Levelland and Hockley County News-Press (Levelland, Tex.), Vol. 12, No. 15, Ed. 1 Sunday, May 20, 1990 Page: 4 of 45
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4-LEVELLAND & HOCKLEY COUNTY NEWS-PRESS. Sunday. May 20.1990
Father Tim Schwertner celebrating silver jubilee
Levelland Nursing Home
Father Tim Schwertner
Fender
Benders
Stansifer
up it'/i
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WANDA STANSIFER
vUR SUPERVISORS
for the needy on May 31 and June 1.
Anna Esch.
Castle. Dee Wasson. Bonnie Lamb,
Jewell Hardin. Sylvia Hill. Lucille
Tollett, Virgie James, Rosa Mae
a shy kid. I had a hard time giving a
three minute speech in high school
and college," he commented.
With a laugh he continued, "Now
I can hardly get my name out in three . the ordeal the entire time. People were
minutes." truly reaching out to me and I feared
’t do enough," explains
Schwertner.
Schwertner says he has always
enjoyed working with the youth. In
1967 he was one of the initiators of
the Search movement for youngsters
in the Amarillo Diocese;
"If anything gives life and gray hair
at the same lime, it is definitely
working with the youth," he laugh-
ingly commented.
Schwertner says that for him the
high point is a good mass, with good
for me was part curiosity, part of it
was because it was different and part
of it was the challenge."
"As I stayed in, I began seeing
needs, especially in college."
"I don’t know when or where
people get a strong calling to be
involved in religious life. Some say
continued his education in the college
of theology at Assumption Seminary
in San Antonio from 1957-1965.
He laughingly commented, "I
didn't fail. Il just took eight years."
When asked why he became a
priest, Schwertner replied, "The
simplest answer is because God
wanted me to, but it is a hard
question."
"I grew up in a religion family and
I felt 1 should do something different
than farm or some sort of occupat ion cl inchcr for me in becoming a priest,
like that," he commented.
"I think a lol of times people are
looking for an Answer to when did I irony in the fact that he became a
hear the call. I never did. Getting in priest.
A 1981 Datsun, driven by
Michael C. Wood, backed into a
legally parked 1988 Ford pickup in
the 500 block of Washington
Thursday at 5:50 p.m. Wood was
cited for backing without safety, no
liability insurance and failure to
report an accident.
explains that he can’t say he favors
one over the other because the two
feed on one another. Without people
there is no liturgy and without the
liturgy one can not help the people.
He says that sometimes being a
priest can be hard.
"When people arc involved in a
crisis sometimes the only thing you
can do is cry on one another’s
During his spare time, Schwertner
enjoys reading about sports and
liturgy. He says that he loves to fish
when he has lime and enjoys driving
through mountains and hills and by
lakes. He aisdclaims to enjoy hunting
and at times enjoys tinkering on his
motorcycle and boat, although he
rarely has time.
He alsoenjoys-attcnding scripture
seminars and occasionally enjoys
flying a kite.
"I like to fly a kite. They have
fantastic kites now. They are
amazing. I saw some beautiful ones
across from the mall and went in and
bought a nylon one. Il is wonderful,"
explained the priest.
For Schwertner the best part of I couldn’
they get it as a kid. In college I began being a priest has been the combina-
looking at things very seriously. I lion of people and the liturgy. He
watched the older classmates become
ordained and watched them in their
early years of priesthood."
"Involvement in parish work the
year before I was ordained was the
clincher for me in becoming a priest.
I thought, this is what it is all about."
Schwertner himself finds some
award
The Methodist Hospital Levelland
Auxiliary held their annual awards
luncheon Friday, May 11th and
presented awards to outstanding
volunteers.
Edd Neill, Ethel Pills and Wanda
Stansifer were recognized for over 30
hours over the flast year. Leslie
Gravitt was recognized for hav ing put
in over 2,000 hours as a volunteer.
Ms. Stansifer was also awarded the
Volunteer of the Year Award for
outstanding sendee tothejh tai
What’s amazing is I was always shoulders. I think my presence is piano music, good guitar music and
important when there are tragedies, good liturgy.
One instance that always comes to my
mind is a car accident in which 13
people were killed. I was involved in
The Willing Workers Quilting
Chib met May 17 at the Senior
Citizens Center to work on an eight
point star for hostess Lucille TolleU.
as the Volunteer President for the past
two years and was instrumental in the
fund-raising efforts to purchase 18
television sets for the hospital and other
projects. The award is presented
annual I y to the voluntee r who has gi vc n
"above and beyond" the call ofduty
for that year.
receives
Father Tim Schwertner and the Plainview.
parishioners of St. Michael’s Catholic He graduated from St. John’s Prep
Church will celebrate the silver Seminary in San Antonio in 1957 and
jubilee of his ordinationSunday.
The celebration will begin with a
mass conducted by Bishop Michael
Sheehan of Lubbock.
A receptionWvill be held in St.
Michael’s Parish Hall following the
mass. Dinner will be served al 6:30
andacountry and western dance will
be held from 8:30-11:30. R.U.N.
Texas will provide music for the
evening.
The parish encourages all
associated with Schwertner to attend
the celebration.
■> Schwertner, 51, has been pastor of
the Levelland church since 1979 and
directed the establishment of the
Sundown church in 1988. He
currently ministers to both churches.
He was ordained in Saint Joseph’s
Church in Slaton on May 30, 1965.
Since then he has been a pastor at
Muleshoe/Earth, Post/Wilson and
Quilters
meet
OUR ACCUMULATIVE EXPERIENCE
Administration: 39 Years, 9 Months
Licensed Nursing: 44 Years
Nursing Assistance: 61 Years, 9 Months
Housekeeping: 10 Years, 2 Months
Dietary; 13-Yeara. 8 Months
lb tai: 169 Years, 8 Months
We'
re Not Getting Older,
We're Getting Better!
care; and hearing
25 Years of Caring
Oovefton'the^e
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Levelland and Hockley County News-Press (Levelland, Tex.), Vol. 12, No. 15, Ed. 1 Sunday, May 20, 1990, newspaper, May 20, 1990; Levelland, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1193426/m1/4/?rotate=180: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting South Plains College.