News

God loved Fr. Schrage 'just the way he was'

Fr. Frank Schrage, who had served as a pastor and chaplain, and enjoyed both music and working with people, died May 5 after a long illness. He was 65.

Fr. Schrage was born Aug. 2, 1937, in Neenah, to Raymond and Mary Ann (Podolski) Schrage. He attended St. Mary College, St. Mary, Kan., St. Louis University and Marquette University. He was ordained in Milwaukee by Abp. William Cousins as a Jesuit priest on June 4, 1968.

In April 1978, after deciding that he wanted to be closer to his aging parents, Fr. Schrage received permission to work in the Green Bay Diocese. He became a priest of the diocese on April 16, 1981.

In 1993, when Fr. Schrage was celebrating the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, he told The Compass how once, while on a 30-day retreat, "it really struck me that God loved me the way that I am. I was thinking, 'I'm not perfect,' and God said, 'Shut up and listen. I love you the way you are.'"

He served as associate pastor of St. Agnes Parish, Green Bay, and of St. Margaret Mary Parish, Neenah.

He was appointed pastor of St. Mary Parish, Florence, with a mission at Long Lake on Feb. 22, 1982. On July 1, 1984, he became pastor at St. Mary Parish, De Pere. On May 1, 1989, he became a chaplain at St. Mary Hospital and Medical Center, Green Bay.

He told The Compass in 1993 that he enjoyed the interaction he had as a hospital chaplain with patients and families, sometimes in crisis situations. "A priest must be a life-giver. What we can give people is the most important thing."

On Sept. 1,1996, he became sacramental minister at St. Denis Parish, Shiocton. He was named administrator of Holy Cross Parish, Lena/Spruce, on Aug. 31, 1999. He had served since Aug. 24, 2001, as associate pastor at St. John Nepomucene Parish, Little Chute.

Fr. Schrage enjoyed music and sang in choirs and barbershop groups in addition to playing the tuba. A week before his death he attended the Quartetto Gellato concert at the Green Bay Civic Music Association.

While priesthood meant giving up marriage and a family, Fr. Schrage said there were many blessings. "Where else can you get so close to so many people except in the priesthood? People open up to you," he said in the 1993 interview.

Reception of the body is at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 8, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Green Bay. Visitation continues until 8 p.m. Fr. John Van Deuren will lead a prayer service at 7:30 p.m.

Visitation will resume at 9:45 a.m. Friday, May 9, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church until the funeral Mass at 11 a.m., at which Bp. Robert Banks will preside. Fr. Van Deuren will preach the homily.

Burial will be at St. Margaret Mary Cemetery, Neenah. Msgr. James Vanden Hogen will officiate.