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Milwaukee, 1976; pastor, St. Gregory the Great Parish, Milwaukee, 1980, and as administrator/team member, 1982; and pastor, Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, West Allis, 1994.
