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FR. BOB SCHWENKER REMEMBERED FONDLY |
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On Saturday, April 17th, the 9 Oblates in the Buffalo, NY District gathered with some 125 friends of Fr. Schwenker to “lift him up to the Lord” in a Month’s Mind Memorial Mass. He was killed tragically in what was originally reported as a hit-and-run incident outside of Bogota, Colombia where he served. Church authorities are seeking a further investigation of the incident.
Joining in the Mass were Fr. Bill O’Donnell, OMI, Area Superior, and Fr. Ray Marquis, OMI, an Oblate from Haiti who worked with Bob and came to represent the Mission. .
Fr. Steve Vasek, OMI, who worked with Bob when they were assigned together at Holy Angels in the early 1970’s preached the homily.
For more pictures of this event and for the text of the Funeral Homily, visit the Buffalo Oblates’ Website (www.buffomi.org) - [Holy Angels Parish – Events] |
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HOMILY BY FR. STEVE VASEK, OMI |
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Thanks for the honor of being invited to give the homily today for Fr. Bob’s Memorial Mass...
Another Journey is ended...another Journey has begun... on March 17th, just a month ago, Fr. Bob Schwenker finished his work here and began trying out something new once again...something we’ve all wondered about...the Kingdom of Heaven...
Fr. Bob was always a hard-working man of great kindness - with joy mixed in.... that made for a wonderful combination. Even early on in the seminary I remember him for his skills... his ability to play the guitar, speak fluent German, and repair a car at the drop of a hat... he was always a person who made things happen....even on the football field and basketball court as a seminarian.
When he first came to Holy Angels I remember him telling me about going to the home of a very distressed person who was trying to kill her child ... or visiting the home of a total stranger to tell her that her husband had just been killed in a senseless act of prejudice during the days of the race riots here in Buffalo back in the 70’s....
Our first reading today comes from the Acts of the Apostles and describes a tremendously courageous group of Apostles who refused to stop speaking about Jesus no matter what the consequences which made me immediately think of Bob Schwenker as stories abound about things he did because it was in his heart to stand up for the underdog, to defend those unjustly treated and to bring those opposed to each other together in peace...
The values of Jesus were written all over Fr. Bob Schwenker as he worked here at Holy Angels, calling young men to the Oblates, in the missions of Puerto Rico, Haiti, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and finally in Columbia working with pre-novices preparing them to be Oblates in the missions.
Our Gospel Reading from Mark 16:9-15 shows us another group of Apostles who are not ready to drop everything to proclaim the Gospel...even though others had seen the Risen Lord... so finally Jesus himself returns to get them going.... Which reminds me of why we have come really... not just to reminisce about Fr. Schwenker and tell the stories of all that we remember, but to remember what he has given us and get going ourselves.
Recently a college student complained to God in prayer that he could do as good a job or better than those in charge of our nations government today... when he heard God’s voice saying “OK... if you think you can do a better job.. get going"
This is clearly not the end of the line for any of us today 1 year and 4 months ago I had a heart attack but due to some wonderful doctors and nurses...I am still here with God saying the same thing ...There’s a reason I’ve brought you back and its not just to reminisce. Since most of us are still breathing in and out, God is clearly saying the same thing to us. Its not just time to think back to the “Good Ol Days” , even though its a good thing to do at times like this, but to see this event as a call from God to live our lives now so that some one else will remember us the way they remember Fr. Schwenker...
Recently Senator John Mc Cain wrote a book about courage... in which he defined courage as that rare moment of the unity of conscience, fear, and action when fear is overcome by conscience and our beliefs to give us the courage to act. Fr. Bob Schwenker was a man of courage who calls us to do the same...
• whether its making peace with someone who drives us crazy...
• or righting a wrong that someone else did not have the courage to do...
God come to each of us today calling us to use the lives we have to make a difference...
For as Dr. Martin Luther King once said: “If a man hasn’t discovered something he’s willing to die for... he isn’t fit to live.”
Thanks for the privilege of knowing you Bob and... may the example of your life get us all going...the way you always did...
Respectfully sumbitted by Father Stephen Vasek,OMI... on April 17, 2004, an Oblate of Mary Immaculate who worked with Fr. Bob here in Buffalo, NY back in the 1970’s and studied with him at 391 Michigan Avenue in Washington, DC back in the 1960’s.
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(l-r) Fr. Ray Marquis, OMI, Fr. Terry O’Connell, OMI, Fr. Steve Vasek, OMI | ||
