The Washington herald., 1911-08-09
FATHER SCHMITT
TO HAVE JUBILEE
Parish Plans Celebration of
Anniversary.
PASTOR HERE FOR Is YEARS
Rector of St. Joseph's Roman
Catholic Church Has Made Bril-
Built New Church and School
and Debt Is Almost Cleared.

Elaborate preparations are being made
by committee of St. Josephs Catholic
Church, at c and Second streets north
east. to celebrate the twenty-fifth ami
versary of the appointment of Rev. VAL
entine F. Schmitt as rector Of the
church. The committee, of which Rev.
Ignatius Feely, assistant rector OF the
church, is the chairman. will meet on
Monday evening at ST Josephs Hall to
complete arrangements.
Before coming to st. Joseph's, Rev.
Father Schmitt, who on LAY last cele-
brated his sixty-seventh birthday ami
versary, was pastor for nineteen years
Of St Michaers Church, at Frostburg,
Md. Although he had declined the rec
torship Of St. Mary's German Catholic
Church in 1882. he consented, after some
persuasion. to take up the heavy burden
OF st. Joseph's parish. This he did in
October. 1886. He found matters in
bad financial condition. and he realized
that something must be done at once
to save the church. He began his work
by making St. Joseph's an English
speaking church. though a German SER
mon was preached occasionally.
Builds New school.
Father Schmitt found the old church
ing a new school building. to contain
fine large hall on the second moor,
which was used as a place OF worship
In this work he was assisted ably by
Father J. F. DOnahue, later pastor OF
St Patrick's Church, Baltimore. The
school hall was completed and made
ready for worship by Christmas LAY.
1851
The hall had been erected from the
proceeds OF a single fair, which had
netted some $1,000 With this generosity
of his parishioners Father Schmitt was
much encouraged. and in the following
year began to tear down the old ST.
JOseph's Church. and to plan the present
handsome structure. This building is one
of the very few brownstone edifices in
the city. 1t was erected by days work.
and cost with it's 5000 pipe organ. ex-
actly S4, 1882. The payment for this
building and the old debts has almost
been completed by Father Schmitt and
his able assistants.
The new st. Joseph's was solemnly ded-
iCated by James Cardinal Gibbons on
January Is. 1891, when Rev. DIR. Chapelle
the late archbishop OF New Orleans and
the Most Rev. Archbishop ]. j. Keane.
the then rector of the Catholic Irniver-
sity. preached the sermons. St Joseph's
is one of the most flourishing parishes
in the District. and numbers about 800
members.
Is Native of Darvaria.
Rev. Father Sshmitt, the rector Of the
church is a native Of Bavaria. In his
youth he came to America and continued
his studies for the church He sus-
pended these. however, for two years
during the civil war. when he jointd the
Cnin army as member of the Tooth
Regiment Of Pennsylvania Volunteers
he enlisted when considerably
under age. he saw hard fighting, as his
regiment lost over one-half OF its men
killed and mortally wounded. He is
proud of the fact that he was present
at Gen. Lees surrender on April Q. 1865
At the close of the war Father Schmitt
resumed his studies at st. Mary's Semi
nary, Baltimore, Md, and was ordained
prist on June 80, 1863. He is the only
priest in the Washington Diocese who
is veteran of the war