The Rev. Robert A. Schwane, who died in Denver on March 12 at age 78, spent more than 50 years as a Vincentian priest, celebrated for the novel homilies he invariably illustrated with props.
Children and teenagers who normally endured Mass with glazed eyes, counting the number of songs left before the final hymn, became alert as birds when Schwane was the celebrant.
During the Gospel readings, parishioners familiar with Schwane’s style paid close attention to the words, trying to guess the article that Schwane would use in his sermon.
He chose unremarkable objects, including a fishing pole, traffic signs, a pitcher of water, an empty glass and other pedestrian things. Schwane, who pronounced his name to rhyme with “tawny,” found engaging and often amusing ways to employ his props.
He once put on a bright inflatable life vest. The Gospel that day was the story about Jesus walking on water, and the apostle Peter’s difficulty in sustaining enough faith to do the same.
“He actually wanted to make the point that Peter wants to walk to Jesus but didn’t have enough faith,” explained longtime friend and fellow priest Prudencio Rodri guez.
“Peter kind of sinks when he tries at first. And then, once he had faith, he was able to go out and meet Jesus on the lake. He used these little props to teach people and get the message across. The life vest was a reminder: If you don’t have faith, forget it.”
Often, Schwane recruited a child from the congregation as an assistant. Never above making puns, he sometimes held up a sign with an arrow and asked a child to explain the sign.
“It points,” the child would say.
Beaming his approval, Schwane confirmed this, sometimes with a follow-up question eliciting a response along the order of “it points you in the right direction.”
Triumphantly, Schwane returned his attention to the congregation, announcing just how the sign illustrated a concept in the Gospel reading. Occasionally the link was a groaner – “I’m trying to make a point” – but usually, he provoked chuckles and thoughtful expressions.
“It was very simple, but a style that really involved everybody who was there,” said Vie Thorgren, director of the Center for Spirituality at Work in Denver. “Father Bob used a simple, ordinary, everyday kind of thing to make a connection to the Gospel. It was wonderful, because that’s what Jesus did – use everyday experiences and objects to lead people to God.”
Schwane was ordained June 7, 1953, in the Midwest province of the Vincentians’ Congregation of the Mission. He taught science and chemistry at Catholic universities and served 11 years as a missionary in Chile.
Most often, he celebrated Mass at two Catholic churches in Denver, Holy Ghost and Most Precious Blood.
He was a Spanish-speaking volunteer chaplain at Children’s Hospital and served with the Colorado Vincentian Volunteers and the Catholic Workers.
Survivors include sisters Virginia Wallace of Belton, Texas, and Sister Karen Schwane of Evanston, Ill.
Staff writer Claire Martin can be reached at 303-820-1477 or cmartin@denverpost.com.
