‘Saints, not institutions, change the world’

Father Philip Schumaker is pastor of St. Mary’s Visitation Parish in Elm Grove, WI. He grew up in the Milwaukee area, where his father sold life insurance. He studied philosophy and Catholic studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, and upon his graduation in 2009 entered the seminary for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. 
He was ordained a priest in 2013, and has since served in a variety of parishes, becoming pastor of St. Mary’s in 2023. 

He began attending Legatus events as a seminarian. He became chaplain of the Milwaukee Chapter seven years ago.

Tell us about your upbringing.

I come from a good Catholic family, three boys and three girls, and was homeschooled beginning in the second grade. We’d go to daily Mass and regular Confession. Faith was the center of our lives.

I pursued Catholic studies and philosophy in college because I thought it was a wonderful way to grow in my faith. While in college I began to discern whether I ought to go into the diocesan priesthood or family life. I began praying more seriously. My spiritual director asked me what I thought was the route that would lead me closest to God. I began to develop the conviction that God was calling me to the priesthood. After graduating college, I told the Lord I would give the seminary my best shot; while there, it became clear that it was where God wanted me to be.

What have been your biggest rewards in the priesthood?

I love having the ability to say Mass and hear Confessions. I love working with the people of God and helping them grow in holiness. 

One of my most significant moments as a priest occurred during the pandemic in 2020. The archbishop allowed us to do “parking lot” Masses: I celebrated a livestreamed Mass in the church while the people sat out in their cars. I then went outside to distribute Communion. It was one of my most profound moments in the priesthood, bringing the Blessed Sacrament to the people who had been deprived of it. I saw the longing and joy in their eyes when they were able to receive the Lord again.

As for challenges, in one of my previous assignments, I was in a city parish in a trendy area. My biggest problem was combatting secularism and materialism. People would rather go out to Sunday brunch than church. 

Any surprises?

I have been surprised at where my administrative demands have led. At one point, I was studying cell phone tower leasing, and another time I was reviewing condo documents. In one parish, we leased out space in our school and lost our tax-exempt status for a time. We had to advocate for a change in legislation to find a remedy.

Tell me about the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and how you are doing for vocations to the priesthood.

We have 600,000 Catholics served by 100 active priests. At our seminary, St. Francis de Sales, we have 45 or 50 men studying for the priesthood for the archdiocese — up from 17 or 18 when I was there a decade ago — and another 30 from other dioceses.

Why have your vocations numbers improved?

I attribute it to prayer, fidelity to the Church, and positive leadership changes at the seminary. We also have had a wonderful vocations director who has prayed and suffered much, and we’re seeing the fruits of that.

What advice do you like to offer Legatus members?

We can all get frustrated at disorder and darkness in our world, but frustration does not change things. Prayer and sanctity do. Saints, not institutions, change the world. Look to the Lord and grow closer to Him; allow Him to be the center of your life. That’s the way to bring positive change to society.