Monsignor Nicholas Aloys Schneider of St. Louis, Missouri | 1930 - 2020 | Obituary

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Schneider, Monsignor Nicholas Aloys  Ordained March 17, 1956
Peacefully entered eternal life on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 after complications from COVID-19 virus.  He was 89 years old.  Monsignor is survived by his brother, Bill Schneider, his seventeen nieces and nephews, his 35 great nieces and nephews, and his 23 great-great nieces and nephews.  He is preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Nicholas Aloys and Mary Barbara (Uhrig) Schneider, and his sisters Barbara Ann (Schneider) Venker, Claire Zoe (Schneider) Lakey and Franceen de Lourdes (Schneider) Hoyt, niece Elizabeth Claire (Hoyt) and great-niece Melissa Marie Venker. 
Monsignor Schneider was born in Saint Louis, Missouri in 1930, was ordained on March 17, 1956 and named Monsignor by Pope Paul VI on February 24, 1977. He served the Archdiocese of Saint Louis in many ways, including as a rural and city associate pastor; prison chaplain; executive secretary of the Archdiocesan Commissions on Sacred Liturgy, Music and Art; lecturer for the Pope Paul VI Catechetical Institute, and as pastor of All Saints-University City, Our Lady of Providence and St. Monica. He was a founding board member of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions and of the Missouri Liturgical Congress. Msgr. Schneider was a prolific writer and has authored numerous books and articles for ecclesiastical journals.  When Vatican II convened in 1962, then-Father Schneider was assistant pastor at Holy Cross Parish in North St. Louis, under pastor Msgr. Martin Hellriegel, who was influential in the liturgical movement. Working with Msgr. Hellriegel “was a blessing to my priesthood,” said Msgr. Schneider, who was executive secretary of the archdiocese’s liturgy commission for 16 years and chairperson for nine years.   Msgr. Nicholas Schneider retired in 2005 to an apartment, which was the best setting for him to write the biographies of two cardinals who led the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Cardinals Joseph E. Ritter and John J. Carberry. He finished the work in 2009. He wrote a book in 1971 on Cardinal John J. Glennon.  Besides that work, he also assisted at various parishes by celebrating Masses. Then, for about the last 10 years he  celebrated Mass at the Sisters of the Good Shepherd Convent. Until recently he celebrated Mass once a week at the Carmelite nuns’ monastery.  Since 1990, he had been involved with a priest-rabbi dialogue group.
“I’m certainly not as busy as I was but am grateful for the many years I was able to serve in parishes of the diocese,” Msgr. Schneider said last year. “When you retire at 75, most of that heavy work is behind you.”  The fact that priests who are able stay in active ministry until age 75 “is really a blessing,” he said.  Msgr. Schneider also has observed he had met many “great men, dedicated priests and true leaders” in the priesthood.
Msgr. Schneider was known for his dedication to both his Church and his family.  He approached life with compassion and a non-judgmental acceptance of others.  “Uncle Nick” was a lively participant in family discussions, had a great sense of humor and was extraordinarily generous. Family get-togethers and holidays will never be the same.  Services: Private Mass on May 12, 2020 at 11 am (live stream at stmonicastl.org).  Private burial at Resurrection Cemetery.  Memorial Mass and reception at St. Monica’s will be announced at a later time. Donations in Monsignor’s name may be made to St. Monica or Most Holy Trinity churches.