Stories & News
Meet some of the women and men who benefit from the Retirement Fund for Religious collection.
Brother Martin Schmitz, OFM Conv, 95
“We are so grateful for our benefactors, whose prayers and support sustain our life of service. I’m eternally grateful for my vocation. My advice is to come in with your heart completely open and expect wonderful things to happen,” notes Brother Martin Schmitz, 95, a member of the Conventual Franciscans of St. Bonaventure Province.
Born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Brother Martin and his twin brother, Philip, were raised in a devout Catholic family in Minneapolis. His parents’ deep “love for the church” and his time as an altar server at Sacred Heart Parish shaped his early faith.
His call began in eighth grade, sparked by a visiting nun who spoke about vocations. He was also profoundly influenced by a parish priest who dreamed of starting a new ministry. This dream, which would become the National Shrine of S. Maximilian Kolbe at Marytown, in Libertyville, Illinois, inspired Brother Martin to join the Conventual Franciscans.
His early religious life was defined by skilled labor and devotion. He was first sent to Detroit to work in a printery—”the best job I ever had,” he recalls. He was soon called back to help establish the Marytown print shop, where he spent 20 years operating and cleaning the presses that printed the Immaculata magazine.
During his time in Marytown, he also worked alongside his twin, Philip (later Brother James), who joined him for 23 years and managed the community’s large dairy farm.
When Marytown moved to its current home in Libertyville, Illinois, Brother Martin’s ministry shifted. He adapted to the new needs, taking on vital roles in cooking, office work, and bookkeeping, all while helping to maintain the community’s central mission of 24/7 Eucharistic Adoration.
Brother Martin has a profound devotion to the Mother of God and St. Maximilian Kolbe. His advice for a long, happy religious life is simple: “Persevere. Keep it in your prayers. And keep your hopes high. Perpetual Adoration itself and devotion to the Mother of God are enough to keep you there your whole life.”